Gorham Florentine
Early 20th Century American Other Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Recent Sales
20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1920s English Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Sterling Silver
Gold Plate, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
20th Century English Early Victorian Sterling Silver
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Antique Early 1800s British George III Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
20th Century Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century French Empire Revival Buffets
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century German Regency Serving Pieces
Porcelain
Antique 19th Century British Umbrella Stands
Antique 19th Century Unknown Empire Cabinets
Mahogany
Vintage 1940s Chinese Chinese Export Animal Sculptures
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Antique 19th Century British George IV Platters and Serveware
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century German Porcelain
Porcelain
Early 20th Century American Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century American Tableware
Sterling Silver
Antique 1870s English Georgian Fireplaces and Mantels
Pine
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Sterling Silver
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.