Gorham Shell Dish
Antique Late 19th Century American Aesthetic Movement Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century American Aesthetic Movement Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Recent Sales
Antique Early 1900s American Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century American Aesthetic Movement Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Sterling Silver
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Antique Late 19th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century Russian Sterling Silver
Silver
Antique 19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Vitrines
Glass, Mahogany
Antique 1860s English Aesthetic Movement Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Taxidermy
Other
Vintage 1970s English Figurative Sculptures
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Spanish Art Deco Tea Sets
Silver
Antique 1890s English Animal Sculptures
Silver
Antique 16th Century Indian Jewelry Boxes
Silver
Antique Early 1900s American Neoclassical Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
20th Century English Georgian Tableware
Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Art Nouveau Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Barware
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Late 17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Antique Late 19th 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.
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