Sheffield Plate Chafing Dish
Antique 1860s British Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique 1850s British Early Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sheffield and Silverplate
Metal
Early 20th Century Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1920s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bottles
Brass
Vintage 1980s French Barware
Crystal
Vintage 1930s English Victorian Wine Coolers
Silver Plate
Antique 1820s English Regency Sheffield and Silverplate
Sheffield Plate
Antique 1890s German Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Italian Renaissance Barware
Blown Glass
Vintage 1980s English Neoclassical Porcelain
Porcelain
Vintage 1930s Platters and Serveware
Metal
Vintage 1930s Belgian Art Deco Glass
Glass
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Tableware
Silver Plate
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Platters and Serveware
Silver Plate
Early 2000s Mexican Spanish Colonial Candelabras
Iron
17th Century Old Masters Portrait Prints
Etching
Early 20th Century Edwardian Platters and Serveware
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century English Georgian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Porcelain
Porcelain
Recent Sales
Antique Early 19th Century English George III Sheffield and Silverplate
Sheffield Plate
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sheffield and Silverplate
Metal
Early 20th Century English Regency Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century American Classical Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique 1890s English Late Victorian Platters and Serveware
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century American Edwardian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Finding the Right sheffield-silverplate for You
Sheffield silverplate is a durable combination of thin silver sheets and comparatively thicker sheets of copper that was used to create a variety of household objects for years. On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique and vintage Sheffield silverplate and other silverplate for all of your formal dining and entertaining needs.
A cutler named Thomas Boulsover, who worked for a cutlers company in Sheffield, England, accidentally invented what we now call Sheffield silverplate during the 1700s. While working on a decorative knife for a customer — the metalworkers guild had been tasked with repairing its handle — Boulsover mistakenly overheated the silver and noticed that the knife’s layers of silver and copper melded together, creating an impressive bond. This new material felt like silver but was substantially cheaper. It was then used to produce a variety of serveware, candlesticks, buttons, tea sets and more. For families that couldn’t afford the sterling-silver tureens that were used to serve soup in the upper-class English homes at the time, this was good news. They could impress guests with housewares that looked like sterling silver but actually weren't.
Today, just as pewter collectibles and sterling silver are popular with collectors at neighborhood flea markets, antique Sheffield silverplate housewares are sought after for their appearance and rich history. Sheffield silverplate can command high prices on the secondhand market.
Securing yourself a Sheffield silverplate piece is like acquiring a little bit of history. In order to identify authentic Sheffield silverplate, you need to look for one significant attribute of the material. A metalworker had to ensure that all of the exposed edges of a particular piece had to be covered with a rim of silver. If not, the middle layer, which comprised copper, would show through. This would reveal that the piece was not sterling silver.
Don’t just trot out your matching crystal, silver and porcelain once or twice a year. Make a habit of mixing high and low when setting the table. To pair with your everyday contemporary tableware, find antique and vintage Sheffield silverplate on 1stDibs as well as silverplate by goldsmith and tableware companies such as Christofle, Elkington & Co. and more.
Read More
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.
28 Cheerful Home Bars, Where Everybody (Literally) Knows Your Name
Simple or sophisticated, equipped with console, cart or custom cabinetry, these stylish bar areas deserve a toast.
Meet the Celebrated Hostess Whose Magical Tabletops Enhance Every Occasion
For Stephanie Booth Shafran, entertaining guests is about opening her heart as well as her home.
How to Identify Real Capodimonte Porcelain
Early examples by the Italian manufacturer can be hard to come by, but the best later pieces possess the same over-the-top charm.
How Noguchi Elevated Ashtrays to Objets d’Art
Smoking might have fallen out of fashion, but these ashtrays have enduring design appeal.