About Teaspoons

The teaspoon is probably the most common piece of sterling flatware in use. If you're like me, you have extra teaspoons in your set. It's so common that we don't give it much thought. But, there are subtle touches to to the teaspoon family.

I assume that all sterling flatware patterns include at least one style of teaspoon, typically in the length range of 5 7/8 inches to 6 inches. This spoon is used mostly to stir hot tea or coffee but it also could be used as an ice cream spoon, a jelly serving spoon, a condiment spoon and other purposes. Notice that I said "hot tea"; here in the South when we say "tea", we most often mean "iced tea".

The picture below illustrates three types of spoons in the Prelude pattern by International. The longest spoon is the standard teaspoon (6 inches). The middle spoon is often called a "youth" spoon (5 3/8 inches). The smallest spoon is a demitasse spoon (4 1/8 inches) used to stir Turkish coffee or espresso.

The middle spoon could also be used as a "five o'clock" spoon. Many patterns include five o'clock spoons that are only about 1/4 inch shorter than standard teaspoons.



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We Need Topics!

This blog has been in operation for ten months. Almost 12,000 readers have "visited" the blog. Most of the posts have been created based upon what we thought might be of interest to readers.

We would like to have direct input from you regarding topics of interest to you that we have not covered. Please send an email or post a comment and tell us what you would like to read about. If we don't know much about your topic, we'll create a post asking others for input.

Let us hear from you!

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What's My Sterling Worth? - Revisited

The hottest general topic on this blog, based on web pages actually viewed and search terms used in Google and other search engines, is some variation on the theme, "How do I sell my sterling flatware and how much is it worth?" Last year, we decided to test the waters and secured real quotes, in writing, from three different reputable businesses that buy and sell used sterling flatware - a very large dealer, a large dealer and a small dealer.

We've seen these businesses sell on eBay and we've seen web sites and catalogs of theirs outside of eBay. We've seen their ads pop up in the Google ads in the right column and at the bottom of this blog.

We told them we had a set of Gorham Chantilly in excellent condition with no monograms that we wanted to sell. The 56 pieces in this fictitious set were:

• Eight place-size forks, 7.5 inches long
• Eight place-size knives, 9.25 inches long
• Eight salad forks
• Eight teaspoons
• Eight iced tea spoons
• Eight oval soup spoons
• One gravy ladle
• One sugar spoon
• Two serving tablespoons
• One pierced serving tablespoon
• One cold meat fork
• One cake/pie server
• One flat master butter knife

The three quotes we received to purchase our set ranged from $872.00 to $938.00, a difference of $66.00, or 7%. For the highest quote, the average price per piece was $16.75.

So, if you had a set like this in excellent condition, you could expect to get at least $938.00 for it. All three dealers included in the wording of their quotes a caveat that if the set was not in excellent condition according to their guidelines, the price would be less.

We should insert a note here to say that at the time these quotes were generated, commodity silver was around $20.00 per Troy ounce. Today, it's in the $14.25 ballpark. This may affect negatively a price quote we might obtain today but probably not terribly much. If we're selling to a scrap dealer, the commodity price drop would have a more significant impact.

What was the retail price of this set? Prices from multiple retailers were well over $5,000.

So, what's this set worth? It all depends on who's buying and who's selling! If you use the retail price as your benchmark, you may be disappointed in what you are actually able to sell your set for. On the other hand, if you can find an end-user buyer who will want your set for personal use, you can probably get more than what the dealers offered. Consignment shops, craigslist.org and eBay are three possible channels that come to mind to try to reach this end-user buyer.

As always, comments and emails on this subject are welcome.

FYI for any techies interested: We are able to tell what pages have been viewed and what search terms were used by accessing a web tool called "Google Analytics".

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Caveat Emptor Reminder

Followers of this blog should know by now that we are not fans of made up, or "custom", sterling flatware pieces. However, we can see they might address a specific need of a collector. So, they are OK as long as:

• The buyer has a need that can be addressed by a made up piece
• The price is appropriate
• The buyer likes the look and feel of the piece
• The seller discloses that the piece is made up

What brings this subject to mind yet again is a plethora of made up pieces being offered on eBay. Not all of the sellers disclose in their listings that the pieces are made up. Here are some clues to look for:

• The handles strongly resemble dinner knife handles
• The seller offers strikingly similar pieces in many patterns
• The seller offers many pieces that have similar handles but different utility ends

Some made up pieces are not made with knife handles but are "carved" from other pieces. For example, a teaspoon or dessert spoon might be converted into an ice cream spoon.

If you are unsure of a piece you are considering, ask the seller about it. If you would like to read other posts about made up pieces, look in the column on the right under "Labels" and click on "Made Up".

We welcome your thoughts on this subject and we are willing to post comments from sellers of made up pieces.

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About Forks, Part II

One of our earliest posts was called About Forks. Later, we added a post called Luncheon, Place & Dinner Size - What's the Difference?. Both posts dealt with the various sizes of forks one might find within a single pattern. This post adds additional information along the same line.

Sticking with our old friend, Chantilly by Gorham, for yet another example, we remind you that in the Chantilly pattern, there are two basic fork categories that are about 7.5 inches long - a "place" fork and a "dinner" fork (called "table" fork in early Gorham literature). The place fork is slightly narrower and lighter than the dinner fork. On the back of place forks in several patterns, Gorham imprints the letter, "P", inside a diamond shape.

The heavier dinner fork does not have any special marks regarding its size. Now, here's the rub, at least in the Chantilly pattern - Gorham has made at least two different dinner forks. Look at the picture below. The dinner fork on the bottom is the one we see most often. It has tines that are 2 inches long. The dinner fork on top has tines that are 2 3/8 inches long. Since both forks are 7.5 inches long overall, the top fork has a slightly shorter handle than the one on the bottom and the base area of the tines is also slightly shorter. The fork on top is about 1/16 inch wider than the one on the bottom.

So, if you are buying additional dinner forks, especially in the Chantilly pattern, make sure you understand how long the tines are. Most sellers, us included, will make sure that you know about it if the tines are 2 3/8 inches but we might not mention it if the tines are 2 inches. If it's not specified for some forks you're considering buying, ask the seller about it.

Here's another reminder - many sellers state in their ads that they are selling dinner forks when, in reality, they are selling luncheon forks, dessert forks or place forks. Always understand the overall length, width and tine length of forks you're considering. And, in the case of Gorham patterns, understand the distinction between place and dinner forks.

If you would like to see all our posts about forks at one time, look in the right column under "Labels" and click on "Forks".

