Sterling Silver Apostle Spoons
Vintage 1910s English Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Sterling Silver
Silver
Recent Sales
Antique 16th Century English Elizabethan Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 16th Century English Tudor Sterling Silver
Silver
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 1890s American Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century English Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 1880s English Victorian Serving Pieces
Sterling Silver
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Dutch Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century English Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver, Gold Plate
Antique 1890s Victorian Serving Pieces
Sterling Silver
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Late 20th Century Wine Coolers
Silver Plate
Antique 1770s English Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ironstone, Hardwood
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Chaise Longues
Other
17th Century Old Masters Paintings
Oil
2010s British Louis XV Sofas
Hardwood
17th Century Old Masters Paintings
Oil
Antique 17th Century French Louis XIII Fireplace Tools and Chimney Pots
Iron
Mid-18th Century Realist Landscape Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century German Tableware
Gold, Gold Plate
Vintage 1920s Chinese Trunks and Luggage
Wood
16th Century Old Masters Paintings
Oil
Antique 19th Century French Rococo Screens and Room Dividers
Giltwood
Antique Late 17th Century Belgian Baroque Tapestries
Tapestry, Wool, Silk
16th Century Old Masters Paintings
Oil
Antique Early 19th Century Panelling
Oak
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Jewelry Boxes
Multi-gemstone, Silver, Brass
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A sterling silver spoon is mostly fine silver, but not quite solid silver. Sterling silver is an alloyed form of silver, and is 92.5% fine silver and 7.5% copper. You can shop a collection of authentic sterling silver items from some of the worlds top dealers on 1stDibs.
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