Miniatures Can Bring Major Prices

Miniatures have delighted collectors for centuries. Small objects can hang on a wall, be showcased on a desk or shelf or carry pictures of loved ones in jewelry or a pocket. Bonhams recently hosted an auction of more than 200 small items, all of which would fit in the palm of a hand. Miniatures were […]

Silver Plate and Glass Epergne

Q:  About 30 years ago, my wife and I bought this epergne at an antiques show. We sent pictures to several silver dealers, and one thought this mark was used by Maneses Orfebres of Madrid, Spain. Can you tell us anything about the maker?  A:  This is a mark used by Meneses Orfebres. Orfebres is […]

Cleaning a Silver Teapot

You can clean the inside of a silver teapot by filling it with warm water and adding a five-minute denture-cleaning tablet for every 2 cups of water. Rinse after 10 minutes. If a residue remains, use a soft brush to clean it off.  

How to Identify Silver and Find the Marks 

Did you fall in love with a silver item in a thrift store and bring it home? Or did you inherit some silver from a relative? It is a good idea to find out exactly what you have when determining value. That is done by looking for a mark — often found on the bottom, […]

March 2021 Prices

ADVERTISING Menu board, Golden Ice Cream, “World’s Best Ice Cream Value!” chalkboard, tin lithograph, 24 x 16 in., $100 Thermometer, Cincinnati Sporting Good, red & black, lithographed, “For Your Riding Apparel/Driving Pants/Sports Cloths…” R.J. Becht & Son, 1981, 36 in. , $230 Poster, Apple II computer, Rainbow Apple logo, stylized black text “Apple ][, home/personal […]

Cleaning Silver Tip

It is often better to clean silver to remove light yellow tarnish than it is to try to remove black tarnish that has built up over the years.   

Paul Revere – Patriot and Silversmith Whose Work Sells High

Monday, April 20th, is Patriots’ Day, a holiday in Massachusetts, Maine, Wisconsin, Connecticut and North Dakota that commemorates the 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the Revolutionary War. Paul Revere, Jr. the famous patriot immortalized in the famous poem “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” for shouting “the British are coming,” […]

Silver

Sometimes identifying a maker by his or her mark is like solving a puzzle. There are books and websites (like Kovels.com) that can help, but you have to know where to begin. You can search on words in the mark, the shape of the mark, things pictured in the mark, or letters and dates included […]

Silver Identification Guide

The marks on the bottom of a piece of silver can be an indication of the age, maker, and origin of the piece. This mark is referred to as a “hallmark.” To find Kovels’ silver hallmarks’ database, go to “Look for your mark.” Other articles and marks can be found in” Silver and Other Metals identification guide and […]

Mexican Silver Jewelry

In 1929, William Spratling moved from New Orleans to Taxco, Mexico. He started designing jewelry made from the silver, amethyst, and obsidian available nearby. A local master silversmith and about eighteen apprentices made the pieces he designed. Ten years later, his shop had grown and he had 300 Mexican craftsmen making silver jewelry and tableware. […]