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About Asparagus Serving Pieces

We visited a very large antique show in Atlanta a couple of months ago. There were several dealers there who specialized in various forms of silver pieces. At least two dealers had large supplies of ice scoops and asparagus servers in various popular sterling flatware patterns. The pieces were all selling in the $40 to $50 range.

On close inspection of the pieces, it appeared that they were not manufactured by the original sterling flatware companies that owned the patterns. Instead, they looked like they each had a hollow handle cut from original pattern knives to which had been attached a "custom" ice scoop or asparagus server hood. In other words, these were "made up" pieces. You might refer to earlier posts regarding made up pieces. In the right column of this blog, under "Labels", click on "Made Up".

So, that set us to thinking, "What's real and what's not?" We looked at a book published by The Gorham Company in 1914 regarding their Chantilly pattern. The picture below was found in that book. Based on this picture, it looks like Gorham manufactured two basic types of Chantilly asparagus serving pieces at that time: an "asparagus fork" and an "asparagus server". The fork appears to have been made of solid sterling while the server had an attached "hood" that might have been made of sterling, silver plate or something else.

Here is a picture of "asparagus tongs" taken from the book published by The Gorham Company in 1910 regarding their Strasbourg pattern.
It appears that the current market price for these pieces varies widely depending upon the construction. We reviewed sales of asparagus serving pieces that actually sold on eBay over the last couple of weeks. Prices ranged from about $40.00 for an asparagus server with a non-sterling hood to about $560.00 for a solid sterling Chantilly asparagus fork and about $650.00 for Strasbourg asparagus tongs (the tongs looked different from the picture above).

We're not saying that you should not buy a "made up" piece. If it meets your needs and you like it and it's reasonably priced, buy it. What we are saying is that you should understand precisely what you are buying.

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What Exactly is Coin Silver?

Well, we can't define it "exactly". Coin silver flatware was manufactured in America from early colonial times to just after the Civil War. The raw material was melted European coins of the time. They were about 90% pure silver. Compare this purity with that of sterling which is 92.5% pure silver.

We found other references to coin silver flatware that included purity levels as low as 80% pure silver. Therefore, it's difficult to tell the purity definitively.

Coin silver may have a silversmith stamp consisting of the first letter and last initial stamped on the piece. Sometimes the city of manufacture was also stamped on the piece. Hallmarks are not consistent which does not help matters. We understand that several books are available on the subject that might help identify a particular piece by its hallmark.

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What Exactly is Hollowware?

Here's how the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it:

vessels (as bowls, cups, or vases) usually of pottery, glass, or metal that have a significant depth and volume

So, "hollowware" (spelled "holloware" by some) pieces may not contain silver at all. Always understand precisely what a piece is made of before you buy it. If it seems to be silver, is it sterling or silver plate (or something else)? If it's sterling, is it solid sterling or weighted with something internally?
Above is a picture of a sterling pot, an example of hollowware. Below is a close-up picture of the bottom where you can see the word, "sterling".

Some people include items like serving trays within the hollowware definition. Although there is really nothing seriously wrong with doing this, it does not conform exactly to the definition so, again, make sure you know what the pieces are specifically.

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Tired of Searching on eBay Over & Over?

Are you looking for that elusive piece of sterling flatware on eBay? Are you tired of going to eBay everyday to perform the same search? Why not let eBay do the work for you?

You can set up a "saved search" in eBay and whenever eBay finds a match for your search, it will send you an email. Suppose you are looking for a pickle fork in the Old Maryland Engraved pattern by Kirk-Stieff. I couldn't find one of these in eBay today, so I created a saved search to notify me when one is put up for sale. Here are the steps:

• Click on "Advanced Search"
• Type in your search parameters
• Click the "Search" button
• Click "Save this search"
• In the new little window that pops up, give your search a name and specify how long you want to keep receiving emails related to this search (12 months is the maximum)
• In the little window, click "Save"

Whenever someone places a new listing in eBay that meets your criteria, you'll receive an email. There is no obligation to bid or buy.

Here's what I typed as the search criteria for this pickle fork:

old maryland (pickle, pickel, lemon, olive) fork

Here's why:

• I left off the word "engraved" because some sellers leave it out of the listing title. However, there is a pattern called "Old Maryland" so I may get some incorrect hits.
• Some sellers incorrectly identify pickle forks, calling them lemon or olive forks.
• Some sellers can't spell very well.

Send us a comment or question if you have other suggestions.

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Help Cleaning Steel Knife Blades

A reader emailed us this question:

I want to ask a question about pitting on steel blades attached to silver handles: does anyone have any suggestions how to remove it? I have a lovely 1930's set of sold silver Kings Pattern dinner knives and the steel blades are pitted. I don't particularly want to have the blades replaced. I wonder whether any of your bloggers could suggest a solution to my problem.

I've not had much luck with this issue. I would also like to find a better way of polishing out abrasions on stainless steel blades. Does anyone out there have a solution? Send us an email or post a comment to this post.

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Dessert Fork vs. Luncheon Fork

Many patterns include a fork that is roughly 7 inches long - this size is called a "luncheon" fork by many. We propose that such forks might actually have been designated "dessert" forks by the manufacturer. Look below at the picture taken from The "Buttercup" Spoons and Forks printed by Gorham Manufacturing Co. in 1900.

This document illustrates the pieces in actual size. The dessert fork is about 6 7/8 inches long. It appears to be ever so slightly wider and shorter than the "luncheon" fork we see today in the Buttercup pattern. Similar dessert forks also appear in Gorham catalogs of the same era for Strasbourg and Chantilly.

So, measure your forks carefully and make sure you know what you are buying when you add to your collection. We are interested in your thoughts on this subject. Leave a comment or send an email.

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The First "Revere Bowl"

In honor of our nation's birthday, this seems an appropriate topic for a silver-related blog. The term Revere bowl brings to mind a bowl with simple, classic lines. Although I think of a Revere bowl as being made of sterling, or at least silver plate, bowls of this shape have been made from many different materials. We know that Paul Revere was a silversmith so the connection between his name and a silver bowl is natural. But where did the design really originate?

The first Revere bowl is in the collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. It's actually called the Sons of Liberty Bowl or Liberty Bowl. Paul Revere was commissioned in 1768 to make the bowl by fifteen members of the Sons of Liberty, a secret organization to which Revere belonged. According to the museum's web site:

The bowl honors ninety-two members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives who refused to rescind their letter sent throughout the colonies protesting the Townshend Acts of 1767, which taxed tea, paper, glass, and other commodities imported from England. This act of civil disobedience by the "Glorious Ninety-Two" was the first public act of rebellion against the British crown and a major step leading to the American Revolution.

