Antiques

Sterling silver is generally divided into two categories: holloware (shaped pieces such as teapots, bowls and plates) and flatware (flat items such as knives, spoons and forks). Much of the...

A gleaming silver tea set adds elegance to any home and can be a family heirloom. Sterling silver sets are made of a silver alloy that is at least 92.5 percent silver; the rest of the alloy is...

The most important thing to do in preparation for selling any silver plate is to make sure it's clean and looks presentable. Doing so will increase the perceived value of the item by potential...

To identify antique silver, collectors and enthusiasts examine and research their pieces to determine date, style, maker, and country of origin. Ease of identification depends largely on the...

HOW TO HUNT FOR TREASURE RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE. NOT ALL TREASURE IS BURIED, YOU JUST NEED TO KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. YES, I HAVE USED A METAL DETECTOR, AND I HAVE FOUND SOME INTERESTING ITEMS, AS I...

THERE IS GOLD, SILVER, AND PRECIOUS STONES IN "THEM THAR HILLS" BELIEVE IT OR NOT MOST GOLD AND SILVER AND OTHER PRECIOUS STONESARE REALLY RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE.

Gorham is one of the oldest and best loved American manufacturers of sterling silver. Its long history stretches all the way from it’s beginnings as a small silversmith’s shop in Providence,...

The hallmarks on antique sterling silver are often nearly impossible to decipher. Decades or centuries of polishing, besides the fact that they are often very small to begin with, can make them...

Silvermaker Reed and Barton was founded in 1824 in the United States. Today the company sells silver, crystal and china. For each year of silver production from 1928-1957, in addition to the words...

Gorham silver flatware is timelessly beautiful with an interesting history. According to Gorham, Presidents throughout history, including Lincoln and Grant, served White House dinners with Gorham...

Connoisseurs of fine gold, silver and platinum handcrafted items spend large amounts of money for single pieces to add to their collections. Discerning the fake from the genuine precious metal...

Vintage sterling flatware is identified by hallmarks, maker's marks, patterns and pure silver content. Sterling silver flatware made in the United States after 1906 is easy to identify, as it is...

Silverware or flatware is almost always marked, and you can read silver marks on your tableware or flatware with a keen eye or a magnifying glass, particularly if you know where to look. You also...

Rogers Brothers Silver dates back to the early 19th century. In 1847, the company became a household name when it perfected a process for electroplating silver. The Meriden Britannia Company...

Silver hallmarks are marks indicating the quality of silver objects. Hallmarks are stamped directly onto the item. Some marks indicate the purity of the silver; other marks can refer to the maker...

Hallmarks are a very old way of identifying the fine work of skilled craftsmen, dating from the Middle Ages. Artisans and craftsmen banded together in guilds, to set quality standards, share...

A hallmark, sometimes called a standard, hall, or assay mark, is an impressed symbol indicating the quality of a silver, gold or platinum item. The first hallmarks were used in 1300 A.D. for gold...

The Roman Empire spanned almost five centuries (27 b.c. to 476 a.d.) and left in its wake a wealth of historic battles, famous emperors and ancient coins issued before the time of Christ. These...

Collecting antique silverware is a fun hobby to do at yard sales and estate auctions. Sterling silver is a very functional antique that you can actually use every day without reducing its value....

Antique silverware often possesses a charm that more modern patterns do not. Whether silver plated or sterling silver, its heavy weight and ornate decoration are extremely hard to produce in...

The Aesthetic Era of Antique Silver Plate produced some of the most beautiful silver objects ever made. These pieces are highly prized by collectors of both Sterling and Silver Plate. As a...

Sugar tongs are an essential component of the traditional English silver tea service. Dating back to the seventeenth century, it is a device designed to serve cubed sugar. Initially wrought from...

Silver collecting has become a favorite for hobbyists over the last decade or so. It is a common occurrence to look at a silver piece and find a hallmark of some type. Many pieces use pictorial...

The Art Deco period, alive in the 1920s and 30s, combined geometric designs and hard lines with circles and curves to create a look that would later spawn the modern and contemporary designs we...

Many people sell antique silver that they have had for many years. Other people sell antique silver that they have inherited or purchased for resale. There is a high demand for antique silver of...

A romantic collector's item, silver ring boxes were most common from the 1880s to the 1950s. In a variety of shapes, sizes and styles, silver ring boxes were often included with the purchase of a...

Spoon collecting is one of the largest antique or hobby interests around. Perhaps you inherited your spoon collection from a grandmother or other family member. Care of these beautiful silver and...

Sterling silver is an alloy that, according to federal law, must be at least 92.5 percent pure silver. The remaining 7.5 percent may be composed of any other metal, which is usually copper or...