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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 A Curator's Viewpoint
 Church Silver
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| Author | Topic: Church Silver |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 12-21-2006 09:53 AM
  
In light of the North Church in Salem's upcoming sale of their old silver through Christie's, I just wanted to note that not all church silver is beyond the reach of normal collectors (or less well endowed museums). Church silver is generally speaking not desirable for collectors, which makes it quite accessible (if you can get access to it: the rule seems to be that churches use their old silver as long as it's not worth anything on the market). For your consideration I offer three pieces of silver from the 19th century (1846, 1873 and 1885 respectively). Wine flagon from 1846 by Gregg & Hayden. Chalice from 1873 by Francis W. Cooper Alms basin from 1885 by J. & R. Lamb. I bought these (with other pieces) from the Episcopal Diocese of Newark after long and subtle negotiations, but I have to confess that it was embarrassingly affordable, because there is no market for Victorian church silver, except with crazy curators who are concerned about the loss of local history. Would that there were collectors out there who felt that the Salem church silver ought to stay in the public domain. IP: Logged |
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tmockait Posts: 963 |
posted 12-21-2006 04:48 PM
Very lovely items. I wonder if there might not be a quasi-religious reason for the dearth of buyers and sellers. Roman Catholic Canon Law prohibits the selling of blessed items (which includes virtually all liturgical silver). While Protestant theology contains no such prohibition, I suspect many people in the pews and the pulpits would consider buying and selling items used in worship as just a bit sacriligous. I cannot imagine anyone using them for anything practical given their, and given their size they would be challenging to display in anything but a museum. Speaking of church matters "Merry Christmas" to all who celebrate it. Tom IP: Logged |
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jersey Posts: 1203 |
posted 12-21-2006 08:37 PM
Hello! I'd like to come from perhaps another perspective. We have in our family Gold Chalices purchased when my Father passed away, and we also got one for my Aunt. It was used at their Funeral Mass. It is now brought out & used for any family special religious occasions, such as any funeral, communion, wedding, baptism etc. We love it & it will (hopefully) stay within the families for generations. We bring it to the Church for it to be on the altar at those times, and it reminds us of them. Jersey IP: Logged |
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tmockait Posts: 963 |
posted 12-21-2006 08:59 PM
I think that is a bit different than the kind of buying and selling that Ulysses was describing. Buying a chalice new, then having it blessed, and passing it down the generations does not violate the prohibition I was describing. IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 12-21-2006 09:26 PM
I have personally seen monstrances mounted on newel posts, holding family pictures. I have seen liturgical candlesticks, the really big ones, around hot tubs. I have seen baptismal fonts, made of silver, used for punch. I have seen offering bowls of the type depicted used for hat checks. Monstrances really make, uhhh, impressive picture frames. In my humble opinion, liturgical silver is very saleable. There are lots of people who will buy it, use it and enjoy it. And it can bring what I think of as 'good money', not huge sums, but more than a pittance. Over the years, no piece of church anything I had lingered very long in my booth. High church hardware is really a good deal. And the churches that sell are in a bind. They have 14 chalices, 12 monstrances and a roof about to cave in and a furnace about to explode. The clergy are not running a museum; they are doing the right now work of religion. Soooo, they sell stuff to keep the place open and operating. Some churches get into a position, as one I knew about did, of having no viable congregation. One was a mainline denomination with a magnificent building taking up a quarter of a city block. Filled with great furniture and silver. With 9 living members, all of whom were in nursing homes. In a gay and lesbian neighborhood. The denomination forbad the church reaching out to these people. So, they sold stuff off. Individual churches are no more exempt from the changes life brings than any of us. IP: Logged |
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tmockait Posts: 963 |
posted 12-22-2006 12:31 PM
I guess my pre-Vatican 2 upbringing still haunts me. I cannot imagine a monstrance as a picture frame! IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 12-22-2006 09:38 PM
My all time favorite, and I have encountered several, is the processional crucifix made into a floor lamp. With shade carrying tassles. Church silver is almost always very well made. The design and construction are generally top rate. For a collector, it is a dream product because it has been well cared for over a long period of time. Do church collectors have a society, like the depression glass clubs? My experience is that there are quite a few collectors of religiousiana. And these are people who find the silver fascinating. Has anyone else had this experience? IP: Logged |
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