Ellmore Silver Co
Mid-20th Century Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Platters and Serveware
Sterling Silver
20th Century English Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
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Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Plexiglass
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Doors and Gates
Glass, Stained Glass, Wood, Pine
Early 20th Century European Gothic Revival Fireplace Tools and Chimney Pots
Metal, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Japanese Showa Sculptures and Carvings
Granite
20th Century Japanese Showa Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Vintage 1970s Animal Sculptures
Aluminum, Chrome
Early 20th Century English Windows
Lead
Early 20th Century Japanese Edo Sculptures
Bronze
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
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Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Bronze
20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Board, Oil
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Windows
Glass, Stained Glass, Wood, Pine
Late 20th Century Animal Sculptures
Crystal
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Doors and Gates
Metal, Brass, Lead
Vintage 1980s Dutch Art Nouveau Buffets
Stained Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Doors and Gates
Glass, Wood, Pine
Recent Sales
Vintage 1950s American American Classical Ashtrays
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s Chippendale Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century George II Sterling Silver
Silver
Vintage 1950s British Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1940s American Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Rococo Revival Tea Sets
Silver
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Barware
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Modern Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Modern Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Vases
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1930s American Serving Pieces
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.
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