Silver Flatware Sets the Holiday Table

With Thanksgiving and winter holidays right around the corner, this is the perfect time of year to bring out cherished silver flatware sets. Stainless steel or (gasp) plastic might be fine for everyday use, but many of us demand something much fancier for a festive feast. Whether you inherited a full set from a relative, […]

Bride’s Baskets: Sophisticated Wedding Gifts

Bride’s baskets were the go-to wedding gifts given to sophisticated Victorian brides from the 1880s until about 1905. The term itself though is modern, used since the late 1950s. A bride’s basket is an elegant art glass bowl, usually with a crimped or ruffled rim, held by a silver-plated frame, often with a handle. They […]

Corkscrew Figure

Q: I’ve had this corkscrew for over 30 years. It’s very heavy and I don’t which type of metal it is. I’d love to clean it but don’t know what I should use. There are no marks on it other than “made in Italy.” Can you tell me how to clean it and if it […]

Silver Plate Vase

Q: I’d like to know who made this vase and what its value is. It’s been passed down in the family, though I don’t know how much of the information is true. My mother’s great aunt received a dozen long stem roses in it on her wedding night. I’ve been told it’s circa 1898 and […]

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 […]

Lined Silver Plate Box

Q: We were given this by an elderly friend and would like to know what it is, how old it is, and the value. I’ve tried to bring out the silver color to no avail. It’s 4 1/2 inches tall, 5 1/2 inches long, and 4 inches wide. It has pink satin lining and is […]

Serving a Need: Secondhand Silverware  

Buying or selling silverware sets at antique stores, auctions, flea markets, estate sales or online is gaining in popularity. It is a way to downsize or to get higher-quality items for a dinner table at prices that are often comparable to or less than new sets. We recently found some sets, probably silver plate, with […]

Silver-Plated Sugar & Creamer

Q: An elderly friend gave me this sugar, creamer, and tray when she was moving to Spain. I’ve always enjoyed its stylized geometric design and translucent green handles. It’s marked “Rockford” and with scales in a circle. Underneath that are the letters “EPNS” in squares. What’s its value? A: This Art Deco set was made […]

Victorian Silver-Plated Serving Pieces

The Thanksgiving dinner table in a well-to-do Victorian family’s home might be set with some of these silver plate pieces. The Victorian Era is named for the years of  Queen Victoria’s reign in England, 1837–1901. Elaborate dinner table settings, with several special silver serving dishes, were an indication of the family’s wealth and status. These […]

Napkin Rings: Fanciful Links to a Different Era

Napkin rings played a practical role in 19th-century Europe. Linens (including napkins) were usually washed once a week. The napkin ring held each family member’s used napkin between meals. The most popular rings with collectors are the silver-plated figural examples, like those featured in a recent sale by Morphy Auctions of Pennsylvania. They sold for […]