Buccellati Crab
20th Century Italian Models and Miniatures
Sterling Silver
20th Century Italian Modern Sterling Silver
Coral, Silver, Sterling Silver
Recent Sales
Vintage 1950s Italian Decorative Boxes
Pink Coral, Sterling Silver
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20th Century Danish Other Porcelain
Porcelain
2010s Italian Medieval Games
Marble, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas
Silk, Velvet
Antique 17th Century Japanese Edo Lacquer
Copper, Gold
20th Century American Art Nouveau Table Lamps
Bronze
Early 1900s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Antique Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Table Lamps
Bronze
Vintage 1910s American Art Nouveau Table Lamps
Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century German Belle Époque Figurative Sculptures
Silver
Antique Late 18th Century English Neoclassical Pottery
Pottery
21st Century and Contemporary Croatian Organic Modern Bathroom Fixtures
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century German Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Bronze
Vintage 1910s American Art Nouveau Table Lamps
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary German Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars
Metal
Antique Mid-19th Century English Louis XIV Centerpieces
Silver
Antique Early 1900s French Belle Époque Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Gold, Platinum, Silver, Enamel
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.
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