You can find much more information about the bowl and many pictures at the museum link above.

May we all have a joyous and safe Fourth of July!

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Another Reference Source - Hallmarks & Patterns

We received a comment today from the folks at Antique Sterling Research. Their blog has an impressive list of hallmarks and pattern identification information. If you are trying to identify hallmarks or a sterling flatware pattern, check it out.

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Piece of the Day - Chocolate Muddler

Now and then, we'll post a "Piece of the Day" as we run across interesting pieces. Today's piece is a Gorham Buttercup chocolate muddler. We chose it because we like the name! The picture below was copied from The "Buttercup" Spoons and Forks, published in 1900 by Gorham Manufacturing Company. The piece is 8 3/8 inches long.

We have never used a chocolate muddler but we read on WorthPoint.com that they are used to stir hot chocolate in chocolate pots to prevent the chocolate from settling in the bottom.

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Another Reference Source

We've come across another web site that answers questions about sterling. We don't profess to have all the answers and welcome new resources. In fact, we recently submitted a question to this web site ourselves!

Michelle at allexperts.com provides quick and helpful responses to questions about sterling.

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We're Now Linked to Facebook!

We've set up a "page" in Facebook called Sterling Silver. The goal is to have Facebook users interested in sterling silver become "fans" of the new page. Most posts on the page will actually link back to posts in this blog.

If you are a Facebook user and would like to become a fan, log in to Facebook, search for "Sterling Silver" and look for the picture of the salad fork on a black background. Click on "Become a Fan". If you are already a regular reader of this blog, the new benefit you will receive by becoming a fan is the ability to see comments left by other Facebook users.

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Gorham Buttercup Hallmark Help Needed

We received a request from a reader regarding Gorham hallmarks on the Buttercup sterling flatware pattern specifically. Here's the question.

If a Buttercup piece has the old hallmarks of "Lion/Anchor/G Sterling", does it always also have a reference to "Patent 1900" on the piece?

This reader has some Buttercup pieces with old Gorham hallmarks that do not have any reference to "Patent 1900" on them and the reader is concerned. Some of these pieces were inherited and some were purchased over the years from a large, reputable dealer in used sterling flatware.

I have some guesses about this but would rather have an explanation from someone who knows for sure. Post a comment or send an email if you have the answer.

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Ice Cream Fork & Spoon Caveat Emptor

This is a follow up to an earlier post, "Made Up Sterling Flatware Pieces".

I'm seeing a number of sterling "Ice Cream Forks" and "Ice Cream Spoons" being advertised for sale. Be aware that many of these are not original pieces from the manufacturer. They are pieces that have been created from other pieces. For example, someone might take a spoon and carve out tines to make it look like an ice cream fork.

To be fair, most of the sellers have identified the pieces as being "custom". Also, many manufacturers did make legitimate ice cream forks and spoons.

So, read the fine print carefully before you buy.

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How Can I Tell If It's Real Silver? - Part 2

Back in February, we posted an article, "How Can I Tell If It's Real Silver". This is a followup to that post.

There is another way to try to identify the metal content of a piece - by using an acid test - literally! We purchased a test kit with a small vial of acid. The metal will react with the acid and the color to which the liquid changes is a clue regarding metal content. We tried it on a sterling piece and it appeared to work. In the case of "92.5% silver", which is the definition of sterling, the color was a dark red.

So, if you really want to do this, you can find these acid kits on eBay. Be aware that you have to scratch the piece a bit in order to perform the test. The acid also dulls the piece and leaves a mark. You probably can polish that out. You can use this kit to try to identify:

• Pure silver
• 92.5% silver (sterling)
• 80.0% silver
• 50% silver
• Lead
• Tin
• Brass
• Copper
• Nickel
• Zinc
• Palladium
• Gold

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Why is My Sterling Candelabra Worth So Little?

We receive questions from time to time from people who want to know why they can't get more cash for their sterling candelabra and single candlesticks. After all, it is sterling!

One answer may be that the piece really does not have all that much sterling as a percentage of total composition. Many pieces like this are mostly a cement compound with a thin covering of sterling. The piece might also contain lead, wax, sand or some other supporting material. The sterling covering could be very thin. There may be so little sterling overall that it's not worth even selling it for scrap.

I'm not saying this is the case for all pieces like this but it is true for many. If I was buying such a piece, I would be very conservative with my offer price because I would not know how much sterling is actually in the piece.

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New Information on Silver Plate Value

We may have done owners of silver plated pieces a disservice! In our post, "Do Used Silverplate Pieces Have Any Value", we implied that they had very little value. Well, we were not totally accurate.

Yesterday, we were talking with a silver appraiser regarding two candelabra pieces. The smaller candelabra was made of sterling and the larger more elaborate piece was silver plated. The appraiser valued the silver plated piece at about three times the value of the sterling piece. His reasons:

• The silver plated piece was made by a well-known English manufacturer; it had a very nice design and was in excellent condition
• The sterling piece was plainer, its design was of the 1960's (not very distinctive) and just not as nice looking

So, we stand corrected. Silver plated pieces of high quality and nice design can be valuable.

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Consignment Shops for Selling

I happened to be in a nice consignment shop today and was impressed with their display of sterling pieces. I don't know why I have not mentioned this approach to selling sterling before. So, if you are looking to sell something, this might be worth trying. Here are some points that come to mind (my opinions only):

• I think selling a complete set might be better than selling odd pieces.
• Find a shop that deals in high end items, such as nice antiques. It should have a good assortment of sterling pieces for sale.
• Be reasonable in your pricing. Do your homework before going to the shop.
• Make sure you can remove your sterling from the shop after a reasonable time.
• Polish your sterling!

I probably would not go to a consignment shop to hunt for pieces to fill in an existing set but if I was in the market for a complete set, I might search there.

I'd be interested in hearing about your experience with such shops. Add a comment or send us an email.

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New Links to Current Commodity Silver Price

We receive lots of questions about the market price of pure silver. So, we've added a couple of new features.

Firstly, in the right column of the screen, you will see a small graph containing the current day's pricing of commodity silver. This chart is provided by http://www.kitco.com/.

Secondly, we've added new links to "Our Favorite Links" in the right column of the screen. Clicking on "NYMEX Commodity Silver Prices" will take you to a web page of the New York Mercantile Exchange that displays more information about silver prices. The "Quotes" in the lower right of that screen gives you a snapshot of recent quote activity.

FYI, today, May 29, 2009, the ending price was $15.60 per Troy ounce. That means that the scrap value of a Chantilly place fork in terms of silver content is just under $25.00 today. If you had to sell your fork to a scrap dealer, you could probably get between $13.00 and $15.00 for it.

