The market value of silverware
Are silverware items valuable?
There was a time not too long ago when a silver-plated metal wedding gift was a highly appreciated piece. The wealthier people would buy silversmith’s pieces consisting of tea sets, cutlery or simply serving trays. The value of silverware was, at that time, pretty high.
People less-wealthy were not to be overlooked either, as a multitude of manufacturers around the world began to produce today’s rather common pieces, made of ordinary metal such as copper or brass (an alloy of zinc and copper). The object, made of inexpensive metal, is then covered with a very thin layer of silver. Brand new, the look is really misleading. One would think that it is a pure silver piece, certainly acquired by a wealthy person.
Over time, it’ s easy to see the distinctive signs of wear and tear. Silver and brass are not the same color at all.
The manufacturer’s signature will be sufficient to distinguish the quality of the silver piece. Indeed, EPNS, Silver Plate or simply the word COPPER belong to the category of low-value pieces.
An object labelled Pure Silver, Sterling or.925 is the work of a silversmith who works with pure silver.
Silversmiths of the French regime in North America were first hired by members of the Church. Their works are signed using hallmarks and are now listed by a few researchers whose writings serve as a basis for those who identify these very valuable ancient pieces.
Details that enhance the value
Silverware of high value must have certain characteristics: the objects must be in their original condition with wear marks in the normal places, the weight of the object, provenance, age and rarity will also be taken into consideration during an appraisal. Among the most sought-after brands are Hanau silverware from Germany and Barnard from London.
Unfortunately, today no one likes to polish these pieces of silverware anymore. This was one of the small pleasures of another era, now obsolete simply because of a lack of time. This is simply why the value of silverware is not what it used to be.
If you have any questions about your silverware, please contact us!
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