Old English Sterling Silver Gorham Flatware
Antique Late 19th Century Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Recent Sales
Vintage 1950s American Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 1860s Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Other Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
People Also Browsed
Antique 19th Century French Crystal Serveware
Crystal
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Grandfather Clocks and Longca...
Malachite, Ormolu
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Sterling Silver
Silver
Antique 1890s American Empire Floor Lamps
Marble, Bronze
Antique 19th Century Russian Empire Vases
Bronze
Antique 18th Century French Paintings
Canvas, Giltwood
Antique Early 1600s English Jacobean Beds and Bed Frames
Oak
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Sterling Silver
Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Scottish Victorian Decorative Art
Other
Early 20th Century Italian Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Mid-18th Century English Palladian Fireplaces and Mantels
Statuary Marble
Antique Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Jade, 18k Gold, Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Table Lamps
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique 1870s French Barware
Bronze
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Glass
Glass
Old English Sterling Silver Gorham Flatware For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is an Old English Sterling Silver Gorham Flatware?
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.
Read More
20 Inviting Dining Rooms Perfectly Arranged for Entertaining
Top interior designers show — and tell — us how to create delectable spaces for hosting dinner parties.
Paul Revere Crafted This Silver Coffee Pot 250 Years Ago
Perhaps best known as a Revolutionary War hero, Revere was also an accomplished silversmith, and this pot is now available on 1stDibs.
From Arne Jacobsen to Zaha Hadid, Top Designers Tackle Tableware
Clever objects like these make feasting even more festive.
How the Chunky, Funky Ceramics of 5 Mid-Century American Artists Balanced Out Slick Modernism
Get to know the innovators behind the pottery countercultural revolution.
Ready for a Cinderella Moment? This Glass Handbag Is a Perfect Fit
Glass slippers might be the stuff of fairytales, but glass handbags? Artist Joshua Raiffe has made them a reality, and they're far less delicate than you might imagine, but just as dreamy.
With Dansk, Jens Quistgaard Delivered Danish Simplicity to American Tables
When a visionary Copenhagen designer teamed up with an enterprising Long Island couple, Scandi-style magic landed in kitchens and dining rooms across the United States.
Hostess Extraordinaire Aerin Lauder Shares Entertaining Tips and Auction Picks
The arbiter of good taste, who has curated a collection for 1stDibs Auctions, invites 1stDibs inside her family’s Hamptons barn for a firsthand look at her welcoming style.
Handmade with Lab-Grade Glass, This Decanter Holds Your Favorite Cocktail Concoctions
Artist Simone Crestani conjures the fascination you remember from Chemistry 101.