We also have added a link to a "Precious Metal Calculator". There are several calculators out there but we like this one because of its simplicity. Here are the items to be input:

• Enter the weight in grams
• Select "grams" as the units
• Select ".925 Silver" as the metal
• Enter "-40" in as the markup/discount
• Click "Calculate Value"

The displayed value is a rough idea of what a scrap dealer would be willing to pay you for your sterling.

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Wallace Hallmark Info Request

We received the following request from a blog reader. Can anyone help? I have already referred the reader to www.925-1000.com.

Hi -- I am interested in understanding (seeing) the various hallmarks Wallace used on its sterling pieces, and when they were used. I've seen several.

I am specifically interested in the two patterns called "Irving" and "Old Atlanta", and have suspected that some pieces, which were said to be Irving, are actually Old Atlanta. Now I'm considering some pieces the I think are Old Atlanta, but the seller is insisting that the hallmark shows it is actually Irving, since it is an older hallmark.

I appreciate your help with this. Can't seem to find anything that details the dates with a photo of the marking.

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Identification Help Request

Here is a request we received from a blog reader.

I am sending you a picture of a Hallmark that we cannot find. We have looked all over and no one seems to know where it comes from or what it means. Can you look at the Hallmark on my old tableware and tell me where I can find where it came from. The Hallmark I am sending is on the old case as well as on the back of the tableware.

This is really an unusual one. Does anyone know its origin? Post a comment or send us an email.

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What does "E P" Mean on Silverplate?

We received this question from a blog reader:

I have a Gorham silver plate coffee pot. On the bottom of the coffee pot it reads in script Gorham followed by an E then an anchor inside of shield followed by a P then the word Brass. What does the E and P mean? I thought it might stand for electroplate.

We really don't know the answer but we found this review on eBay, SILVER BY GORHAM MARKED E P. Does anyone out there have a better idea? Send us an email or add a comment if you do.

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What Does "HH" Mean?

HH is an abbreviation for Hollow Handle. Most sterling flatware pieces are made completely of sterling silver. However, pieces such as knives and pie/cake servers often have blades made of other material such as stainless steel. The sterling handles of these pieces generally are 100% sterling but they are also hollow. The hollow part will be filled with some sort of epoxy to hold the blade firmly in place.

Some pieces, such as master butter knives and butter spreaders, may come in multiple versions within a pattern. Some may have hollow handles and some may have "flat handles" (FH). The flat handle pieces most likely will be all sterling, including the blades, whereas the hollow handle pieces may have non-sterling components.

See the post on this blog titled, "Butter Handling Utensils" for more explanation. You can find it quickly by clicking on "Butter Utensils" under "Labels" in the right column of the screen.

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Do Newer Flatware Pieces Contain Less Silver?

Let's assume we're talking about sterling pieces. All sterling pieces contain 92.5% pure silver so, ounce for ounce, newer pieces contain the same amount of silver as older pieces. The key phrase here is "ounce for ounce". Manufacturers have been known to manufacture similar pieces with different weights over the years. So, for example, if a fork manufactured in 1940 weighs 60 grams and the same fork in the same pattern manufactured in 1990 weighs 55 grams, the newer fork will have less silver content simply because it has less overall weight than the older piece.

When comparing pieces, you should:

• Make sure the two pieces are the same (not luncheon fork versus dinner fork, for example)
• Weigh them, preferably using grams as the unit of measure
• Assume the heavier piece has more silver

There is one caveat - it's difficult to compare knives and other pieces with non-sterling components.

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Identification Help Request

A blog reader has asked for help in identifying a piece. The item in the picture below weighs about three ounces and holds about one ounce liquid. Can anyone out there tell us what it is?

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I Want My Sterling to Tarnish!

What? Why in the world would you want your silver to tarnish? Well, there actually is at least one valid reason.

Many people who own patterns with intricate designs appreciate the effect of slight tarnish buildup deep within the crevices of the design. This enhances the lines of the design and adds some visual depth. This type of tarnish actually has a name - "French gray".

A problem arises when someone adds a brand new piece to an older set. The new piece may look somewhat bland compared to the old pieces because the French gray has not had time to develop on the new piece. One solution is to let the new piece sit out in the open air for a while. We performed a test on a like-new piece of Gorham Buttercup by letting it sit on an open shelf in the kitchen area for about three months. After that time, it began to match older pieces of Buttercup with French gray. We cleaned the smooth surfaces.

Now if you are in a real hurry to develop some tarnish, you can use the boiled egg trick. Hard boil an egg, cut it into pieces and place it in a plastic bag. If you place a piece of sterling in the bag, it will tarnish dramatically in a few hours. The problem is that this tarnish will not be embedded deeply in the crevices of the design as it would have been had it developed over a long time.

If you want French gray, we recommend letting it develop naturally over time.

One word of caution - chemical dip cleaners will remove your French gray.

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Where Did the Term, "Sterling", Originate?

We don't believe in duplicating good work already done. So, for a good discussion on this topic, look in the right sidebar for the listing of "Our Favorite Links". Click on the "Wikipedia Sterling Discussion" link. You'll find several theories regarding how the word, "sterling", came to mean what it does today as it applies to silver.

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Identification Help Request

A blog reader sent a request to us for help in identifying the pattern of a master butter knife. It appears to be a very old Gorham piece. It is along the lines of Versailles and Mythologique. It’s 7 ½” long, weighs 49 grams – woman with wheat and a bull’s head on the front and a gargoyle face on the back.

Can anyone out there help? Attach a comment or send us an email if you can.

Thanks.

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My Salad Forks Don't Weigh the Same!

Don't be alarmed. Manufacturers have, over the years, modified the weight of flatware pieces slightly. It seems to us that weights have decreased gradually. In some cases, manufacturers have identified specific weights on pieces but not always (see our post, Gorham Weight Marks).

Generally speaking, weight differences are not all that noticeable. So, it's OK to mix different weights in the same set as far as we are concerned.

One note of caution is worth mentioning. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples. For example, Gorham makes a dinner fork and a place fork in its Buttercup pattern. Both are 7.5 inches long overall but there is quite a bit of difference in weight (see our post, About Forks).

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Selling Sterling for Scrap: Concrete Example

We have received lots of questions about selling sterling flatware for scrap value. We have responded with conjectures about how this might happen and how much you would receive.

In order to give readers more concrete information, we decided to actually sell some for scrap. We had some sterling flatware pieces that were bent or otherwise badly damaged. We sent them to a mail order buyer who advertises daily on their web site what they will pay.

