Collecting Silver

Silver shines as a collectible

By Nancy Russell

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Silver collecting is a fun activity but only if you know why you’re collecting. Are you hoping for an investment that will grow in value? Are you wanting a beautiful collection that you can actually use? Are you adding to a collection of family pieces? All are good reasons to collect, but doing your homework is essential to making wise choices.

Here are a few basic ways you might identify the age and type of the silver you own and learn more about collecting silver.
You probably own a piece of antique sterling or silverplate. Our ancestors might have thrown out the handmade pie safe after it started to look aged and worn, but the silver serving ladle or figural napkin ring was passed down to other generations. Most of us bring these family pieces out on special occasions to use and enjoy. Silver pieces not only have value in their metal content; they also won’t deteriorate in storage or take up valuable space like furniture. With only a few minutes of careful cleaning, silver will gleam and shine. The price of silver does fluctuate, but it always has monetary value.

Look for a maker’s mark on the bottom or back of each piece. It’s unusual for silver or silver plate to be unmarked, so if you have trouble finding a mark, look on the edges or even on the front of the piece. You will see a group of little symbols pressed into the metal. These are called hallmarks.

If there are four or five separate marks, then it’s probably English. A lion means “solid silver,” or what we call sterling in the United States. If there’s no lion but it shows two or three hallmarks, the piece is probably European. Just a name or initials pressed into the silver means the piece is American or Canadian. Some American silver items have “pseudo hallmarks.” An eagle’s head, a star or hand were symbols used to convince buyers that American silver was comparable to English silver. A lion or king’s head was never used on American silver.

A general rule of thumb on dating antique American sterling silver is this: If initials appear, it’s pre-1800; if a name appears, it’s pre-1850. If the words “England” or “Made in U.S.A.” appear on your piece, then it was made after 1891. The word “sterling” will usually indicate an American piece made after 1860.

Silver plate first became popular in Victorian England and was heavy and quite ornate. The base metal was usually copper or a white pot metal. It was electrically coated with a thin layer of silver. Victorian silver plate is marked with combinations of shields, names and designs. You might see the letters EPNS, which stands for electroplated nickel silver.

This is an incomplete primer on silver and silver plate. If you’re seriously thinking about collecting, you should own a book of marks. “Antique Silver (Starting to Collect)” by Ian Pickford and “Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers, A Shiffer Book for Collectors” are good choices. Start by visiting the resource section at the public library and then purchase the book that seems to fit your collection.

Nancy Russell is co-owner of Boone’s Lick Trail Antiques Antiques at 4038 E. Broadway in Columbia. 

Not Your Usual Antiques Roadshow Reaction

Watch this short video on You Tube.
Unfortunately, when you do enough appraisals, this happens a bit. This goes to show, it really does not matter how much you pay for something and how long ago you bought it when it comes to the value of something. 
Click On Link To Watch On You Tube

A Testament To A Time Gone By... Bermondsey Market

One of the greatest antiques markets, Bermondsey Market in London. Every Friday morning from 3:00am for about 5 hours I used to pick this market as my father did before me. I could fill up my car with a great selection of antique silver & victorian silver plate. Whatever the weather, dealers from all over England used to come to Bermondsey to set up and sell their wares. I found this video on line, filmed more recently and later in the day, so it's no where near as busy as I remember but it still brings back fond memories.
Video From Bermondsey Market

Estate Silver Co. Advert "IN New York". Warwick Vase

Free Verbal Appraisal

FREE VERBAL APPRAISAL on any silver items, antique or 20th century, bought into our store until January 20th 2011. Call 212-758-4858 to make your free, no obligation, appointment.

Silver Polish

The one question I am most commonly asked, is how do I keep all the silver in our store clean? What do I reccomend? The simple answer is that most if not all the silver polishes out there are very similar. Some you wipe on & wipe off, some you spray on & wipe off, and some you use with a sponge under running water. Whatever you prefer is really the way to go. Obviously avoid using water on items such as candlesticks that are filled, or picture frames with velvet or wood backing. The BEST way to keep your silver clean is by using it. The oil's on your skin, and the touching and cleaning and rubbing from daily use are more than enough to keep the tarnish away. If it's something that is decorative, I always advise that once a week, when one dusts the furniture, just give the silver a quick wipe with a clean dry soft polishing cloth, as this again will keep the tarnish away. Many people have told me that they have had great results with aluminum foil and baking soda, and although I have never tried this, it is totally harmless to the silver so certainly give it a try. The only option I tell people to avoid is the Tarn-X silver dip, as this actually removes a layer of the silver, and obviously over time it will corode your silver.
So what do I use in the store? I let the customers handle and touch whatever they like, and that saves me the bother of doing much polishing at all. Remember USE YOUR SILVER, and as long as you use it with care, it will look and last forever.