Buccellati Jar
20th Century Italian Animal Sculptures
Stone, Sterling Silver, Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
People Also Browsed
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Beds and Bed Frames
Lacquer, Wood
Early 20th Century Austrian Vienna Secession Cabinets
Mahogany, Maple
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Religious Items
Wood
Vintage 1940s French Decorative Art
Plaster
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Animal Sculptures
Ormolu
Vintage 1950s French Industrial Wardrobes and Armoires
Iron
Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Wall-mounted Sculptures
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Animal Sculptures
Crystal, Gold Plate, Brass
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Cabinets
Beech, Fruitwood
Antique 19th Century Japanese Meiji Tapestries
Wood, Glass, Silk
Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Lacquer
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Vases
Oak, Walnut
Antique 1890s American Aesthetic Movement Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 15th Century and Earlier German Decorative Art
Other
Vintage 1960s Italian Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Metal
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Wall Clocks
Crystal, Metal, Brass, Iron
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.