Sheffield and Silverplate
Early 20th Century English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century French Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Early 1900s English Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Metal
1850s Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century English Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver
1910s English Edwardian Vintage Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Early 1800s English Adam Style Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Sheffield Plate
20th Century Moroccan Islamic Sheffield and Silverplate
Metal, Silver Plate
Late 19th Century North American High Victorian Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Metal
1870s English Anglo-Indian Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century American Late Victorian Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
20th Century European Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century French Other Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
19th Century English Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate, Ormolu
1880s English Victorian Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
1980s Canadian Modern Vintage Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century Italian Art Deco Sheffield and Silverplate
Gold Plate, Silver Plate
Early 1900s British Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
19th Century English Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century English Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver
Early 19th Century English Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Crystal, Silver Plate
1870s English Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Crystal, Silver Plate
Early 20th Century English Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
1890s English Late Victorian Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-19th Century English Japonisme Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century English Art Nouveau Sheffield and Silverplate
Copper
1850s English Victorian Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
1830s French Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
20th Century Victorian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
1970s Italian Vintage Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
20th Century Italian Art Deco Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century Italian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century English Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
1920s European French Provincial Vintage Sheffield and Silverplate
Metal
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century European Louis XV Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century English Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Early 1900s German Jugendstil Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
20th Century Danish Neoclassical Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century English Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Brass
1960s Italian Vintage Sheffield and Silverplate
Aluminum, Silver Plate
19th Century English Arts and Crafts Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century American Aesthetic Movement Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Modern Sheffield and Silverplate
Steel
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century English High Victorian Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Metal
19th Century English Antique Sheffield and Silverplate
Sheffield Plate
20th Century Scandinavian Arts and Crafts Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Sheffield and Silverplate
Silver Plate
Antique and Vintage Sheffield and Silverplate
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.