Kovels’ Best Buy–From House Sale to Museum Exhibit

What was our best buy? It was years ago at a house sale. We saw a black metal piece that the dealer said was a salt shaker. The shape was 18th-century, and a close look showed hammer marks and other indications of handwork. “If you have it silver plated, it would look fine,” she said. “It’s $12.” We took it home, cleaned it, and found a silver sugar castor that looked like those made in the 1780-1800 period. Then we found the silver mark¯the “PR” used not by the horseback-riding patriot, but by his father. Our Paul Revere castor is now on loan to a museum and we visit it regularly.