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Step 1
Select a conversation piece to collect, like a crumb knife (looks like a sugar scoop with a flat bottom and one open side; used to sweep up crumbs between courses) or a butter pick (looks like a mini corkscrew; used to grab individual curls or balls of butter).
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Step 2
Choose large serving pieces you can use at holiday time, or pick a silver pattern you like and try to collect a complete set. One fun collectible category is ladles. Our ancestors relied on ladles for serving (from smallest to largest) mustard, mayonnaise, sauce, gravy, bouillon, oysters, soup and punch.
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Step 3
Look for the word sterling on the back of the handle. If it's not there, it's silver-plated. Look for the name of the manufacturer as well. An 18th-century find may have the craftsman's initials.
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Step 4
Avoid badly worn pieces if you plan to use them at your own table. Over the years, the silver plate on the back of a spoon or along a fork's tines can wear off.
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Step 5
Collect flatware for an affordable hobby. You can find teaspoons for less than a dollar. Large serving forks and spoons in fine condition can be had for $20 or less. Harder-to-find patterns will cost more, of course.
