A collection of silver-plated souvenir spoons, while cherished by their collectors, has no real monetary value. They often sell in lots of 25 for $25.

The next item in this series about unloved antiques is mid-20th century silver-plated souvenir spoons. Most owners of these collections think they are quite valuable, often under the impression they are all made of Sterling silver. Most everyone has at least a couple, received as a gift from a traveling relation from some exotic locations such as Topeka, Grand Rapids or Walla Walla.

The problem with these collections starts when you gush with enthusiasm about these gift spoons to your Aunt Hilda or Cousin Jack, who gave you spoon in the first place. They take it as a notion that you really, really like them and continue to send you another spoon every time they make an excursion more than 100 miles from home. Before you know it, the rest of the family catches wind of your desire for these lovely things and join Aunt Hilda in the mission to send you more for holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and Easter and even events such christenings.

In estate situations, we have seen some collections reach upwards of 300 of these spoons, hung on kitchen walls where Aunt Hilda & Cousin Jack would see them when they visit. The lovely plywood display racks they are hanging from often being the product of Cousin Jack’s questionable carpentry skills, some holding 50 spoons or more.

Unlike their Sterling silver cousins, which currently have a base silver bullion value of about $30, regardless of where they are from. And in the case of some of the rarer spoon examples, one could expect to sell them for $350 or more. But the virtually identical silver-plated examples—which make up the vast majority—often sell for less than $25 for sets of 25.

An example of a series of silver hallmarks, this one from Glasgow, Scotland.

So, if you have been the longtime recipient of these souvenir spoons, or have inherited them from a family member, how can one tell which is which? It’s quite easy to determine if your spoons are the far more valuable Sterling examples, the difference is that “Sterling Silver” items nearly always have a mark to indicate the silver content of the metal. American examples will be marked “Sterling” or “925” (Sterling silver being 925/1000ths pure silver), while the British and European examples will also be marked to indicate the silver content, with a series of Hallmarks—each country has its own set of stamps to indicate a maker, location and the year made. The silver-plated example this article refers to will have marks such as “EP” (Electroplate), “EPBM” (Electroplated Britannia Metal), “EPNS” (Electroplate on Nickel Silver; nickel silver is a nickel/brass alloy), “EPC” (Electroplated Copper), or “EPWM” (Electroplated White Metal , Triple Plate or A1 plate).

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Previous “Unloved Antiques” articles:

• Unloved Antiques: ‘Limited Edition’ Collectors Plates
• Unloved Antiques: Singer Sewing Machines
• Unloved Antiques: Decorator Prints
• Unloved Antiques: Commemorative Whiskey Decanters
• Unloved Antiques: ‘Bronze’ Flatware
• Unloved Antiques: 1847 Rogers Brothers Flatware
• Unloved Antiques: Hummel Knockoffs
• Unloved Antiques: National Geographic Magazines

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

A Gorham Luxembourg cucumber server like this one would be part of an elaborate Victorian table setting, as formal, unique serving utensils for almost every kind of food—oysters, asparagus, bone marrow, crackers, fruit preserves, horseradish, olives—were part of a daily fine-dining experience.

Wealthy Victorians had a formal, unique serving utensil for almost every kind of food—oysters, asparagus, bone marrow, crackers, fruit preserves, horseradish, olives—you name it. Today, in our fast-paced world, we puzzle over many of these decorative (and extraneous) items when we find them in upscale antique stores. There was a time, believe it or not, when servants polished the silver and individual place settings could include up to 10 pieces of flatware. In some homes, fine dining was an elaborate event every night of the week.

These flattened, ornate sterling silver pieces with cutout patterns were specifically designed for scooping thin, round slices of marinated or sauced vegetables. Most notably used for tomatoes and cucumbers, the juices drained through the beautifully scrolled holes and the slices could then accompany meats and delicate aspics with solid flavor instead of a soupy sluice. The larger of these pierced utensils were commonly called tomato servers while the ones with smaller blades (and tined edges) were usually identified as cucumber servers. They could be found in rounded, fanned, scalloped or even shovel shapes. And they adorned many a summer table.

