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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