Georgian Silver Berry Spoons
Antique 19th Century British Georgian Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Early 19th Century American Georgian Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
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Antique 1750s British George II Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Scottish Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Georgian Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Late 18th Century British Georgian Flatware and Serving Pieces
Sterling Silver, Gilt Metal
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21st Century and Contemporary British Georgian Fireplaces and Mantels
Statuary Marble, Marble
Antique 19th Century English Early Victorian Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Georgian Wall Mirrors
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Great Britain (UK) Georgian Fireplaces and...
Statuary Marble, Marble
Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Fireplaces and Mantels
Brass, Wrought Iron
Antique Early 1800s English Georgian Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Ceramics
Porcelain
Antique Early 19th Century English Neoclassical Urns
Porcelain
20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
20th Century Tableware
Sterling Silver
Antique Late 18th Century British Georgian Fireplaces and Mantels
Marble, Siena Marble, Statuary Marble
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.