Wallace Golden Aegean
Vintage 1970s Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s Tableware
Gold, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Tableware
Stainless Steel
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Mid-20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century European Art Deco Wall-mounted Sculptures
Copper
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Game Boards
Copper
16th Century Expressionist Portrait Prints
Handmade Paper
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Art
Copper
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Steel, Metal, Copper
2010s Afghan Games
Lapis Lazuli, Carrara Marble, Serpentine
Vintage 1970s American Brutalist Games
Pottery
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Candelabras
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Wallpaper
Paper
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Metal, Brass, Copper
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Games
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Wall Mirrors
Copper, Enamel
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Game Tables
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Wallpaper
Paper
Mid-20th Century Game Tables
Marble
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver, Gold Plate
Vintage 1970s Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s Sterling Silver
Gold, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
20th Century Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Finding the Right sterling-silver for You
Dining and entertaining changed drastically when we began to set our tables with sterling silver for holiday gatherings, wedding receptions, engagement parties and, in some of today’s homes, everyday meals.
Often called the “Queen of metals,” silver has been universally adored for thousands of years. It is easy to see why it has always been sought after: It is durable, strong and beautiful. (Louis XIV had tables made entirely of silver.) Sterling silver is an alloy that is made of 92.5 percent silver — the “925” stamp that identifies sterling-silver jewelry refers to this number. The other 7.5 percent in sterling silver is typically sourced from copper.
Neoclassical-style sterling-silver goods in Europe gained popularity in the late 18th century — a taste for sterling-silver tableware as well as tea sets had taken shape — while in the United States, beginning in the 19th century, preparing the dinner table with sterling-silver flatware had become somewhat of a standard practice. Indeed, owning lots of silver goods during the Victorian era was a big deal. Back then, displaying fine silver at home was a status symbol for middle-class American families. And this domestic silver craze meant great profitability for legendary silversmith manufacturers such as Reed & Barton, Gorham Manufacturing Company and the International Silver Company, which was incorporated in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1898, a major hub of silver manufacturing nicknamed “Silver City.”
Today, special occasions might call for ceremonial silver designed by Tiffany & Co. or the seductive sterling-silver cutlery from remarkable Danish silversmith Georg Jensen, but there really doesn’t have to be an event on the calendar to trot out your finest tableware.
Event- and wedding-planning company maestro Tara Guérard says that some “investment pieces,” such as this widely enamored alloy, should see everyday use, and we’re inclined to agree.
“Sterling-silver flatware is a must-have that you can use every single day, even to eat cereal,” she says. “Personally, I want a sterling-silver goblet set for 12 to 20; I would use them every time I had a dinner party. Ultimately, there are no criteria for buying vintage pieces: Buy what you love, and make it work.”
Whether you’re thinking “ceremonial” or “cereal,” browse a versatile collection of vintage, new and antique sterling-silver wares on 1stDibs today.