Collectors look for unusual shapes and gravitate toward odd patterns (such as stars, birds, fish or flowers). They often seek high-quality brands and some pieces can sell for as much as $700. Many silver companies still produce these beautiful servers to accompany sterling flatware sets.

A Reed & Barton “Burgundy” pattern tomato server.

A Tiffany & Co. “Kings” pattern tomato server.

Of course, we always want to display our finds. And the best way to showcase these marvelous utensils is to present them with the vintage recipes of their era—the exact same favorites for which they were designed. Luckily, the foods requiring these particular servers are quick and easy to prepare.

I still make both of these delicious vintage recipes and use my silver pierced serving spoon to serve them, even on picnics.

Cucumber à la Crème
From The White House Cook Book, 1887

Peel and cut into slices some fine cucumbers. Boil them until soft. Salt to taste.
Mix together equal parts cream, sugar and vinegar.
Pour over the cucumbers.

Add a few shakes of dill weed and pepper to the cucumbers and this elegant creamed dish is a lovely warm accompaniment to leftover cold pork or beef.

Dressed Tomatoes
From Housekeeping in Old Virginia, 1879

Peel and cut into slices ripe tomatoes.
Put a layer into a salad bowl, sprinkle with salt, pepper and powdered sugar.
Put in another layer, and so on, till all the tomatoes are disposed of.
Pour over the top a teacup of weak vinegar.
Cover the top with ice, and set in the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving.

The thinly sliced, dressed tomatoes were often served with breakfast eggs during the 1800s, but could accompany any meal. They may be made exactly as stated, but the addition of ice is not necessary as long as they are kept chilled. Modern vinegar should be diluted in half with water. Balsamic, tarragon, cider or red wine vinegar can be used per your taste, but be sure the liquid almost covers the tomatoes (a shallow dish is best). Granulated sugar can be substituted if powdered sugar is not available. And a dash or two of celery seed or a bit of finely chopped green onion adds a little zing. For best flavor, the tomatoes should be marinated one to two hours.

Liz Holderman is a Worthologist who specializes in collectible books. “Dining with Antiques” is an ongoing feature in which she highlights usable collectible dinnerware, along with vintage recipes.

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An old German copper fish mold. Collectors like to display their various molds by hanging them on kitchen walls or from central pot racks and copper and tin molds are usually the oldest.

Gelatin—the translucent thickening agent made from animal collagen—has been in use as a food additive for thousands of years. It was undoubtedly discovered while boiling bones and probably first used as a sealant to protect fish and other perishable foods with an airtight glaze. By as early as the 14th century, it was molded into elaborate shapes and served as a main dinner attraction, usually including finely-chopped meat mixed with cream and spices.

Extracting, boiling, straining and clarifying collagen to make gelatin was a long and tedious process. By the second half of the 19th century, several companies were producing dehydrated versions that greatly streamlined preparation time but were not very popular. In 1894, Charles Knox introduced his “sparkling granulated” version and in 1896 his wife, Rose, wrote a 32-page recipe booklet promoting the “Gelatine” product. The booklets were distributed by the millions—a marketing technique that made Knox gelatin a famous household name. A year or so later, Mary Wait created a mixture of powdered gelatin, fruit flavors and sugar she named Jell-O. The dessert mix didn’t take off until 1904, when Frank Woodward armed his Genesee Pure Food Company salesmen with free Jell-O cookbooks. In both cases, the new recipes sold the products.

A vintage melon-shaped mold made of tin.

Along with the popularity of easy-to-make gelatin came a plethora of shaped molds. Many were cross-over molds, used for ice cream, custards and puddings, as well as gelatins. Fish molds held salmon and tuna mousse, often studded with slices of hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers and olives to replicate eyes and scales. Molds shaped like fruits housed jewel-colored desserts and frothy chiffons. Vegetable molds were used for shimmery aspics, showcasing crunchy salad ingredients. And ring molds facilitated the ability to create uniform portion sizes. Many shapes also celebrated the holidays.

