SILVER CUTLERY – VALUATIONS, GUIDE & TIPS
How we can help you sell your silver cutlery
Free Valuation Request
The nine factors that affect the value of silver cutlery
Hallmarks
The first and most important matter is to understand if you silver cutlery is indeed sterling silver or if it is silver plate.
Silver plated flatware or cutlery is very low in value no matter what the quality or quantity.
If you don’t know whether or not your service is made of sterling silver you can learn how to read a hallmark here. You can also email images of the marks on your silver cutlery and we will be happy to advise you.
A full service or just a few odd pieces?
A straight service means that every piece of your silver cutlery has the same marks. This implies that it has always been together and has not been added to over the years. It will, therefore, sell for a premium
However, even an odd collection of silver cutlery can have a high value as long as it is made from sterling silver. Broadly speaking the older the service the rarer it is to remain as a straight service.
Pattern
The pattern of your silver cutlery is also an important factor as some designs are rarer than others. The most common patterns are:
- Kings Pattern
- Queens Pattern
- Old English Pattern
- Hanoverian Pattern
- Fiddle Pattern
- Fiddle Thread and
- Shell Pattern
- Fiddle and Thread Pattern
Number of place settings
The number of place settings is the next factor to look for. To be considered a service the general rule the minimum number of place settings is 6.
The most valuable canteens of silver flatware have 12 or higher place settings. It is very rare to find a place setting greater than 12 that is a straight service. As such if you have a 24 place setting which is a straight service it will command a considerable premium.
Types of pieces
A basic service of silver cutlery may only contain a table fork, table knife and dessert spoon. However, some services contain up to 20 items per place setting and are much more sought after.
Generally speaking the more varied the items the higher the value. Fish knives and forks are not very sought after but if they have silver blades and tines they will add considerable value to the service.
Weight
The weight of the service is also important as silver has an intrinsic value in itself. We ask for the weight so we can ascertain the quality or gauge of the items. Some table forks may weigh as little as 50g, some may weigh over 400g.
If you can provide a weight of just one item then we would ask for the weight of the table fork as this is normally the heaviest item.
Canteens
Technically a canteen is a container for a service of silver flatware or silver cutlery. If your service of silver cutlery is contained within a canteen then it may add a slight premium depending on the quality of the canteen. You can always provide an image of the canteen for us to asses if you like.
A canteen on legs is not as sought after as a canteen without legs (like in the above image) and as such command a premium.
Ivory Handles
You may think your service has bone handles or plastic handles, but it is most probable they are ivory. This becomes problematic as there is an imminent ban on the sale of ALL ivory within the UK.
To check if your handle’s are ivory or bone you will need to take a close look at the handles. Bone handles will have lots of very small holes covering the surface (this is where the capillaries were). Ivory will be a perfectly smooth surface.
Condition
Once all of the above factors have been taken into account the condition of the flatware must be examined. The most important items to look at are the forks. The tines should be level and even – if they have been used excessively then the tines may appear on an angle and unfortunately as they cannot be restored.
Engraved crests are usually seen in good light, but engraved initials normally have a detrimental affect on value.
Receive a free valuation on your silver cutlery
We can provide you with a valuation of your canteen of silver cutlery and advice on how to sell it. In order to help we just need a simple photo showing one place setting and a photograph of the hallmarks.
Selling your silver cutlery with Mark Littler Ltd.
Send us details about your silver directly via email or use the form below.
We contact our international network of customers for the best offers.
If you decide to proceed with an offer we issue you with a contract.
Send us your silver. We have a fully insured courier service available.
We complete the sale with the buyer and send your funds via BACS.
Auction or Private Sale?
If you are deciding on how to sell your Omar Ramsden silver we can have a no obligation chat on the best options for you. We can either make a personal introduction to the best saleroom based on your location and item free of charge. Or we can look into collecting you some no obligation offers for a private sale, which could save you considerably in commission.
In a nutshell here are the main pros and cons of each option:
- Auctions can provide an increased market exposure (when you choose the right saleroom) but their gross fees can reach as much as 50%, and the payout times can be drawn out.
- Private sales leave you in control of the price, and can be completed quickly but there is no chance of ‘buyers fever’ driving up prices.
Mark Littler Ltd. are one of the only independent advisers in the antique industry. We offer trusted, independent advice to help you sell your Ramsden silver for the highest possible price.
Receive a free valuation on your silver cutlery
We can provide you with a valuation of your canteen of silver cutlery and advice on how to sell it. In order to help we just need a simple photo showing one place setting and a photograph of the hallmarks.