Vintage Silver Heels

To identify vintage silver, use the hallmarks on your piece. You will usually find them on the bottoms and interiors of hollowware and decorative objects, as well as on the handles of flatware. Using trusted online resources, research the hallmarks to identify the maker and determine what characteristics to look for when dating its pieces. Employing the recommended dating method, determine the approximate age of your item. It would be considered vintage if it is 20 to 99 years old. Antiques are 100 years old or more, while contemporary pieces date back to the last 20 years. You can also enlist the help of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer to simplify the process. Find a collection of vintage silver decorative objects on 1stDibs.

To tell if silver is vintage, locate the hallmarks that identify its maker. Then, use trusted online resources to determine when the maker was active and to look for pieces similar to yours to estimate when it was produced. Generally, silver made 20 to 99 years ago is vintage. Older pieces are antiques, while newer ones are contemporary. A certified appraiser or knowledgeable antiques dealer can help you identify vintage silver. Explore a wide range of silver wares on 1stDibs.

“Vintage” is a word used to generally describe items that were made before 1950. “Antique” is a term applied to anything made before 1900. If you have vintage silver, it was likely created between 1900 and 1950. Shop a collection of vintage and antique silver from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

Whether vintage silverware is real silver or not varies. Some makers producing silverware between 20 and 100 years ago used sterling silver and fine silver as materials. Others produced silver plate silverware, with items being made of a base metal and then finished with a thin layer of genuine silver. Silverware manufacturers also introduced stainless steel flatware during the early 20th century. Researching hallmarks found on your vintage silverware can help you determine whether or not it is real silver. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of vintage silverware.