Antique Silver

Photo Credit: moniques-antiques2

Set of 1830s French Silver-Gilt Teaspoons in Louis XVI Style

Buy It Now Price: $371.25 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This magnificent set of 11 French silver-gilt teaspoons from the 1830s features an ornate Louis XVI style with laurel leaves, scrollwork and torches.

-The set weighs 209.7 grams (6.74 troy ounces) of solid .950 fine silver in aggregate.  Each individual spoon is 19.06 grams (0.6128 troy ounces) in weight and 5.625 inches (14.3 cm) long.

-This set of French silver-gilt teaspoons has all the appropriate hallmarks for the 1830s: the head of Hippocrates facing right (indicating the First Quality .950 fine standard used between 1819 and 1838) and a Greek mask (representing the Paris guaranty mark for medium-sized items).  There are other hallmarks as well (including the maker’s mark), but they cannot be identified from the photos provided.

-These fine solid silver teaspoons have been fire gilt!  Fire gilding, also known as mercury gilding, is a near-legendary type of gold-plating.  Unfortunately, the art of fire gilding gradually died out in the mid 19th century due to the introduction of the cheaper (but inferior) electroplating method.

-According to the seller, these French silver-gilt teaspoons were made by Charles-Salomon Mahler – a prolific silversmith who operated in Paris between 1824 and 1838.

-Even though these spoons have a medallion at the end of their handles meant to accommodate a monogram, they have never been personalized.  The fact that these lovely old teaspoons are not monogrammed will tend to boost their value slightly.

-Although there are many different kinds of old European silver available to the discerning collector, in my opinion French silver has the perfect combination of decorative flair and understated charm.  This is in contrast to German silverware, which is often too stiff, and British silver, which can be too conservative in its decoration.

-Antique French silver is substantially undervalued in today’s marketplace.  The fact that you can pick up this set of 180 year old French silver-gilt teaspoons for only $371 – less than $34 per spoon – is proof enough!

Cons:

-Antique silver flatware can be either double-struck or single-struck.  Double-struck means that the design elements are present on both sides of the handle, while single-struck means they are only on the front.  Unfortunately, this set of French silver-gilt teaspoons is single-struck with a blank reverse, which is less desirable and valuable than more ornate double-struck versions.

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Photo Credit: 925pa

Georgian Sterling Silver Port Label From 1819

Buy It Now Price: $125 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This beautiful sterling silver Port label, or wine tag, originates from Georgian England where it was made by the silversmith Charles Rawlings in London in 1819.

-This early 19th century liquor tag measures approximately 1.9 inches (4.8 cm) long by 1.1 inches (2.8 cm) tall (excluding chain) and weighs a robust 21.7 grams (0.7 troy ounces).  The weight is notable because many wine tickets of the era only weigh half as much, making this specimen quite heavy in comparison.

-Port is a fortified, sweet red wine exported from Portugal – traditionally through the northern coastal city of Porto.  Although the history of Port wine dates back to the Middle Ages, it skyrocketed in popularity among British nobility in the 16th and 17th centuries.  By the time of the Georgian era in the late 18th to early 19th century, a wine cellar stocked with Port was de rigueur in any wealthy Londoner’s home.

-The Georgian period, which ran from 1714 to 1837, was a time of British ascendancy on the world stage.  The country’s longstanding rivalry with France ended in British victory in both the Seven Year’s War and the Napoleonic Wars.  British overseas holdings expanded during this era as well, with the glaring exception of the American colonies, which were lost in 1783.

-This Port label was made by Charles Rawlings, a London-based silversmith who worked from 1817 until the 1840s.  Charles Rawlings specialized in silver smalls, producing exceedingly fine liquor tags, snuff boxes and grape shears.  His snuff boxes, in particular, are quite coveted today.

-The hallmarks on this Port label are appropriate for the period, featuring the maker’s mark (CR), date letter (d), lion passant and sovereign’s head (George III).  The only mark that is missing is the leopard’s head, which was applied to articles hallmarked in London.  However, it isn’t too unusual to find small silver items from the Georgian era that omit the city hallmark.

-Georgian silver is dramatically undervalued in today’s antique marketplace.  I recently featured a set of 8 Georgian sterling forks in the King’s pattern that were selling for hardly more than their scrap value.  This antique silver Port label is a very similar bargain.

-At an asking price of only $125, this Georgian sterling silver Port label is ridiculously cheap.  Think about it – just a little more than a hundred dollars gets you a 200 year old wine ticket that was handmade from heavy gauge silver in an exquisite style.  The astute antique collector or investor lucky enough to buy this fine piece is all but assured of receiving a strong return on investment.