The buyer received our pieces, called us to confirm the purchase price and paid us the same day via PayPal. The price we received was about 65% of the current spot price for silver. That seemed reasonable to us because the buyer has to make a profit. We paid the postage to send the pieces.

If you have specific questions, email us. We don't endorse any buyers but this one did follow through as he said he would.

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Testimonial: Wenol Metal Polish

We have avoided endorsing products but we have had such good success with Wenol Metal Polish when dealing with severely tarnished or poorly maintained pieces that we thought a testimonial was in order. We buy two or three tubes at a time! It's good.

We were not asked to do this by the the Wenol people nor are we being compensated by them. We just appreciate a good product.

Be aware that Wenol contains a mild abrasive and might remove traces of silver during the polishing process. Be especially careful with silver plate pieces.

We don't sell this product but you can find it simply by typing "Wenol" in the search window in the right column and clicking "Search".

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How Do I Remove Rust From Sterling Flatware?

Rust on sterling flatware? I question the fact that you actually have sterling flatware. Tarnish, maybe, but rust?

Perhaps there might be some rust issue with silver plate knife blades or with the joint where the blade meets the handle but this is just a guess. I never have seen rust on sterling pieces. I welcome comments from readers who have different information.

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Place Knives Mistakenly Called Butter Knives

I see ads from sellers now and then that say something like this, "Place setting consisting of fork, butter knife, salad fork & teaspoon". This makes me suspicious. Does this seller really have a place setting that includes a butter knife and no luncheon, place or dinner knife??

For some reason, some people call normal knives, "butter knives". I have no idea why. So, if the ad you are reviewing has this type of description, contact the seller and ask for the knife's length. Be sure you know what you are buying.

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I Can't Find Hallmarks on My Knives

You may still have sterling handle knives even if you can't find any hallmarks. It's common for the hallmarks on old knife handles to get buffed or polished away over many years of use. We have a pretty strong magnifying glass and we look for faint imprints or even pieces of letters that indicate the original hallmarks.

In recent history, manufacturers began putting all the hallmarks on the knife blades. You might see, for example, "Stainless Blade Sterling Handle" imprinted on a knife blade. But, it the old days, the sterling hallmark was placed on the handle.

So, if you have a knife that your are worried about, hold it under a good light and a strong magnifying glass. Gradually tilt the knife handle various ways to look for hints of the original hallmarks. Tilt slowly and look carefully. Some hallmarks may run down the side of the handle; others might be at the handle shoulder where it meets the blade.

The picture below illustrates the problem. We took a picture of an old Gorham Buttercup knife handle. By adjusting the brightness and contrast (resulting in the golden color), we are just able to make out the words "Sterling Handle".



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What Does "Estate Condition" Mean?

We have no idea! It depends upon the person using the term.

We've seen sellers describe sterling flatware pieces as being in "estate" condition. We think they usually mean that the pieces are used but as far as we are concerned, the term does not define the condition. Some add descriptive words, such as "Very Fine Estate Condition". If I am familiar with a seller and understand how he describes pieces, this description will help. But if I am not familiar with a seller, I still don't really know what the piece looks like.

Many sellers include definitions of their descriptive terms when they offer a piece for sale. Then, at least, you have some idea of actual condition. For example, when we sell something, we assign an evaluation to it using the following definitions:

• Excellent Condition: May show very slight signs of wear; might be tarnished because of age and have a few faint scratches.
• Fine Condition: May show minor scratches; minimal damage; patterns and relief will be well-defined.
• Very Good Condition: Patterns may show wear; may show signs of regular use.
• Good Condition: Pattern may be worn; signs of damage or improper cleaning may be seen.

We sometimes will say that a piece is in fine to excellent condition if it is between categories in our judgement. Sometimes for knives and other pieces with distinct components, we will say something like the blades are in very good condition and the handles are in fine condition. We often add another descriptive sentence or two such as, "We did not rate the spoons as 'excellent' because they have light abrasions from normal use."

If you are buying a piece of used sterling flatware, you have the right to understand its condition. If the seller is not clear, ask specific questions before buying.

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Finding Buyers for Your Sterling Flatware

We receive lots of questions and comments regarding locating a buyer for sterling flatware. We'll try to be unbiased in our response - we buy sterling flatware ourselves.

First, we recommend that you read our other posts related to selling flatware. In the right sidebar on this screen, click on the Label, "Selling". This will cause all the articles related to selling to be displayed together.

To get to some heavy-duty volume buyers:

• In the right column of this blog, enter "selling silver" in the Sterling Silver Web Search box and click the "Search" button.
• A new window will appear. Click on the ads you see at the top and on the right side of the new window.

Generally, these ad clicks will take you to people who buy scrap silver.

Now, here are some suggestions for locating other types of buyers:

• Send an email to us describing what you have. Click on "Email Silver Jim" in the right sidebar of this screen to access our email address. You didn't think we really would be unbiased, did you?
• We've mentioned eBay and craigslist.org in earlier posts. They are both good options and the latter option is free. Just be aware that scammers prey on craigslist sellers a lot.
• Try your local jewelry stores. If they won't buy it, maybe they can refer you to someone.
• In larger cities, you might find specialty stores that buy and sell used sterling pieces. In Atlanta, for example, we found businesses like this in the Yellow Pages under the heading, "Silverware".
• Search the ads on this blog for buyers. In the right sidebar are ten ads that directly relate to silver. Near the very bottom of this screen are roughly twenty similar ads. Most ads are for buyers, sellers or related products such as polish. You have to scroll through the ads to see them all.
• When scanning the ads, remember that sellers probably are also buyers. Contact them and ask how to sell to them. Some have this information posted on their web sites. We see ads frequently from at least three large companies that buy and sell. If you want more details about them, send an email to us. Google changes the ads every time you visit this blog, so check the ads every time.

We always welcome emails if you have specific questions.

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Can I Replace My Knife Blades?

Yes. New blades can be attached to your sterling handles. If you have silverplate blades, you can also have them re-plated.

Check with local resources like jewelers or enter "sterling flatware repair" in the search block in the right sidebar and search for a repair facility.

Before replacing blades, discuss with your repair source the shape of the blade and how close the new blade will match your old ones. Remember that most sterling flatware manufacturers make knives with several blade lengths and shapes.

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Why Do My Stainless Steel Knife Blades Pit?

Stainless steel blades are tough but they can be damaged. Pitting is most often caused by prolonged contact with salt and foods that contain salt. They also can be pitted through long contact with water. Here are some tips.

• Don't soak knives for prolonged periods
• Don't use "rinse and hold" cycle with knives in the dishwasher
• Wash and dry soon after use

The best rule is to hand wash all your sterling flatware soon after use with mild soap, then dry immediately.

