sterling silver

I was told very early in my antiquing days that having monograms on silverware, vanity items such as hand mirrors, brushes and combs, and jewelry is a negative thing. Having an initial or name can decrease the value by three-quarters or even more.  I found this a delightful tidbit  of information and began collecting items with monograms immediately. To be able to pay a lot less for something because it had a history made no sense to me and to this day, I revel in the ability to get such bargains.

I recall sitting at an auction, next to a young girl and we had been bidding against each other on a few items. It was a friendly, not combative situation, each of us chiding the other for being “too cheap to raise their paddle again.”  When a lovely sterling silver serving fork was held up by the auctioneer, he mentioned the pattern, its age (approximately 1920) and that it had a monogram of an “M” on the handle.  I smiled and raised my paddle. I won it for only $20 and gladly received the treasure from the “runner.” My neighbor then asked me if that “M” was special to me, perhaps my name? I laughed and said “no, I was going to use it as a MEAT fork, so the “M” worked for me. She stared at first, sort of digesting my meaning, and then she chuckled. She felt that it was pretty darn clever.

I have owned a set of small compotes for a long time, used when serving cocktails. They are little silver dishes that holds olives, limes, lemons or such. They have a letter “B” on them and I always say that that initial stands for “Barware.” And who can disagree? I also have a few condiment forks with an “O” and I proudly use those to serve…you guessed it – Olives!

Many of my silver mirrors have initials, some with two or three of them.  I am especially gleeful when I find one with a family member’s initial. For example, my mother’s name was Ruth and the “Rs” are a real treasure. Or a letter from my last name, either from my maiden name or current one.

I also like to “gift” presents that have an initial, perhaps to my daughter or a grandchild. I love to introduce or encourage “provenance” or history to children.  Let them appreciate that once another child looked into this silver mirror, or ate their cereal with a spoon with their initial. Maybe that spoon came from THEIR grandma!

I do not see it as a decrease in value to have it monogrammed, although I suppose if it were a full set of silverware, it would be nice to have it adorned with your family’s initial.

Perhaps I should not be writing about this because now all you treasure-hunters will think of creative ways to buy items with an initial and raise the prices.  But it’s OK, there are enough pieces out there and I wish you happy hunting!

I recall the first antique hand mirror I ever bought. It was on vacation in Maine, on a shelf at a ‘thrift store. This lovely mirror just spoke to me – I was enthralled. Those wonderful roses, art nouveau detailing, the graceful handle. And it was marked “Empire Art Silver.”

The lady came over and said, “what a shame, the mirror is really awful!” I turned it over, and for the first time noticed that it did have shadowing and a lot of wear. But did I care? Absolutely not – The frame was the thrill!

Since that time, about 8 years ago, I have added numerous hand mirrors to my collection. Some are dated – 1904, 1909, etc. One of my favorites is round with a lot of detailing, scrolls, flowers and an open handle.

This one is Sterling Silver. It also has a rather poor mirror, a little dent here and there. Another favorite is square and very, very ornate. I continued the search, but many I desired were out of my price-range. Found a few at auctions, others at yard sales or estate sales.

I especially like to find them with a monogram. I know, I know, that tends to decrease the value of silver items such as tableware. But I don’t mind! I know that there was once a little girl, teenager or matronly lady staring into their mirror. Perhaps putting makeup on or just checking their hair before the special occasion; a wedding, big dance or anniversary party. That just makes the mirrors feel special to me. And if it has an initial of a loved one, that makes it even better. My mom’s name was Ruth and the ones with “R’s” remind me of her.

I had a very delightful thing happen a while back. I was at a garage sale and saw a silver mirror with a voluptuous lady with long flowing hair. Lots of roses, lovely repousse. I asked the gent “how much for this?” His response was “no charge, just take it, it has no mirror.” I gladly scooped it up and with my purchases, skipped to the car. (As my kids will tell you, I am not an expert skipper, and people were actually gawking.)

You see, it did not bother me one iota that this had no mirror. I hang them on the wall in my bedroom and no one else knows the little ’secret.’

Although my darling husband is very accommodating and has let me have a large wall for this display, we will soon be out of room so I have limited my purchases to only sterling silver ones. One of my top three is an art nouveau mirror with wonderful flowers and another features a 3-dimensional lady with a flower in her hair and a lily!

While I have said I will only collect silver mirrors, I did find a ‘must-have’ one that is more brass than not. But I could not pass on it! This one is unusual since it has a peacock at the top, a lady with a fan, a snake and several dragons. Now who could resist? Not me!

I know I am hooked – but I just don’t ‘reflect’ on my addiction too long. I enjoy them, as do all who view them!

