Antique Silver

Photo Credit: The-Cutter-Gallery

Set of 6 Antique French Vermeil Teaspoons from the Belle Époque

Buy It Now Price: $200 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Elegance is the watchword for this opulent set of 6 antique French vermeil teaspoons from the Belle Époque era, circa 1900.

-Vermeil is the French term for a silver-gilt item.  Vermeil consists of a solid silver alloy – often sterling silver – which is then coated with a thin layer of high karat gold.  The resulting object appears to be made of solid gold, although it is almost entirely silver by weight.

-This set of antique French vermeil teaspoons measure approximately 5.75 inches (14.6 cm) long by 1.125 inches (2.9 cm) wide.  They weigh 98.3 grams (3.16 troy ounces) in aggregate.

-The Bell Époque was an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity in Europe that ran from 1871 until the outbreak of World War I in 1914.  Sometimes known as the Gilded Age, the extravagant Bell Époque era has been immortalized in countless television shows, movies and books.

-These French vermeil teaspoons were crafted by the silversmith J. Granvigne. His workshop was located on 4 rue Beranger in Paris during the late 19th century and very early 20th century.

-These teaspoons bear both the Minerva and Mercury hallmarks, indicating 800 fine silver of the French 2nd standard.  The Mercury hallmark strongly suggests these pieces were produced in France for export abroad.

-This set of French vermeil teaspoons has a very attractive bright-cut engraved serpentine or weave pattern.  Even though they are undoubtedly over a century old, their classic design still possesses a refined, surprisingly modern sensibility.

–Continental European silver is an overlooked treasure right now, making these antique teaspoons definitely worth the $200 asking price.  They are fairly heavy (16.4 grams each), in great condition and will easily last for decades to come if well cared for.

Cons:

-With silver currently trading at $17.92 a troy ounce, this particular set of antique teaspoons only contains $45.30 worth of silver.  The asking price represents a rather large premium of 342% over their bullion value.  You are mostly paying for workmanship, beauty and historic value here.  Some antique silver flatware currently available on the market has lower premiums.  Even so, these teaspoons are captivating and well worth the asking price in my opinion.

-These French vermeil teaspoons are all monogrammed with the initials “RS” under the handle.  Some people don’t like antique silverware that has been monogrammed.  However, it is part of the historical charm of old silver and has a neutral impact on its value.

-These antique teaspoons are French 2nd standard, meaning 80% silver.  This set would be more desirable if it was French 1st standard, which is 95% silver.  This is a rather minor drawback, though, and has almost no effect on their value.

Photo Credit: Sina’s-Antiques-and-Fine-Arts

Portuguese Art Nouveau Silver Cigarette Case – Circa 1900

Buy It Now Price: $495 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a magnificent antique Art Nouveau silver cigarette case that was made in Portugal around the year 1900.

-It measures 80 mm (3.15 inches) long by 60 mm (2.36 inches) wide by 16 mm (0.63 inches) thick.  It weighs 46 grams (1.48 troy ounces).

-This Art Nouveau silver cigarette case is stamped with the wild boar (II) hallmark.  It indicates this piece was made in Portugal between 1886 and 1938 from solid 833 fine (83.3%) silver.

-This Portuguese Art Nouveau silver cigarette case features an elegant repousse iris flower sculpted in high relief on the front and a gilt interior.  Repousse is a metalworking technique where a design is hammered into the reverse of the metal, causing the image to bulge out in relief on the front.

-Art Nouveau was a naturalistic art style that was extremely popular between 1890 and 1910.  It typically featured women, flowers or insects, often in flowing, languid poses.

-This Art Nouveau silver cigarette case is exceptionally well-crafted.  It is obvious that a master silversmith painstakingly handcrafted this design over many hours.  Workmanship of this caliber, while almost never encountered today, is rare even among antiques.

-Even if you don’t smoke, this lovely Art Nouveau silver cigarette case would be perfectly suited as a credit card holder or makeshift money clip.

–Antique silver cigarette cases are a severely undervalued niche of the antiques market today.  As interest in vintage tobacciana inevitably grows, I would expect this undervaluation to eventually reverse.

Cons:

-I wish the seller had posted close-up photos of the hallmarks.  As it stands, we are relying on the seller’s accurate description of the hallmarks.  I should note, however, that it is notoriously difficult to get good close-up photos of silver objects.

-This Art Nouveau silver cigarette case is fairly small and light.  When dealing with silver items, heft is often an indicator of quality.  I don’t think that is the situation here, however.  Instead, I think this silver cigarette case just has small dimensions which limit its weight.  It is obviously of the finest craftsmanship.