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Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks

If you are interested in researching hallmarks found on various types of old silver pieces, here is a site you will want to review:

Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Maker's Marks

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New Google Sterling Search Feature

We have added a Google search capability to our site. We recommend that you use this search tool if you wish to search for pieces of sterling flatware. Just type in some details and click on "Search". We recommend you include at least the following search terms:

• Manufacturer name
• Pattern name
• Specific piece you are looking for

Examples are "Gorham Strasbourg fork", "Wallace Grande Baroque butter knife", etc. We have already embedded additional search criteria to help locate pieces you might be interested in.

When the search results window is opened, there may be advertisements included (top, side and/or bottom of the screen). These also are targeted to what you are looking for so if an ad looks promising, click on it.

Speaking of ads, we have also added advertisement links in the right sidebar and at the bottom of the screen. These are targeted as well so take a look if you are interested. You have to scroll through the ads to see them all. Generally, both sets of ads include:

• Potential sellers of sterling
• Potential buyers of sterling
• Potential sellers of ancillary products such as silver polish

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Removing Monograms from Sterling

Is it possible to remove monograms from sterling pieces? Yes, but we have not done this and don't plan on doing so.

As far as we know, there are two methods of removing monograms or other engraved content.

1. Buffing or filing the piece down to a point below the level of the engraving
2. Filling in the engraved portion with melted silver alloy

The first method is probably performed more often but has these disadvantages:

• The buffed area will now be much shinier than the rest of the piece because the patina acquired over the years will be gone
• The buffed area will be deformed

The second method sounds less intrusive but actually may be worse because there may be color differences and heavy buffing is still required.

We prefer to treat a monogram as part of the history of the piece. If it's offensive to you, then don't buy the piece! We have a sterling coffee/tea service set we bought at an auction many years ago. It has a beautiful "A" engraved on each piece. We pretend it once belonged to the Astor family!

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Made Up Sterling Flatware Pieces

You will sometimes see a sterling flatware piece offered for sale that you have never heard of. There may be a good reason - the manufacturer may never have created such a piece! We have seen some recent examples on eBay that are obviously not found in the real pattern's list of offerings. In most cases, the eBay description has disclosed that the piece was "custom" but sometimes the disclosure is buried in fine print. We don't want to malign any sellers so our example eBay ad below is a fake (we haven't seen an ad for a sweet potato fork). But it's close enough for you to be aware of what you might run across.

Buttercup by Gorham Sweet Potato Fork
This sweet potato fork was custom manufactured by a professional silversmith.

How can it be a true Gorham piece if it was "custom manufactured"? In some examples we've seen, the seller has cut out the two center tines of a standard luncheon fork and has called what's left some special type of serving piece (and has tried to charge a lot more).

Our Made Up "Sweet Potato Fork"

Following is a paragraph regarding this subject that we found in a popular book, Warman's Sterling Silver Flatware Value & Identification Guide.

Some... dealers are making up pieces, and in many cases are not telling the public. They are making cheese scoops from tablespoons, horse radish scoops from dessert spoons, baby pushers from teaspoons, and the market is loaded with asparagus servers made using dinner knife handles... Plain serving tablespoons are pierced to produce the slotted tablespoons, ice cream forks are made from teaspoons, especially in the early patterns, and so are the ice cream spoons. The only way one can tell the difference is via knowledge, knowing the original form of the bowl in the pattern.

So, always read the description carefully. Make sure you know what you buying.
English server, spinach fork, baked potato fork, pierced serving spoon, nut pick, olive spoon, relish scoop, horseradish scoop, brandy warmer, pate server
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Which Pattern Should I Select?

The selection of a sterling flatware pattern can be a tough decision. So we thought we would give you some points to consider, trying to add some logic and order to what is otherwise an emotional, and sometimes irrational, decision process.

We're going to focus on the new bride. We realize that pattern selections are made by people in other situations but we think the vast majority of pattern selections are made during the time leading up to a wedding. So, here's our list of points to ponder when considering a pattern. They start out with pragmatic considerations, then moving toward more abstract thoughts.

1. Is the pattern still being manufactured? A "yes" is not required absolutely because many patterns are available in the secondary market but it's nice to know you can buy new pieces if you like. You may actually enjoy the challenge of finding discontinued pieces.
2. Is there a robust secondary market for used pieces? Because costs keep rising, more and more people are purchasing used pieces in good condition. It makes sense financially. A good place to check is eBay. Search for pieces being offered in the pattern you're considering. A robust market would be indicated if you see more than 200 individual listings. For example, it's common to see more than 500 listings for Gorham Chantilly pieces. A robust market could be a negative indicator for you personally if you are someone who likes to own unique things. You will not be unique if you select Chantilly as your pattern.
3. What's the price for new and used pieces relative to other patterns? If you plan to collect place settings for 16 with 8 pieces per setting, expensive patterns could be a burden. Of course, you are also affecting the pocketbooks of people who might give you pieces.
4. What pattern does Grandma have? Are you likely to inherit her flatware? If you don't like Grandma's pattern, forget this point.
5. Does tarnish drive you crazy? Look at the Gorham Buttercup spoon below. Tarnish will accumulate deep within the design and many Buttercup owners think it actually enhances the outline of the pattern. We agree. There is a nicer term for this called, "French gray". Would you agree or would you be constantly trying to remove the tarnish from the crevices? If the latter is the case, Buttercup probably is not for you.
6. How does the pattern look sitting beside your dishes?
7. How does it relate to the size, style and furnishings of your home, especially the dining area? Are you Bauhaus or Baroque? Is the pattern heavy and intricate or does it have relatively clean lines?
8. Do you plan to use your sterling flatware every day or only on very special occasions?
9. Do you like tried and true solutions or are you adventurous? Is it important for you to have a unique presentation? (Refer back to point 2.)
10. Does the pattern add special value? Does it remind you of family dinners past? Does it take you somewhere - New Orleans or Boston or Paris?
11. What pattern does your fiance's ex-girlfriend have? You might want something else!

The bottom line question is, "Is it you?" Does it relate to your taste in other areas? Does it already feel familiar to you? Will you value it for years to come?

Your pattern will be part of your "signature". Look at the two spoons in the pictures below. You may not be inclined to select either as your pattern but you will be drawn to one more than the other. Maybe that will help reduce the number of choices you are considering.

Comments from others are welcome.

Gorham Fairfax

Gorham Buttercup

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Etruscan Salad Fork Length Mystery

Here is a question we received as a comment to another post regarding Gorham Etruscan pieces. We've copied it here to gain more attention in the hope that someone has an answer. I don't.

