SilverCollect.com is pleased to announce that it has added Google Checkout as an additional payment processing option for your shopping convenience. Shoppers may select any one of the following payment options during checkout:

Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express)

Money Order

Check

Telephone

PayPal

Google Checkout

Buyers may continue to use our regular secure checkout to process orders as always using one of the traditional payment methods above. Just select our Checkout Button:

If you wish to use Google Checkout, select it as your payment method and then click on the Google Checkout button:

You may then process your order using your Google account. Google Checkout accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

Google Checkout is a fast, secure, and convenient way to shop online. Google Checkout makes online shopping easy by providing a single login for purchases from participating merchants. That's right…with one single login, you can purchase from multiple stores and track all of your purchases from your Google account. If you do a lot of shopping online, this is a big timesaver. You no longer need multiple user accounts and passwords to shop with different merchants. Currently, only buyers with a U.S. billing and mailing address can make purchases through Google Checkout.

To learn more about this new payment system, please see Google Checkout

September 16, 2006

For hundreds of years, families have treasured the silver flatware passed down from Mom or

Grandma. There is a relative newcomer catching up and on its way to becoming

one of America's favorite family heirlooms.

This new family heirloom is the stainless steel flatware

set your mother or grandmother passed down to you. Just as the family silver of

yesteryear brought back cherished childhood memories of an ancestor, many families

are finding that the stainless set they remember as children brings back the same

type of memories.

Sterling silver and silverplate flatware sets are still being passed down from

mother to daughter. However, we have seen a significant increase in the number

of people requesting replacements for an ancestor's stainless set. In fact, 50%

of our customers at SilverCollect.com are completing stainless sets received either from a family

member; or for a set they received as a wedding gift and wish to pass down.

There are also collectors of stainless patterns from a particular era or from a

particular flatware designer such as Jens Quistgaard, for example. A collector

may be attracted to the high quality of craftsmanship found in the vintage

flatware, or to the design - or both.

Unfortunately for those trying to complete these flatware sets, the patterns have

been discontinued more often than not. It can be difficult to locate vintage and

discontinued patterns in excellent condition. Patience is required as it can

often take years to complete a set. And for the more popular patterns demand is

high, supply is low, so you may find yourself paying more for stainless than for

sterling silver.

Here are a couple of tips to ensure that you maintain a complete stainless set; and to create a family heirloom to pass on to your children:

• If your pattern is still in production, buy extra pieces before it isdiscontinued. After discontinuation, supply can quickly become depleted; and

  prices can quickly go up.

• When you find pieces in great condition for your discontinued pattern, buy asmany extra pieces as you can afford. It may be the last time you see replacements in your pattern.

It's a good idea to have extra pieces of flatware on hand because some pieces will inevitably become “lost” or damaged. Forks are used the most so tend to get “lost” or damaged before the other pieces. They are

generally harder to find and often more costly to replace. Teaspoons have a tendency

to mysteriously disappear too.

Above all, just take care of your set. Use it but don't abuse it. It is

relatively easy to do, particularly in comparison to sterling silver or

silverplate. Silver can be relatively carefree if used regularly, but most

people just don't use it daily. Click here for more about Stainless Steel Flatware

Want to make it easy for your guests to keep up with their drinks? Want to make it fun too? Sam of Eclectic-Elements has the answer with unique, handcrafted wine glass charms - jewelry for your wine glasses.

Custom designed and crafted by Sam in Albuquerque, New Mexico, these drink identifiers will delight you and your guests. Think about it, no more abandoned drinks! Your guests will also feel more relaxed and secure knowing they aren’t drinking from another’s glass.

Pictured Above: Bunco - 8mm acrylic dice beads and seed beads.

Also known as drink markers, these wine glass charms may be purchased in sets of 6, 8, 12 and 14. Sam offers several designs from simple to funky to elegant. Your family and friends will want to know where you got these unique glass charms, so go ahead and buy a few sets for gifts!

Pictured at left: Wine glass charms are a great way to dress up your dinner table. Note how the wine glass charm shown on the inset would dress up this place setting.

Check out the images below for more designs from Eclectic-Elements.

Below Left: Asian - made with Asian symbol charms and seed beads. Below Right: Simple - Matte Crow beads and seed beads.

Below Left: Elegant - glass beads and seed beads. Below Right: Geologic - semi-precious gemstone stone chips and seed beads.

Below: Mah Jongg - tiny plastic novelty Mah Jong tiles and beads.

Wine glass charms are made with stainless steel memory wire and lead free, food safe pewter spacers.