Collectors like to display their various molds by hanging them on kitchen walls or from central pot racks. Copper and tin molds are usually the oldest. Brass is often collected because it displays well. Glass is popular because the contents can be seen during preparation, but gelatin always sets faster in metal molds. Modern plastic and aluminum molds are inexpensive and come in a wider variety of shapes, but they do not have the patina or heft of the older molds.

The first Knox gelatin recipe book, published in 1896. These recipe books, passed out in bulk by salesmen, helped make the mass-produce gelatin powder a popular product.

There are thousands of molded gelatin recipes available and some are very elaborate, including detailed layering and intricate designs. But it’s always the most fun to find the very earliest recipes to see how they differ from today’s tastes. Recipes prior to 1896 called for home-made gelatin stock (from calves’ feet) or boxed instant brands that are no longer available. Here are two of the oldest that can still be made today—one from the very first Knox cookbook (when the gelatins were called “jellies”) and one from the first Jell-O cookbook (when the only flavors were orange, lemon, strawberry and raspberry).

Enjoy!

Tomato Jelly
From Knox’s “Gelatine’s Dainty Desserts for Dainty People,” 1896.

Take 1 can of tomatoes, or, in the tomato season, 8 medium-sized tomatoes. Stew them with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cloves, 1 small onion, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Cook until tomatoes are soft.

Dissolve 1 tablespoon Knox gelatin in ½ cup cold water.

Pass tomatoes through a sieve to remove the seeds and pour over the gelatin while hot.

Pour into a mold and place on ice to set. [Today you can use a refrigerator].

When cold, turn out on a platter and garnish with lettuce leaves. Pour mayonnaise dressing over the jelly. Very nice to serve with cold meats.

Ginger Ale Salad
From Jell-O, 1904

Pour ½ cup of boiling water over 1 package of lemon Jell-O. Set in hot water until thoroughly dissolved, stirring all the time.

Cool and add 1 ½ cups ginger ale. Set in cold place until it begins to thicken.

Then stir in ¼ cup finely cut nutmeats, ¼ cup finely cut celery, 1 cup finely cut assorted fruits (pineapple, orange, apple, cherries or grapes) and 1 tablespoon finely cut crystallized ginger.

Pour into a mold and chill.

Liz Holderman is a Worthologist who specializes in collectible books. “Dining with Antiques” is an ongoing feature in which she highlights usable collectible dinnerware, along with vintage recipes.

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The Victorian-meets-Art Deco styling of the Rogers 1847 flatware in the “Adoration” pattern, first made in 1930. While many people have similar sets of “Grandma’s Sterling,” they are seldom worth more than $75-$100.

The sixth item in this series of Unloved Antiques is early 20th century flatware; the 1847 Rogers flatware sets in particular. Such sets were often referred to as “Grandma’s Sterling,” ¹ received as wedding or anniversary gifts after the turn of the 19th century and passed down from mother to daughter to granddaughter.

These sets were seldom ever used, spending whole generations stashed in sideboards beneath the “good china,” used only at Christmas and Easter. Such flatware services were mass produced items, boxed in matched sets of six to 12 place settings, with the better ones having serving utensils and a carving set included. Virtually every major American silver company produced flatware lines of both Sterling silver and silver electroplate in multiple patterns. Of these companies, the Rogers Brothers name is probably the best known, having produced more than 100 known patterns under the Rogers’ 1847 trademark.

A close-up of the 1847 Rogers Bros. mark.

The first problem—as far as value is concerned—starts with their company trademark, “1847 Rogers.” To many, such a mark appears as a guarantee the set is very old, as many a client has told me in the past:

“See? It says right here it was made in 1847” or

“It must have been in the family for more than 150 years.”

This set came with a velvet/satin lined case. It have places settings for 12, along with several serving pieces.

Unfortunately, like a lot of marks of this type, they only indicate the date the company was founded and not the date the set was actually made. The second problem is that, although Rogers Brothers as a company does date back to 1847, this same mark (with minor variations) has been used by three companies: the original Rogers Brothers; Meriden Britannia company; and International Silver Co.