Hi, I have recently listed a set of 4 Gorham Etruscan salad forks on ebay. It has been brought to my attention by a potential buyer that he has 7 salad forks that are different and he has been looking for one to match the other 7 he has. Low and behold! I seem to have the 8th fork. It is just a hair shorter than the others, a wee bit narrower and has beveled sides just before the stem. He states Replacement.com has said there is no difference in the Gorham Etruscan salad forks. Have you ever heard of or seen such a difference? Is this possibly not a salad fork? I have a photo I will email you showing the difference. Thanks so much, I appreciate your input.

This is the picture that was emailed. The fork on the right is the one is question

If you have any ideas, please post a comment or email us.

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Sterling Flatware at Antique Shows

If you are planning to buy sterling flatware, here's another option - visit an antique show near your home. For example, there is a huge show one weekend every month in our city, Atlanta, sponsored by Scott Antique Markets. The same company has shows in Ohio.

An antique show typically will host many dealers, some of whom will bring sterling silver for sale. Dealers selling sterling can be classified roughly into these groups.

• Dealers selling all types of antiques may have some sets or individual pieces of flatware. You have to walk the entire show to find pieces in dealers' booths that interest you.
• Some dealers specializing in sterling flatware carry an inventory of used individual pieces and may have a wide variety. Some dealers polish it all; others leave it tarnished and sell for a little less. Sometimes these dealers have bargain tables where they will pile up pieces in a random method. Most of these bargains are less popular patterns or pieces not in great shape. However, we have bought a few pieces off tables like this at great prices.
• Other dealers specializing in sterling flatware may focus on sets only. You may find some very nice sets but they also may be at a hefty price.

The prices you can expect to see at an antique show are roughly comparable to "Fixed Price" or "Buy It Now" items offered by "power" sellers on eBay. Many dealers are willing to negotiate, especially on the last day of the show. Of course, the big advantage is that you can see the condition of the pieces first hand. You don't have to pay shipping but you may have to pay sales tax.

If you have some sterling flatware you want to sell, you could take it to a show and offer it to dealers. The price they will offer you probably will not be as much as you want. Expect 25-45% of the price they are selling it for.

If you don't know when shows come to your area, ask your friends. It's a popular thing. You might also check the Antique Week web site. You have to register there but it's free. Click on "Shows" in their heading.

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Successful Identification - Etruscan Ice Cream Spoon

The following comment was attached to our post, "About Soup Spoons". I think we have responded with a successful answer so I'm posting it here to brag a bit!

Hi, I have a question & hope someone can help me. I have 12 Gorham Etruscan spoons. Both are measuring at 5 3/8". One set of six has a bit of a lip on both sides of the bowl, closest to the stem of the spoon & a bit more of a fan shaped bowl than the 5 O'clock spoon. What type of spoon is the one with the lip?

I suggested to the author that pictures be emailed to me. Here are the two that were sent. The color, brightness and contrast were adjusted by me to try to define the edges a little better.

I located some pictures of Etruscan ice cream spoons on a couple of dealer web sites and sent links to the person who left the question. It appears that we have identified the spoon correctly as an ice cream spoon. If anyone has a differing opinion, comments are welcome.

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Is it Flatware, Cutlery, Silverware, Tableware or What?

What's the generic name you use for your set of forks, knives, spoons, etc.? We use the term, "flatware", to describe such a set of dining utensils. This seems to be a fairly common term in the United States and extends to sets made of all types of material, not just sterling. So, to be specific, we always use the term, "sterling flatware", if that's what we are describing. Sometimes, you see this word misspelled as "flatwear".

Outside the United States, the term "cutlery", seems to be used a lot to describe what we call flatware. Here in the United States, we often use this term only to include items that "cut" such as knives and scissors.

In the South, we hear the term, "silverware", being used to describe what we think of as flatware, even if the pieces contain no silver! For example, someone might say, "I use my everyday silverware most of the time but on Sunday, I use my good silverware." This could be translated as, "I use my stainless steel flatware most of the time but on Sunday, I use my sterling flatware."

"Tableware" is also used but this term may broader in that it might include other dining pieces such as dishes.

Also in the South, we hear the term, "silver", being used to define sterling or silverplate flatware. I can remember hearing such phrases as, "On Thanksgiving Day, we set the table with our silver."

When we sell sterling flatware, we try to describe exactly what we are selling so there will be no question. When buying, we ask a seller to do the same thing. I have received many initial inquiries stating something like this, "I have some excellent sterling silverplate pieces."


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Luncheon, Place & Dinner Size - What's the Difference?

We hear variations of this question a lot. We've talked about the differences in sizes before. In the margin on the right of the screen, click on "Forks", "Knives" and "Place Size" to see what we've already said. Since we still receive questions, we thought we would summarize again here.

Many sterling flatware patterns offer at least three different sizes of forks and knives. Some also offer different sizes of salad forks and soup spoons. The size groups are called, moving from shortest to longest:

• Luncheon
• Place
• Dinner

The dinner size traditionally has been used for more formal dinners. Dinner forks typically range between 7.5 inches and 8 inches. Dinner knives range between 9.5 and 10 inches. Luncheon pieces typically have been used for meals other than formal dinners. A luncheon knife generally is 9 inches or shorter. A luncheon fork generally is 7 inches or shorter.

Some sterling flatware manufacturers started producing the "place" size as a compromise. Silver prices began to soar and it was too expensive for many homes to own more than one length of forks and knives. So, the place pieces served for luncheon or dinner. A place fork often is around 7.5 inches long and a place knife is often about 9.25 inches long. Gorham marks its place pieces with a "P" inside a tiny diamond shape.

It can be a bit confusing because some place pieces and dinner pieces are the same length in a given pattern. For example, in Gorham's Chantilly and Buttercup patterns, the dinner fork and place fork are both 7.5 inches long. When you examine the pieces closely in these patterns, you realize that the dinner fork is a tiny bit wider and somewhat heavier than the place fork.

There is another size, "continental", that is even larger than the dinner size. You see this sometimes in Europe but not often in the United States.

Today, size has become less important. All sizes are used for all purposes by many people. The choice is really up to you.

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Do Used Silverplate Pieces Have Any Value?

I don't want to offend anyone so I am going to quote an article I found on the web at www.silverqueen.com (the underlining is mine):

Sterling silver always retains it intrinsic silver value & usually a value also as tableware. Silverplate has no intrinsic silver value. It is not worth the refining costs to try to redeem the silver. It has very little resale value as tableware. Sterling will last forever if you want to use it and take care of it. Most Silverplate will last approximately 20 years or less depending on use with the proper care.