Click here for Wine Glass Charms Be sure to check out all the wonderful handcrafted jewelry at Eclectic-Elements.com

Are you a collector of tea accessories with a particular passion for tea ball infusers? Can’t seem to locate the shape or design you want? No problem…you can have a one-of-a-kind sterling silver tea infuser made just for you. And there won’t be another like it in the world!

Kevin Ard, an American artisan is one of the few in the world who exclusively makes tea accessories. He designs and crafts infusers out of sterling silver or gold depending on the client’s preference, sometimes using both metals for a piece. The infuser can even be adorned with jewels! Ard’s unique tea infuser designs are hand-crafted works of art which are beautiful, functional and precise.

Above Left: A commissioned tomato design, 1.75 inch diameter, additional holes in the bottom.

A project begins with discussions with a client to get an idea of the shape and design the client envisions. Armed with this information and inspiration, Kevin begins drawing. He presents several drawings to a client for final selection of the design.

Once a design has been finalized, Ard begins the tedious process of making the components. Each component of the finished piece is handcrafted with the exception of the chain. He uses a process to ensure the infuser is strong, durable and will last for many, many years. He particularly enjoys knowing that his clients use his designs. These one-of-a-kind infusers are sure to become treasured family heirlooms and passed on to future generations.

Left: A silver and gold case adorned with gold tea leaves and genuine blue topazstones. The cap twists off to reveal a modern tea infuser (see additional image below). The leaf design is repeated on the infuser’s smaller lid which is securely stored inside the case. 1″ diameter, 3″ in length.

Kevin Ard’s silver infusers make a great cup of tea which he personally tests before passing the infuser on to his client. Ard’s tea infuser designs range in price and begin at around $900. He never reproduces a design.

Below: The silver and gold tea leaves case with infuser.

Below: Sterling silver tea infuser with raised gold dots and carnelian cabochon stones; the swirl pattern offsets the clean lines and smooth design of this piece. Approx 1.25″ in diameter and 3″ in length

More information about the artist and how to order a silver tea infuser or other tea accessories may be found at KevinArd.com

Designs and images are owned and copyrighted by Kevin Ard.

The silver tea ball was very popular in American homes, particularly in the late 19th century. Competition among silver manufacturers and silversmiths was fierce

as each attempted to outdo the others with the most attractive and fanciful

shapes.

Left: Antique Gorham sterling silver tea ball infuser in the shape of a tea pot. The teapot shape is a favorite among many collectors today.

The disposable tea bag was invented in the early 20th century which led to the

demise of the sterling silver tea ball's popularity. If you are interested in collecting these little gems, there aren't many around so you may have to be patient. You can expect to pay from about $100 to $300+ for an antique silver tea ball. Price depends on condition, maker and shape.

Below: Group of tea balls from a Whiting Manufacturing Co. catalog

Below Left: Victorian silverplate tea ball with stand by Meriden B Co. The tea ball and tea ball holder were sold separately. Below Center: Satin embossed sterling silver tea ball. Below Right: Daniel Low & Co. Tea Ball

Antique silver prices realized at online auction:

Gorham Strasbourg Sterling Asparagus Tongs - $1,502.75

Gorham Mythologique 85 Piece Sterling Flatware Set - $4,100

Tiffany Persian Sterling Flatware Service for 12 - $29,500

Victorian Silverplate Figural Baseball Napkin Ring, Pairpoint - $3,106.56

Gorham Versailles, Set of 4 Sterling Dinner Forks - $601

Tiffany Bamboo 69 Piece Sterling Flatware Set - $8,000

What is it and what is it for?

What is commonly referred to today as a bride’s basket was originally called a berry dish and used for fruit. Other names used to describe these silver and glass items were fruit baskets and fruit bowls. Those without overhead handles were fruit stands. The term “bride’s basket” evolved because a fruit or berry bowl with stand was a very popular gift for the bride-to-be in the 19th century.

During the 1880s, fancier glass inserts began to appear, and the styles available were numerous by the 1890s. American silver and silverplate manufacturers used glass inserts produced in both the United States and Europe. The makers they originated from were not meticulously documented by the silver manufacturers as they were more concerned with their silver stands.

Read more »

From 1899 until 1909, International Silver used a girl's head with bonnet in

advertising campaigns. In 1909 Advertising Manager, William G. Snow, developed

his idea of using a full-size, real model costumed in 1847 attire. The 1847 Girl

toured the country advertising silverware, and appeared in vaudeville theaters,

jewelry stores and events where she handed out silver spoons, postcards and other items to her adoring fans.