The “Rogers Bros.” trademark was taken over by the Meriden Britannia company after they purchased the Rogers Brothers company in 1862 and used to at least 1898. The mark moved on again when Meriden Britannia merged with a number of other silver companies to form the International Silver Company in 1898. The “Rogers 1847” marking was used on International’s high-grade silver plate into the late 20th century.

The set above—a mix of Victorian and Art Deco styling in a velvet/satin lined case—is typical of Rogers 1847 patterns made during the 1930s. This particular pattern is the very popular “Adoration” pattern, first made in 1930. The set, containing 87 pieces, has place settings for 12 and as can be seen in the images is in “as new” condition, as far as anything of this age can be, that is.

In the current market, any silver electroplated services like this that was made before the Second World War often fail to bring bids of $200 at auction. This particular set only managed to get bids up to $75, missing its reserve of $150 and failed to sell.

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¹ “Grandma’s Sterling,” is often loosely applied by family members to include all forms of silvery-looking cutlery and hollowware, such as tea services that are not Sterling silver, but silver-plate-over-copper or Britannia metal. Sterling silver is 925/1000ths parts pure silver. Twentieth-century American Sterling silver will be marked to indicate this with a numerical mark such as
“925” or with the word “Sterling.” One should always carefully examine any silver item for either of these marks, due to the current high price for scrap silver, Sterling silver sets of the same size as silver electroplated one shown above routinely sell at auction for more than $2,500.

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Previous “Unloved Antiques” articles:

• Unloved Antiques: ‘Limited Edition’ Collectors Plates
• Unloved Antiques: Singer Sewing Machines
• Unloved Antiques: Decorator Prints
• Unloved Antiques: Commemorative Whiskey Decanters
• Unloved Antiques: ‘Bronze’ Flatware

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

A Duragold place setting.

The fifth item in this series of “Unloved Antiques” is Thai “bronze” flatware. While it’s often listed for sale online as “gold plated” or “solid bronze,” it’s most likely based on a nickel/bronze alloy first created and marketed as “Duragold” by Swedish Metallurgist Carl Molin, circa 1914¹. It’s not known if the Thai flat ware uses the identical formula as the original Duragold/Dirilyte sets, but it is often listed as “nickel bronze alloy” in the literature/labeling, and has the same general appearance.

Some evidence places the origins of the Thai bronze flatware back as far as the 1930s, based on the marking “Siam,” as Thailand was officially known until 1939, but the majority we see appear to date from the Vietnam Era. Such sets were marketed in cities such Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong, widely purchased by U.S and other troops and sailors stationed in the area from the Korean War through to the end of the Vietnam War. Such sets are still in production; the new market now being tourists and export rather than sailors or returning troops.

To the recipients of this flatware in 1950s & ’60s America, it was seen as exotic-looking and often deemed “for special to use.” Many sets that we have appraised over the years do not appear to have been opened, let alone used, since they were first received during the mid-1960s, packed away with other things thought “to be worth a lot of money someday.” Now, some 45 years later, they are all surfacing as their original owners downsize or their children clear the estate. Most are very surprised to find—when these sets are dragged once more into the daylight—that they not rare and as exotic as first thought, nor as valuable as Grandma thought they would be. In today’s market, dozens of these sets are listed at auction sites every day, this past year even large boxed services like the one above, with 150-plus pieces in mint condition, have sold at auction in the $50-$150 range.

Many Duragold sets have been opened, let alone used, since they were first received during the mid-1960s, packed away with other things thought “to be worth a lot of money someday.”

¹Carl Molin’s Swedish plant company began production in 1919 and demand was such it was decided an American factory should be built in 1926. The “Duragold” name ruffled the feathers of the Federal Trade Commission in 1935, the commission claiming the name was misleading as there was no gold content in the cutlery. To avoid conflict and needless expense, “Duragold” became “Dirilyte” and the company operated under that name until 1986 when it ceased production of cutlery and hollowware.

