A Few Tips on Buying Antique Silver

This guide is mostly aimed at beginners who are just starting out on the road of buying antique silver.

There are plenty of Antique Silver experts out there in the big wide world and all of them probably have their own tips on buying items of silverware. Below is a list of buying tips from Buy Silver Antiques and who knows, you just might find something different than you’ve read before.

•           Look for the hallmarks on solid (sterling) silver, if there is none then its probably not solid silver. If the piece is American silverware then it should be stamped ‘sterling’ somewhere.

•           Make sure the hallmarks are clear and not smudged in anyway, many forgers have, over the years used the ‘smudged stamp’ method to dupe the public.

•           The Lion Passant should always be visible on a piece of British solid silverware, make sure it’s there and you can see it clearly.

•            If the item you’re interested in buying is solid (sterling) silver and is made up with separate removable parts (e.g. a candelabra with removable arms) then all pieces should bear the same hallmarks.

•           If you are buying what you are told is a ‘set’ of antique silverware then make sure the hallmarks are the same on each piece in the set.

•           Always have a real good look over the piece to check there is no damage or that any repairs have not been carried out. If there is any damage or repair work and you still like the piece then ask for a reduction in the selling price. The seller may oblige and drop the price …. Then again, he might not then the decision is yours, to buy or not to buy.

•           You probably already know this but just in case you don’t …. If a trader or seller tells you that a certain piece of antique silver you are looking at is “made of German silver” or “G. silver” then the piece in question is not silver at all. German silver does not contain any silver what so ever, it is an alloy made from copper, nickel and zinc. Nickel silver is also a term used for this alloy.

•           Now you know about German and nickel silver you should not be put off purchasing items with this label, they are highly sought after items and can fetch very good prices at auction.

•           Silver plated items for sale should not be ignored when out shopping for antique silver. Although electroplated (silver plate) items do not carry as higher price tag as solid silver they are just as highly sought after by collectors and dealers alike. So don’t turn your nose up at silver plated pieces, take a look … you might drop on a bargain.