The 1847 Girl made quite an impression. A reporter for the Lima, Ohio

Democrat wrote:

There was a stir of excitement, a craning of necks, at the dedication dinner of the Grace M.E. Church recently, and everyone turned toward the door, in which

was framed the figure of a young girl in the quaint, picturesque costume of long

ago. She had seemingly stepped from the frame of some portrait of ante-bellum

days, and as she was escorted to a place at the table she curtsied right and left

with charming grace. Whispered comments, exclamations were unsatisfied until

someone exclaimed, “It's the Rogers 1847 Girl.”

After her appearance at the National Retail Jewelers' Convention in 1911, the

following was reported in the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

She is a comely damsel arrayed in the fineries which delighted great-grandmothers when they were girls, and looks like a character in a Mary

Johnson novel. She wears the fichu, bodice and poke bonnet of the ante-bellum

period as if to the manner born - a costume which is reinforced with silk mitts

and the tiniest bit of black courtplaster beneath the right eye. She takes your

name, smiles a Louis XIV smile, and presents you with a pretty silver teaspoon

bearing the firm's advertisement.

Mothers across the land sent photos of their children wearing 1847 costumes to

Mr. Snow hoping to be chosen as the next 1847 Girl. The costumes became so

popular, International Silver retained the Butterick Company to produce a

complete set of patterns with directions for making the 1847 Girl costume in

three sizes, and were distributed to “1847 Girl” sewing circles. The 1847 Girl

remained popular into the late 1930s and starred in a radio show.

Below: A bronze coin token (1 1/4 inch diameter) commemorating 1847 Rogers Bros. 75th

Anniversary, 1847-1922.

The back of the coin reads: “History records the birth year of 1847 Rogers Bros. as a year of plenty. May this seventy-fifth anniversary year prove one of

prosperity to him in whose hands this token falls.”

The images below are of full-color advertising postcards of the “1847 Girl” at home.

Left: The 1847 Girl Garden Series. Right: The 1847 Girl Living Room Scene.

Left: The 1847 Girl Hall Scene with caption “You are cordially invited to inspect our fine assortment of 1847 Rogers Bros. “silver plate that wears” Right: The 1847 Girl Portico Scene.

We frequently get customers who've purchased something at eBay but didn't receive

the item in expected condition due to either negligent descriptions or negligent

shipping/packaging practices. Sometimes they've purchased from a fraudulent

seller and never received anything.

Often eBay sellers are inexperienced with shipping vintage flatware sets, and other collectible items,

resulting in irreparable damage. Interestingly, eBay offers packing and shipping tips to sellers on its web site (a link to this page is included later in this article).

Here's a shipping horror story from a reader.

Image of auction item

Clearly the wooden flatware chest shown in the above auction image is in very

good condition.

Here is what the interior of this flatware chest looked like upon delivery to the

buyer due to negligent packing. Additionally, the chest lid had broken away from

the 2 hinges. The lid no longer stays open on its own.

What happened?

1. The depth of the chest is 3 inches while the shipping box depth is 10 3/4

inches, leaving 7 3/4 inches for the chest to shift around inside the shipping

container.

2. The only packing material used was 7 plastic grocery store bags. There was no

cushioning.

3. The length and width dimensions of the shipping box are less than one inch

larger than the chest leaving inadequate room for cushioning materials. Again,

in this case, the only cushioning material used was plastic grocery store bags.

4. The seller shipped the flatware unsecured inside the chest. The lid of the

chest was also unsecured with plenty of room for it to open and close during

shipment, resulting in broken hinges and flatware thrown about both inside and

outside of the chest. Note the damage the knives did to the knife holders inside

the chest lid. There was so much movement of the flatware, all other utensil

holders were broken as well.

The value of this collectible, vintage flatware chest has been destroyed and it

is now unusable. Fortunately, the flatware survived reasonably well, although

there are some dents on the hollow handle knives which could have happened during

shipment as they were thrown about (the seller did not mention dented handles in

the auction description). Naturally, there was some scratching of the flatware

surfaces as they were tossed about.

What can the buyer do? The seller refuses to acknowledge the problem in this

case, as they do in many cases. A good seller would work to resolve the problem

and make restitution, but a good seller would never have shipped an item in this

manner in the first place. The buyer is forced to fork out more dollars to buy

another chest (if they can even find the same one) and replace the dented knives.