-Given its fairly small size, I think the asking price of $500 is a little bit too high.  I would, however, not be shy about giving the seller a “best offer” of $350 to $450 dollars.

-This Art Nouveau silver cigarette case is fully valued.  However, I’m going to paraphrase the famous investor Warren Buffett here.  “It is far better to buy a wonderful antique at a fair price than a fair antique at a wonderful price.”

Photo Credit: sterlingmasters

Early 20th Century Silver Tazza from Germany

Buy It Now Price: $595 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This lovely solid silver tazza or compote – a footed bowl – has a gilt interior and was made in Nuremburg, Germany in the early 20th century.

-The silver tazza measures 8.625 inches (21.9 cm) tall by 7.25 inches (18.4 cm) wide at the top by 4.125 inches (10.5 cm) wide at the foot.  It would look great as the centerpiece on a formal dining table.

-This lovely piece weighs a very substantial 12 troy ounces (373 grams) of solid 800 fine silver.  With spot silver trading at $17.95 per troy ounce, the melt value of this silver tazza is approximately $172.

-The item’s affixed crescent moon and crown hallmarks became mandatory on German silver in 1888.  They are completely consistent with German silver from the first few decades of the 20th century.

-This silver tazza is a beautiful mix of sensuous late 19th century Art Nouveau style and sleek 1920s Art Deco influence.  It is really a marvelous piece.

-The silverwork on this piece is absolutely splendid.  High quality antique German silver is often characterized by exacting precision and attention to detail.

-In light of this silver tazza’s excellent composition and balanced aesthetics, I feel that the asking price of $595 is fair.

Cons:

-The intrinsic value of $172 mentioned above means that the piece is selling for a hefty 246% premium over its silver melt value.  This is not cheap.  But it isn’t expensive either, given the exquisite silverwork of the item.

–Continental European silver, like most silver flatware and hollowware, is currently out of favor.  The potential for future price increases will remain suppressed as long as this is the case.  If you are buying for investment purposes, be prepared to hold for a long period of time.

Photo Credit: Bs-Books-and-Curios

Georgian Sterling Silver Vinaigrette from 1810

Buy It Now Price: $265 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-British sensibility melds seamlessly with Regency style in this Georgian sterling silver vinaigrette made by the renowned silversmith Joseph Willmore in Birmingham in 1810.

-This Georgian sterling silver vinaigrette measures 1.625 inches (41 mm) long by 1.125 inches (29 mm) wide by 0.25 inches (6 mm) deep.

-Vinaigrettes were tiny accessory boxes, usually made from silver, that were used to hold aromatic laden sponges.  The powerful scent these personal accessories gave off served two purposes.  First, they were believed to protect the wearer from diseases spread by foul smelling miasmas.  Second, they could be used as smelling salts to quickly revive a woman who had passed out unexpectedly.

-Vinaigrettes were popular from the 1770s until the middle of the 19th century.

-The exterior of this Georgian sterling silver vinaigrette has a very attractive, geometric floral design.  It is obvious that the workmanship on this 200 year old piece is simply superb.

-The interior of this specimen has a beautifully engraved, pierced floral grille that is gilt.  Gilding was commonly applied to the interiors of silver vinaigrettes to protect them from the acidic effects of the vinegar solution used in the sponge.

-The piece is in relatively good condition.  It opens and closes easily and the grille is in good working order.  It does, however, have a small dent that is discussed under the “Cons” section.

-This vinaigrette is fully hallmarked and these hallmarks are consistent with the claimed date.  One reason that British antique silver is so popular with collectors is because hallmarking was rigorously enforced, making it easy to determine the maker, city and date of manufacture.

-Given this vinaigrette’s excellent craftsmanship, good condition and historical importance, I believe the buy it now price of $265 is fair.

Cons:

-There is a small dent in the bottom, left-hand corner of this vinaigrette.  While it must be noted for the sake of completeness, this minor damage should not significantly impact the value of the piece.

-The seller does not disclose the weight of the piece.  This is important because heavy gauge silver is often an indication of high quality.  It also precludes the calculation of the intrinsic value of the piece.  However, this second objection isn’t material because the difference in bullion value between a light and heavy silver vinaigrette is only $5 to $10.

-Silver vinaigrettes are surprisingly small, often no larger than the size of a postage stamp, and this example is no exception.  If you are looking for impressive, monumental silver, vinaigrettes are not for you.