posted 04-15-2011 02:49 PM            

Hi everybody,

I would like to let everyone know that not just the good silver is being scrapped, but the really good silver is being torn up and melted, every day, now that silver has reached $42.75 USD per Troy oz.

To illustrate this point, I will say that while making a weekly visit, to one of my suppliers, I found in a 40 gallon drum, a 5 piece American coin silver tea service, c. 1825, by the firm of Sheppard & Boyd, (NYC).
With egg & dart borders, and eagle spouts, this set deserved to be saved.

Only one problem.. The wooden handles had been broken off both pots, taking part of the silver with it. I almost cried. The waste bowl, the size of a medium sized fruit bowl, was also beyond help.

The saving grace was the sugar bowl and creamer, which remained in excellent condition. I did spend another 10 minutes looking for the lid to the sugar bowl and found it at the bottom of the barrel, also in good condition.

I knew that I was going to pay a lot to adopt these orphans, but I did it, because it needed to be done. I put them out at the show I was doing, at the same price I paid for them, still dirty, and a friend who collects 18th century American silver wandered by.

Steve, has never, to my knowledge, made a purchase of any 19th c. silver, but he feels the way we all do, and expanded his 18th c. collection to include the cream & sugar.

So please, please, look in the Antiques shops, the jumble sales, shows, and coin dealers, ask friends, and don' let the great merch get melted. If you cannot afford to adopt, ask a friend who can. We are all in this together.

Thanks..

Marc

posted 04-16-2011 02:12 AM            

You could add - sell some of your not worth saving silver to get money to buy. Or try to trade - for the scrap dealer any silver is good. They might trade an ounce for an ounce + a small fee

posted 05-11-2011 04:03 AM            

Yes, silver is still up there ($ 38.70/ ozt), but you still need to be looking through scrap buckets at coin shops and scrap dealers. Lots of silver to be rescued !

Everything in this photo came from one
day of silver "dumpster diving" (always use gloves) and yes, I had to pay a premium.

That is why the items are not really large, like the tea set I described in the first post. Most of this came from the same dealer. My amazement is that while lots of merchandise comes in crappy condition, this batch looked great. I am not much of a jewelry buyer, but I do look for specialty pieces (Native American, A & C, Nye, and enamel), which is why I got the napkin clips.

The salt & pepper in the back are Gorham and are 4" tall. The 6 small pieces on the cigarette case in front are enameled napkin clips. Also "sheaf of wheat" coin spoons,
and a Russian enamel box, and a couple of French wine tasters.

The photo is sideways because it fit the format better.

Keep looking and keep saving what you
like.

Marc

posted 01-25-2014 12:59 PM            

I had no clue exactly how good this piece was until about a year after getting it!
I am simply amazed this piece came in as scrap!