Don't let good feedback for an eBay seller fool you. This seller had good

feedback.

The seller is responsible for ensuring safe delivery of your item. If packaged

improperly, the shipper will not honor an insurance claim for damage. It's the

seller's fault, not the shipper. A shipping company will only honor a claim for

damage as a result of its negligent handling of a properly packaged item.

Tips for Proper Packaging:

A wooden flatware chest is fragile and can break, crack or otherwise suffer

damage from improper packaging.

If you are shipping flatware with the chest, remove the flatware and wrap

separately with bubblewrap. Use extra padding for hollow handle pieces so they

won't get dented or crushed during shipment. Do not ship the flatware inside the

chest.

Wrap the chest with large 1″ bubble wrap and secure it so the lid cannot move or

shift during shipment.

The shipping box should be 3-4 inches larger than the chest on all sides, top and

bottom, to allow for sufficient cushioning material. The chest should be

surrounded with cushioning material such as foam packing peanuts. Any additional

space in the shipping box should be filled with foam packing peanuts or other

appropriate shipping material so that there will be no room for the contents to

shift. If anything in the box moves or rattles when shaken, unpack and start

over.

eBay offers the following tips and more on its web site, located on this page

Follow these simple steps for successful packaging:

1. Wrap It: Individually wrap items and provide lots of cushioning (bubble wrap,

peanuts, foam, corrugated dividers, or crumpled paper). Foam peanuts may shift in

transit, so overfill your box-you don't want to hear any rattle.

2. Box It: Use a new, corrugated box with rigid sides, intact flaps and plenty of

room for cushioning on all sides. Don't exceed the maximum gross weight of the

box (usually printed on bottom flap). If you must use an old box, remove labels

and shipment markings and keep in mind the maximum gross weight may have been

diminished by wear and tear.

3. Seal It: Use strong tape designed for shipping rather than masking tape,

cellophane tape, string or paper over-wrap. Experts suggest pressure-sensitive

plastic, nylon-reinforced, or water-activated paper tape (60-pound grade at least

three inches wide).

Some items require special packaging consideration, including:

Antiques & Art: Remove any glass and cover with “glassmask” or “glass-skin” and

package separately (note: do not use on non-glare glass as it will damage the

surface). Do not let artwork contact paper, hardboard or corrugate. If declaring

a value, be sure to have a current bill of sale, invoice, or a statement from a

certified appraiser in case you need to file a claim with your carrier.
Coins, Stamps, or Jewelry: Be discreet. Use a larger box that will travel easily

and insure your shipment appropriately. Special limitations may apply for

international shipments containing jewelry and gemstones, so check with your

carrier.

Collectibles/Pottery/Glass: For fragile items, the outer box must be large enough

to allow at least 3″ cushioning all around the item. Wrap and box items

individually to protect them from each other. Position items in the center of the

box and away from the bottom, sides and top of the box to prevent damage. If the

item has a hollow center (a vase), fill the area with paper to make the item more

solid.

Inspired by a 1920s design by Finnish architect and designer, Eliel Saarinen, the viande or grille flatware set

was born. Viande is a French word for meat. The term used to describe the style evolved into Grille

which is a variation of the French term for cooked on a grill or broiled.

Another term sometimes used for this style was Vogue.

The viande knife has a longer handle and shorter blade than the conventional design. Saarinen developed the new utensil form for an exhibition of contemporary American design at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He designed a complete dining room in which none of the objects used could already be in production. His prototype for the longer handle of the viande knife came from the idea that it would be more comfortable to hold and use for cutting.

Some silver manufacturers produced grille salad forks and other pieces slightly different from the regular dinner size, but the most distinguishable differences are in the larger forks and knives.

How to tell the difference:

Illustration of a grille knife compared to a dinner/place knife.

Note that the grille or viande knife, measuring 8 1/2 inches, has a much longer handle and shorter blade than the conventional knife.

With some flatware patterns, the total length of each knife is nearly identical with the primary differences as shown.

Illustration of a grille fork compared to a dinner/place fork

These two forks are identical in total length, but this is not always the case. Note the longer handle and

shorter tines on the viande/grille fork.

Throughout the 1930s the viande design was advertised by silver manufacturers as modern

and chic. Few attributed the origin of the design to Saarinen. The viande style faded away in the 1950s-60s. Some collectors today add the viande forks and knives to their flatware services to be used as fish forks and knives, or use as luncheon sets.

When you are puchasing flatware replacements without the benefit of an image, ask

questions beforehand to be sure you are buying the right pieces for your set.