Val uble

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Candlesticks tend to create romantic images in my head. I think of a Victorian era heroine gliding through the night with a candlestick in her hand, illumined by the glow of the burning candle. Or pulling the candle from its candlestick to melt sealing wax on a letter. Yeah, I read too many historical novels, how did you guess?

Anyway, the first candlesticks used sharp spikes called pickets, which were pressed into the candle, holding it in place. Around the middle of the 17^th century the socket type candlestick came into use. A small cup or socket was used to hold the candle in the candlestick. This remains the most common type of candlestick used today.

By the beginning of the 18^th century, candlesticks were reflecting the design of furniture. When the fashion in furniture was ornate rococo design, candlesticks followed suit. When the sleek shapes of art deco became the rage, the style was also seen in the candlesticks of the time. To this day, candlesticks tend to follow furniture fashions. Even so, candlestick makers often create new candlesticks using designs from long ago, so collectors must be aware that a candlestick that looks old could actually be quite new.

Though candlesticks have been used in homes since the 1300s, it is difficult to find candlesticks made prior to 1800 and older candlesticks are usually quite costly. Over the years, candlesticks have been made from a number of materials, including wood, porcelain, pewter, brass, iron. However, glass and sterling silver remain two favorites for collectors of candlesticks.

Sterling silver was used to show a family’s wealth and beautiful antique silver candlesticks can still be found today by the determined collector. Glass candlesticks are also beautiful, less costly and easier to find. Colored glass candlesticks are usually more valuable than clear crystal ones. Etched glass candlesticks also tend to bring better prices than plain ones.

The word “souvenir” is French for “remember.” Travelers love to bring home a little something from the places they’ve visited, something to help them remember days spent vacationing far from everyday headaches and worries. In the late 1800s someone came up with the idea of creating souvenir spoons and a collecting craze was born.

The first souvenir spoons in the U.S. were produced in the 1890s and remained popular for 30 years. Before long tourist towns were jumping on the bandwagon and having commemorative spoons created. Most spoons were fashioned from sterling silver, though silverplate spoons were also made. Some featured enamel while others had a gold wash in the bowl. Some souvenir spoons bore simple designs with the name of the state engraved on the handle, while others carried elaborate depictions of Native Americans in headdresses or state birds and flowers.

The popularity of sterling silver souvenir spoons means that there are many antique spoons available on the market for reasonable prices. Most spoons fetch $5 to $40, but a rare spoon will cost more. While they can be found in antique shops and malls, for sheer volume of choice the internet is your best bet. As always, when purchasing online make sure to ask a lot of questions, especially about the condition of the spoon. Dings and scratches don’t necessarily show up in photos. Also, souvenir buyers frequently had their` names engraved onto the spoons which can bring down the resale value, so make sure to ask about any inscriptions.

Another area of spoon collecting is more modern mini souvenir spoons. These spoons are usually stainless steel or silver plated with an enameled design at the top. These spoons are inexpensive and colorful. They often bear the name of a state, but also can be found for amusement parks, state parks and other tourist attractions. Some like to collect one from every state they’ve visited and display them on the wall, while others aim for a full set of 50 states.

I love the look of a dining table beautifully set with snowy white linens, pretty china and gleaming silver flatware. There’s just something charming and old-fashioned about the look. I used to devour the photos in the now defunct Victoria magazine showing lovely table settings. That is why I began collecting antique sterling silver flatware. Over time I’ve built up a beautiful collection of sterling silver pieces that I can pull out on special occasions and display in my china cabinet at other times.

Some enjoy the challenge of putting together an entire set of matched flatware, but I think the eclectic, mismatched look is more fun. A lot easier to put together, too. Sterling silver is actually an alloy of silver and copper. Pure silver is soft, but through the addition of copper it becomes a strong, durable metal. To be considered sterling silver, it must be .925 silver. When searching for sterling silver, I look for items that are free of dents or dings. I personally don’t like monogrammed items, so I steer clear of those. With time you will be able to tell a piece of sterling silver just by the look and feel of it, but when starting out it helps to look for markings. I look for the words “sterling silver” engraved in the piece or a hallmark, such as a tiny lion. An extensive listing of hallmarks can be found online at www.silvercollecting.com. The book Starting to Collect Antique Silver is a good resource for beginning silver collectors.

Most of my finds come from local antique auctions, which I like because I can examine the items carefully before bidding. I occasionally luck out at garage and rummage sales and find great bargains, too. I was once at a large church rummage sale where a woman found three beautifully ornate sterling silver spoons for a dollar each. I don’t usually find deals like that, but they’re out there. I’ve picked up some nice silverware from online auctions, but have learned to be cautious. I like online auctions with plenty of photographs of the item being sold. I specifically look for photos of the “sterling silver” marking or hallmark. If the auction description doesn’t specifically mention that there are no dents or monograms, then I’ll email the seller to be sure.