1906 Moselle

 “How can I tell if my flatware is sterling or silverplated?” This is the most frequently-asked question at SilverCollect.com.  If it doesn’t have the word “sterling”, then it most likely is not sterling silver.  The word “sterling” is found on American silver dating after 1860. Early American silver is very rare and was usually marked with only the maker’s name or initials.  Silverplate has the maker or company name and often includes terms such as “A1″ or “quadruple plate”. These are various descriptions of the amount of applied silver. Whether you choose to collect sterling or silver plate flatware or holloware, the following tips apply.

Choose a Style, Era or Maker. Reflect upon your lifestyle and personal taste, then make choices that will be a good fit. There are many specialty areas of silver collecting. Some collectors are devoted to a pattern while others collect a particular maker or era. Some only collect a particular type of piece, such as fish servers or tea strainers, and many expand into all areas.

Mix-n-Match. The mixing and matching of patterns has great aesthetic appeal at any dinner or function. This is a wonderful option particularly with hard-to-find, discontinued flatware patterns and is often a must for affordable entertaining.

Wear or Damage. Signs of use do not necessarily detract from value while damage may or may not. Slight damage on a rare flatware or hollow ware piece will not significantly reduce value, if at all. Be wary of buying tarnished silver as it can hide otherwise obvious wear, damage or repair. The price of a tarnished piece should be signficantly lower than retail because the true condition of a tarnished piece is unknown.

Monograms. Many collectors view the old, elaborate monograms as a lost art form and historically important. It does not detract from the desirability or value of a piece. If the pieces you collect are readily available without monograms, they are, in this case, more valuable if they do not or never had one. Monogram removal can damage a piece and is, in most cases, easily detectable.

Authenticity. Some collectors frown upon pieces that have been updated, such as replaced knife blades. Silverplated blades are often found with wear. They can easily be replaced on hollow handle knives and some prefer to have them replaced with stainless steel blades. However, stainless steel was not introduced until the early 1920s. This is one of those areas which is a matter of personal collecting preference.

Repair. Dents, disposal or other damage can be repaired by a silversmith. Pieces can also be replated. The cost is prohibitive for easily-found pieces but is worthwhile and economically feasible for the rare pieces.

Modified Items. Be aware that these exist and learn how to determine if a piece has been modified from its original state. Common flatware pieces are sometimes altered to make them appear to be rare or more valuable pieces. For example, spoons are sometimes cut to resemble ice cream forks. A sugar spoon may have been pierced to resemble a sugar sifter. Avoid purchasing modified pieces for your collection. Click for more on modified flatware

Forgeries. New forgeries in popular and rare patterns appear regularly for sale on the internet. In particular, salt spoons and rare pieces such as asparagus servers. Many of these pieces have no maker’s marks. Further, forged maker’s marks in silver have appeared for hundreds of years. The age of a piece does not necessarily indicate it’s authenticity.

Educate Yourself. Many good silver books are available in the collecting section of your local book store or library.

Caring for Silverware. When your silverware needs polishing, be sure to use a soft polishing cloth and a non-abrasive polish. It is preferable to wear cotton gloves. Wash and dry your flatware as soon as possible after use and do not put it in the dishwasher. The best way to care for your silverware is to use it.

These are some of the more prevalent modified items:

Baked Potato Fork: Modified forks were originally meat or other serving forks which have been altered by the removal of the center tine.

Butter Pick and Candle Snuffer: These items are made using the handles from authentic production pieces and adding the remainder of the piece in sterling silver, stainless steel or silverplate. We have also seen butter picks which were made from nut picks by twisting the end of the piece.

Cream Ladle: We have found modified cream ladles which were fashioned from what were originally bouillon or gumbo spoons.

Fruit Spoon: These are modified from regular teaspoons by altering the size, shape or edge of the bowl. A fruit spoon has either a serrated edge or a bowl which is narrower and smaller than a teaspoon.

Ice Cream, Terrapin and Ramekin Forks: These forks are often much like spoons except they have short tines. They are not generally available with modern services. Modifications are made from a variety of spoon styles. In many cases, but not always, the bowls of the authentic forks are ornate. If the tines seem too sharp for an old piece, even on seldomly used pieces, it could be an altered spoon.

Mustard Ladle: Modified mustard ladles are fashioned from teaspoons, iced tea spoons and other spoons.

Napkin Ring: Modified rings are made from large spoon handles, usually large soup or table serving spoons. Generally, if it looks like a spoon handle, it probably is a spoon handle.

Pierced Table Serving Spoon: Solid bowl table serving spoons are modified with piercings in the bowl. If the edges of the piercings seem sharp or crude, it could be a modified item.

Sugar Sifter: Modified sifters are generally made from regular sugar spoons or shells. If the piece is about the same size as a sugar spoon with the exception of the pierced bowl, it could very well be a modified item.

Many of these modified items can fool anyone who does not possess a solid background in this field. When shopping for silver online without the benefit of handling it prior to purchasing, check the dimensions, study the shape and do not hesitate to ask questions. Buy from knowledgeable antique silverware dealers who will honor returns. Remember, the above list includes only the most common examples of modified items.

Reprints of the old flatware manufacturer catalogs may be purchased online, particularly those for the most popular patterns. These reprints are valuable resources if your goal is to collect all the pieces which were originally produced in a particular pattern, or to identify unusual or uncommon pieces. Some silver collecting books available at your local library or book store include reprints of flatware catalogs.

A note about Reissued Sterling Patterns: These are not modified items, but rather previously discontinued patterns which have been recently reintroduced. Some of these patterns are still in production. For example, Gorham has reissued many of its most popular patterns such as Adam, Bead, Colfax, Dauphin, Lily, Old Orange Blossom, Roanoke, Versailles, Mythologique and others. These reissued patterns are known as Gorham’s Masterpiece Collection. If your interest is in antique silver pieces only, familiarize yourself with what’s old and what’s new. The differences between old and new silver are equivalent to the differences between new and antique furniture, primarily the patina or lack thereof.

We first published this article in 2001, and it still holds true today. However, since that time dozens of additional pieces not mentioned above have appeared for sale. A reputable silverware dealer should reveal if the piece is newly-crafted or of original production. Your best bet is to educate yourself.

Matte black finish stainless flatware

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