posted 08-06-2000 06:59 PM            

When I was first starting to be interested in silver, I obtained a copy of Rainwater's Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers and promptly began devouring the marks. This simple book enabled me to get some incredible bargains, simply because many dealers who sold silver didn't seem to have a copy.

Case in point:

I was browsing in an antique mall when I saw a large bundle of oversized soup spoons in a glass case. As I often do when shopping,I found myself on the floor, peering up through the case to try to read the marks. I could see the marks of S. Kirk & Son, of Baltimore, and the 925/1000 stamp they used in place of STERLING. Craning my neck the other way, I saw that the price tag appeared to read $25.00 Each? I thought. Anyway, I had the attendant open the case, and lo and behold the tag read "10 silverplate spoons $25.00". Being new to the game, I got an amazing rush of adrenaline and said, "I will take them.". I didn't say a word until I was outside and driving away, for fear that someone would recognize the mistake and nullify the sale. Anyway, it was quite a thrill for a kid, and just because I had done a little homework. Needless to say, I never skimp on books!

posted 12-12-2000 01:33 PM            

I am also amazed at how auction fever can drive prices beyond any reasonable level. While working an actual estate auction, I watched two bidders battle it out for a two-year old dining room set, which eventually sold for more than a brand new one. And the buyer had to figure out how to get it home!

posted 06-28-2003 12:03 AM            

Some years ago, about the time of the Hunt Brothers precipitated Great Meltdown, when people were cleaning out their closets of anything that even looked like silver, the stuff was everywhere, and pickings were great. There was little tradition of old silver in the relatively new states of the West, and correspondingly little knowledge on the part of many of the sellers anywhere but at the toniest of the trade shows. Much of my collection from those days is made up of other peoples mistakes. If it doesn't say "Stirling" it must be plate. Right?

There was the bin full of $3 English silver plated Old English tablespoons, among which were two pristine tablespoons marked in the manner of English platers G.B in a rectangle, followed by four squares with one letter each, A, B, D, N. There are two nice stirling spoons in my Scottish drawer, by George Booth of Aberdeen, with an added date of 1819!

There was the perfect shell-back Hanoverian tablespoon with the price tag pasted where the maker's mark should have been. Was there a mark under the tag (not wanting to completely feel the thief,I asked)? "Oh, no, sir -- I wouldn't do that!" was the response. It was a nicely made spoon, worth the $17, even unmarked - but I waited until I got back to the car to peel off the tag, under which was a rectangle with two block initials - MN - for Mark Nelson.

One day I walked into a mall and found in a case an unpriced colonial teaspoon. I had it taken to the counter and had the clerk call the seller for a price. She wouldn't do it over the phone, but would do it the next time she came in. The clerk promised to hold it at the counter and call me when it was done. After some weeks and repeated calls it hadn't been done, and finally was no longer there. I drove the 30 miles, but no one there knew what I was talking about. So I browsed around, and Lo! It was back in the original case, and priced. So I paid my $5, and went on my way. I stopped by another mall owned by the same proprieters, and there in another case was another one - only more expensive, all of $12.

And then there was the 13" stuffing spoon in a pawn shop: "Now, you understand, sir, that it is NOT stirling? I know! I tested it myself!" OK, it's still worth the $7 - after all it was made in London in 1794 . . . .

And then, thre was my second piece of holloware, in a Mall where there was never a real treasure to be found, because the owner vetted all the merchandise before it was available to the public. My wife came up from the basement with a rouletted engraved beaker tagged simply "silver cup $21." "I think this is something good, she said." I saw the telltale zigzag assay mark and agreed. As we checked out, the owner took the beaker to wrap and hesitated - she turned it over and paled visibly - "Ohh - that looks old," she said. "Could be, I responded," coyly. As she wrapped it, I heard her mutter under her breath "I didn't see that." When I got it home, I quickly determined it was made in Stockholm in 1723. It took a while longer to identify the maker, though.

Like one of my friends repeatedly reminds me, "Knowledge is money!" Those books are no good if they only sit on the shelves, unread.

posted 08-23-2003 12:55 AM            

The reason that your butter pick sold for more then one listed retail is that yours was an old one and their's was a new one made out of a teaspoon or similar piece.

Lots of "fun" items are being made out of teaspoons including the practical "ice cream forks", horse radish spoons, and tons of "IDEAL" olice spoons are being made out of ice teas spoons. As long as they are sold as new, fine, but this does not happen often. Ebay is a popular venue for these types of things.

enough said..

posted 09-05-2003 07:43 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paul S:
How about some other dealers. I find the percentage of profit in old silverplate wares to be much more profitable than sterling and usually easier to find.

---

Absolutely, Paul! Every small shop abounds with silverplate it seems, and few dealers know anything about silver at all. Prices aren't uncommon at 10¢ to 25¢ each! And since so few small dealers don't have any idea what the difference is between sterling and silverplate, I occasionally find sterling pieces in the same bins of silverplate!

I've sold some silverplate pieces for awesome prices! Most of my silver business is in silverplate, although I'm currently trying to expand my sterling inventory since sterling has an intrinsic value that far exceeds that of silverplate. It's like buying gold, but cheaper! ;-D

You made a good deal in your sale. That kind of profit is not to be sneezed at regardless. Whoever sold the piece for $1400 may well have paid through the nose to get it, too!

------------------
Anuh

posted 05-13-2004 05:20 PM            

I immediately flipped open my pocket notebook and began looking at the marks, from newest back to oldest, for a <something?> over "MA" or "WA"? over <something?> hallmark. I started to despair as I went through the list, not finding any match, until I came to the third mark starting from the top, <cross> over "MA" over <duck>. It was the mark for Mary Matthew, the third oldest identified English female silversmith (as far as Wyler goes). The auction had a "Buy It Now" option, not exactly a steal, though it was for both spoons. I did a quicktime review of the seller's feedback, took a breath, and sprang for the "BIN" price. So I got the two spoons, both in good condition, but with some tip wear, for somewhat over $100. Upon receipt, I found that I could just make out the Matthew spoon date mark, heavily rubbed, but still recognizable for 1711-12. BTW, the other spoon is still unidentified, but has already been discussed wrt my post to the Brit board on 5/14/03 ("ID Hanoverian Spoon Hallmarks?").

Anyway, The Mary M. spoon is certainly my oldest identified piece, and one of my favorites. A problem is that it will certainly be difficult, if not impossible, for me to beat this spoon as far as oldest identified female silversmiths (only Dorothy Grant and Joyce Issod left to top it!).

[This message has been edited by nihontochicken (edited 05-13-2004).]

posted 06-01-2004 12:17 AM            

asheland

posted 09-24-2004 09:53 PM              

We were at an estate sale where 'trash' had been scattered around and he found a sterling trophy cup, black and unpolished, of course, but using newly-learned skills he rubbed a bit and found the words "Dorking Cock", terribly amusing to a kindergartener who loved words. He offered two dollars bid and it was accepted.

After cleaning, we discovered it to be from 1824, a prize given for The Best Dorking Cock in England, and weighing in at eight pounds! It is still his favorite collectible, 30 years later.

• What's a "Dorking Cock"? Here is an example:
  
  Rose-Combed Dorking Cock