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Previous “Unloved Antiques” articles:

• Unloved Antiques: ‘Limited Edition’ Collectors Plates
• Unloved Antiques: Singer Sewing Machines
• Unloved Antiques: Decorator Prints
• Unloved Antiques: Commemorative Whiskey Decanters

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

These twist-handle coin silver forks with bright cut engraving clearly show a distinctive Cincinnati style. They were made and sold by Duhme & Co. in the mid-19th century, and brought $287.50 for the group at a May 2005 auction. (Photo courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio)

When Cincinnati’s first settlers arrived in 1788, they dreamed of establishing a trade center along the water highway of the Ohio River. Their primary concern was continuing hostilities with the Indian tribes who had lost their hunting grounds in Kentucky and were determined not to be pushed further west by new waves of white settlers. Troubles with the Indians were resolved after the signing of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, and the Ohio territory opened for permanent settlement

With permanent settlement came an influx of silversmiths, jewelers, watchmakers and clockmakers from cities in the East, the British Isles, France and Germany, bringing with them refinements such as jewelry and silver spoons to what would soon be called “The Queen City of the West.” While some accounts circa 1798 claim that Cincinnati’s first silversmith was Celedon Symmes—nephew of John Cleves Symmes—the Torrence Manuscripts in the Cincinnati Historical Society provide a 1793 listing for “John Whitesides, Silversmith,” which indicates he was most likely the city’s earliest silversmith.

The earliest Cincinnati silver examples were primitive spoons and ladles (forks were not seen until early in the 19th century). These followed the Eastern styles with “coffin” shaped ends. Next came the distinctive, small bowl with a “fiddle” handle, a shape that evolved from the 1830s through the 1850s, when an exaggerated hourglass shape terminating in a wide rounded end was seen.

In the 1850s, twist-handled flatware began to appear, made by the Kinseys, Duhme & Co., C. Oskamp and C. Hellebush. First seen in the 17th century, this style became very popular and was made for many years, as evidenced by the large quantity that still exists today. Duhme & Co. made and retailed complete sets of twist-handled flatware, some plain and some with bright cut engraved decoration. These two styles—the exaggerated “fiddle” shape—and the twist handle, are considered by some to be the most easily recognized and distinctive Cincinnati styles. After the Civil War, silver hollow ware appeared with greater frequency, with Duhme & Co. as the largest producer.

The Silversmiths

A W. McCrew Cincinnati coin silver ladle in “Fiddle & Thread” pattern with fluted, squared bowl, could be had for around $230. (Photo courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio)

Perhaps the most prolific Cincinnati silversmiths of the pre-Civil war period were Edward (1810-1865) and David (1819-1874) Kinsey. Edward Kinsey lived first in Newport, Ky., before moving to Cincinnati and by 1836 had his own silver manufactory, employing many other silversmiths and producing both flatware and hollow ware.

In addition to the many fine silversmiths who worked in Cincinnati during the 19th century, many local jewelers imported their wares from silver companies across the country and marketed them under their own company name. Duhme & Co., which manufactured enormous quantities of silver on premises, also retailed silver from other manufacturers, as did The Loring Andrews Company and The Frank Herschede Company. As an example, silver hollow ware might have a backstamp for the Dominick & Haff Company and a retailer’s stamp for Duhme or Herschede’s. Silver retailed by The Loring Andrews Company is of the highest quality, and has a dedicated following of serious collectors for its distinctive repousse patterns. Although it is not certain, evidence suggests that most of its wares were made by Kirk and other Baltimore-area silversmiths and retailed under the Loring Andrews name.

A Cincinnati coin silver hot water kettle made by E.D. Kinsey, circa 1844-61, engraved with Rococo stylized flowers and scrolling leaves, with center monogrammed reserve, mounted on a footed base with molded ornate rim and center burner. If sold at auction earlier this year for $8,225. (Photo courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio)

Some other names which figure prominently in the history of early Cincinnati silver include Joseph Beggs (1836-1861); Samuel Best (1802-1818); H. Blakesley (1829-1836); Richard Clayton (1834-1859), who was also a balloonist; Peleg Collins (1820-1850); W. & A. Cooper (1835-1837); Jacob Deterly (1812-1833); Joseph Draper (1832-1856); Herman Duhme (1842-1888); Clemens Hellebush (1866-1893); Edward H. Hill (1839-1873); Abraham Palmer (1834-1859); Thomas (1832-1836) and James (1844-1856) Rhodes (1844-1856); Bushnell Willey (1834-1837); and Enos Woodruff (1813-1834). See Elizabeth D. Beckman’s “Cincinnati Silversmiths, Jewelers, Watch and Clockmakers” for a more complete listing.