Having watched silverplate pieces being offered and sold (or not sold) on eBay and craigslist, I concur.

NOTE: See later post titled, "New Information on Silver Plate Value", June 7, 2009.

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Are Pieces with Old Hallmarks More Valuable?

Sometimes my answers are frustrating to readers and this one is no exception because the answer is, "It depends!" Here are some questions I ask myself when I'm considering buying a piece of sterling flatware, comparing it to other pieces in the same pattern. The questions are in order of importance to me.

1. What is its condition?
2. Are there any monograms or other custom engraving?
3. What is its weight? (Some pieces have been made in different weights over the years.)
4. What is its age? (This is linked to the hallmarks question.)

To me, questions 1 and 2 are extremely important. Questions 3 and 4 are somewhat important. If the piece is in excellent condition with no custom engraving, I won't worry about answers to the last two questions very much.

There are situations where the manufacturing process for a particular pattern changed significantly at some point. I hear this from time to time regarding the purchase of an old line company by a conglomerate. I hear that the quality of some patterns deteriorated at this point. If this is the case, question 4 becomes more important.

Keep in mind that I am in the business of buying and selling sterling flatware. If I was a collector of antique pieces, question 4 might move to the top.

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Who Will Buy Sterling Silver for Scrap Value?

First, let me answer the question directly.

• Step 1: At the top of this screen is a Google ad window. Scroll to the right in that window and you should see a number of potential buyers. Gold buyers also buy silver. Also, look for ads from people who sell silver; most are also buyers. Google attempts to display ads from businesses near your location.
• Step 2: In the right column of this blog, enter "selling silver" in the Sterling Silver Web Search box and click the "Search" button. You might also add your city name to the search criteria.
• A new window will appear. Click on the ads you see at the top and on the right side of the new window.

Now, let me pose another question:

• What price should I expect if I sell sterling for scrap?

The reason I ask this question is because a potential seller of scrap often thinks that he or she will get the market price of commodity silver. Let's look at an example of what that might be. The commodity price of silver as of this date (Feb. 24, 2009) is about $13.85 per Troy ounce. Therefore, a Gorham Chantilly place fork weighing 51 grams has a scrap silver value today of about $21.00. If I take that fork to a scrap buyer, should I expect to be paid $21.00 for the fork? Of course not!

The scrap buyer is in business to make a profit. My guess is that a scrap dealer might be expected to pay half the value of the silver. So, maybe we could sell our Chantilly place fork for around $10.00. How about a Chantilly teaspoon? Maybe we could get $5.00 or $6.00.

Now that we have set a more realistic expectation of a selling price, we can think about a potential buyer. I've not sold much sterling for scrap but I would start with jewelry stores, businesses that sell used sterling flatware and pawn shops.

I've seen listings on eBay for scrap sterling so that might be a place to start. http://www.craigslist.org/ has lots of ads posted by buyers of flatware, jewelry, etc. Now and then we receive a piece that has had an unfortunate encounter with a garbage disposal. In such cases, we have been successful selling them on eBay, clearly marked as "scrap".

Comments with other ideas are welcome.

Note Added 7/29/2009:
A blogger has added a comment regarding selling to silver refiners - please read it. The comment implies that you can get a better price for your scrap sterling by going directly to a refiner. We have verified this.

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How Can I Tell if It's Real Silver?

A reader named Leslie left a question attached to an earlier post. It was such a good question, we thought it deserved its own post. Here was the question:

I have been collecting many items for over 20 years. I am now getting much of it out of my house. I placed a whole box of 'silver' items in my garage sale last summer. My neighbor came by, saw it, and brought it back to me and told me not to sell them. He said that they were more valuable than I was asking for. I don't know what they are. I don't even know if they are real silver. I bought them because they were pretty. How can I tell what is silver and what is not silver? Some have marks on them, some don't and some marks have all but disappeared. Thank you.

I suppose in this context, the definition of "real" silver is "sterling" silver which is 92.5% silver content. One very common method of identification is to look for the word, "Sterling", imprinted somewhere on a piece. This is not 100% proof but it is a very good indication. If a brand name can be found, it adds additional verification. You may also see the number, "925", "92" or "92.5". This is a clue but not a guarantee. Sterling pieces can have significant value. Look for other posts in this blog to see how value might be affected by condition, custom engraving, etc.

The other common form of silver ware is "silver plate". A silver coating is placed on top of some other metal. Used pieces may look great but do not have significant resale value, generally speaking. Silver plate pieces often have the manufacturer's name and may have additional information regarding the pattern name.

If there are no marks found, try matching the pattern. There are literally thousands of patterns in use today and the task of matching may prove difficult. A dealer in used silver might be able to help.

If all else fails, try polishing the pieces with a good silver polish and see how it looks. This won't help much with proving the silver content but at least, they might look good enough to attract the attention of a potential buyer or you might want to just keep them for your own use.

We welcome photographs sent to us via email. We'll try to help identify a pattern. Click on "View My Complete Profile" in the right column. This will take you to a screen with our email link.

NOTE: Read the update to this post, "How Can I Tell If It's Real Silver? - Part 2", dated June 15, 2009.

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Uneven Spoon Tarnishing

Note: This post was created while we were on the road in Luxor, Egypt.

We rejected in error a comment from a reader so we have created a post here to repair the error.

The reader asked why his/her soup spoon bowls tarnished faster than the spoon handles.

We can only guess at the answer. Certain foods cause tarnish much faster than others. These include eggs and vinegar. We add vinegar to some Chinese soups we prepare from time to time so maybe that's what this reader was doing. We suggest prompt hand washing after use to help alleviate the problem.

We will be interested to hear comments from other readers on this subject.

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Is Sterling Flatware a Good Investment?

We received a question recently from a visitor who is thinking about "investing in a set of sterling flatware". They are considering two different popular patterns and wanted our advice regarding which would be the best investment.

If you are thinking of buying sterling flatware purely for financial investment purposes, my advice is, "Don't do it." There are many better investment opportunities. In today's tough economic times, we hear from many people trying to sell their sterling flatware and they are all disappointed in the price they are able to sell it for.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a set of flatware to own, use and cherish, buying now could be considered an "investment" because the purchase cost will probably continue to rise. If you are looking for the best "investment" in terms of saving yourself some money, consider selecting a pattern that has a large secondary, or "used", market. For example, patterns like Gorham Buttercup or Wallace Grande Baroque would be current choices that fit this mold. If you are considering a specific pattern, look at the number of pieces available on eBay and compare that with what you find for other patterns. You often will find hundreds of pieces available for popular patterns.

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