Cons:

-It is possible to buy more recent vintage British sterling liquor tags from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s for perhaps half the price of this Port label.  I believe they are both great options and the choice between the two is simply up to the personal preference of the collector.

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Photo Credit: xzx

English Georgian Sterling Silver Forks, Circa 1816

Buy It Now Price: $399.95 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)

Pros:

-A ram’s head family crest adorns the back of this stately set of 8 King’s pattern English Georgian sterling silver forks from the early 19th century.

-Each one of these dinner forks measures a full 7.9 inches (20 cm) long and weighs an immensely heavy 2.9 troy ounces (91 grams).  This is double the weight of an average antique silver dinner fork!  The total weight of the set is a whopping 23.5 troy ounces (730 grams) of solid sterling silver.

-Britain’s Georgian period extended from 1714 to 1837.  It was a time of strict class hierarchy in which the aristocracy exercised outsized power on British politics, culture and foreign policy.  The late Georgian era produced many famous British authors who are still celebrated today, such as the novelist Jane Austen and the poet John Keats.

-The hallmarks on this set of Georgian dinner forks confirm they were made in London, England around the year 1816. Although the maker’s mark is worn, it is possible that William Eley and William Fearn – a pair of silversmith who were active in the British capital in the early 19th century – produced this superb set.

-These Georgian sterling silver forks were forged in the renowned King’s pattern, which sprang to popularity in the early 19th century along with the quite similar Queen’s pattern.  Both the King’s and Queen’s patterns were characterized by decorative shells and scrolling foliage.

-With silver trading at $14.40 an ounce, the bullion value of these Georgian sterling silver forks is about $313.  This means they are selling for only $87 over melt – a mere 28% premium over their scrap value.

-19th century British King’s and Queen’s pattern flatware could be either double-struck (with the design on both the front and back) or single-struck (with the design only on the front).  This particular set was double-struck, which was the norm on heavier, higher quality pieces.  This boosts the forks’ value and desirability considerably.

-The ridiculously low premium over melt value for these 200 year old Georgian sterling silver forks pretty much debunks the efficient market theory in my opinion, at least in the world of antiques.  This set is a phenomenal deal at only $400.  So scoop up these Georgian silver treasures now before someone else beats you too it!

Cons:

-This set of Georgian dinner forks has moderate wear, which one would expect for antiques that are fully two centuries old.  Honestly, I’m grasping at straws for anything negative to say about them.

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Photo Credit: ricou251

Set of 12 Antique French Liquor Cups in 1st Quality Silver

Buy It Now Price: $215 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This exquisite set of one dozen antique French liquor cups from the early 20th century have gilt interiors and are fashioned from solid, .950 fine silver.

-Each silver shot glass measures 1.5 inches (4 cm) tall by 1.2 inches (3.3 cm) wide.  The lot of 12 cordials weighs in at a substantial 239 grams (7.68 troy ounces) in aggregate.

-These silver cordials are in the Louis XVI style, even though they date from the early 20th century.  The Louis XVI style was originally popular during the reign of the last French Monarch, from circa 1770 to 1789.  It later enjoyed a revival in France from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.

-This set of liquor cups bears two period-correct hallmarks: Minerva with a “1” underneath her chin, indicating French 1st quality silver of .950 purity (which is higher than sterling), and the maker’s mark in a lozenge.

-Louis XVI style revolted against the excesses of earlier Baroque ornamentation and was characterized by simple embellishment and clean, straight lines.  Louis XVI decoration often consisted of elegantly rendered ribbons, garland and fluting, which foreshadowed the later Neo-Classical style.

-This set of antique French liquor cups was made by the silversmith Charles Barrier, who operated out of his Paris workshop located at 7 Rue Réaumur between 1905 and 1923.

-These antique French liquor cups, with their simple form and restrained scrollwork, are perfect examples of the Louis XVI style.  As an added bonus, they are in excellent condition, with only a couple small dings present.  Normal wear of this type is to be expected on silver hollowware that is fully a century old.

–Old French silver is rather undervalued in today’s antique market.  This is puzzling in light of the fact that classic French artistry is world renowned and their workmanship is universally superb.

-With spot silver currently trading for $15.31 a troy ounce, these antique French liquor cups contain nearly $112 in melt value.  Yet you can buy the set for just $215 – less than double their scrap value!  Seriously, you are paying less than $18 for each cordial, which is an embarrassingly low price.  We truly live in a golden age for antique enthusiasts and investors.

Cons:

-In my opinion, the only possible con is the relatively high shipping charges ($19 to the U.S.) because the items are coming overseas, direct from France.  But this is really a minor quibble for such a fine set of antique French liquor cups.

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