Collecting Cincinnati Silver

This matching set of four coin silver goblets, all marked Kinsey, were sold at an October 2005 auction for $2,300. (Photo courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio)

The best way to begin a collection of Cincinnati silver is the same as beginning any kind of collection. Visit museums, exhibitions or auctions and examine objects “hands on” to become familiar with styles and maker marks. Some fine examples of early Cincinnati silver are on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum and other examples may be available for examination and purchase at local auctions. A great reference on the subject is Beckman’s in-depth study titled “Cincinnati Silversmiths, Jewelers, Watch and Clockmakers,” which was privately published in 1975 but is out of print. It may be available in some libraries, from rare book dealers or on the Internet.

A good place for the beginning collector to start is with simple “fiddle-shape” coin silver spoons. These are be available at very reasonable prices for savvy Internet shoppers, perhaps for as little as $31 for six E&D Kinsey coin silver spoons as seen at auction in 2008. A larger piece such as a soup ladle can be purchased for $200-$400, unless it is by a little known maker. Simple beakers or julep cups may be available for $300-$400 each, largely determined by style, embellishments such as beading or engraving, and scarcity of the maker. Hollow ware pieces such as goblets, teapots and pitchers, are much harder to find and will require a much more serious financial commitment, likely several thousand dollars.

This elaborate repousse sterling silver punch bowl was retailed by The Loring Andrews Company of Cincinnati in the early 20th century, and brought $9,200 in February 2006.

As with any antique purchase, condition is a primary consideration. Silver, which has been in existence (and in use?) for 150-plus years, is expected to show wear, but spoons with no “tips” or edges, ones in which one side of the bowl is worn down (most often seen on the left side due to use by a right handed user), or ones with very thin shanks prone to breakage, should be avoided. Although repairs may be performed by a reputable silver restoration firm, such procedures are costly and many collectors prefer to leave their purchases in “as found” condition.

Dr. Wes Cowan is founder and owner of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. An internationally recognized expert in historic Americana, Wes stars in the PBS television series “History Detectives” and is a featured appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow.” He can be reached via email at info [at] historicamericana [dot] com.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

A Colebrookdale fireback, circa 1763. An18th-century originals can sell for more than $3,500.

In Colonial times, homes were heated by fire in stone or brick fireplaces. Normally, a great deal of heat from a wood fire escapes up the chimney, while more heat is absorbed by the brick in the back wall. The solution to capturing some of this escaping heat was the fireback, which were not only functional, but a highly decorative part of every fireplace. A fireback absorbs much of a fire’s heat and radiates it back into the room, making any wood-burning fireplace much more efficient. Additionally, a fireback protects the back wall from the cumulative wear & tear of the heat from multiple fires.

Colebrookedale was one of the first foundries in Pennsylvania—built by Thomas Rutter, Thomas Potts and Anthony Morris—with the furnace completed in 1720 on the banks of Iron Stone Creek near where Pottstown, Pa. is located today. Colebrookdale Furnace & Iron Works had a long and prosperous career, as this furnace—together with a forge—operated until just before the American Revolution.The furnace was still standing in 1785.

The example above—a Colebrookdale fireback, circa 1763—is a rare original, but most firebacks that one sees today are 1970s reproductions of the No. 5 and No. 6 Colebrookdale firebacks from that vintage. Similar firebacks are still in production, based on 17th- to 19th-century patterns used in both Europe and North America. Currently, the reproductions of the Colebrookedale firebacks sell for about $375, while the 18th-century originals can sell for more than $3,500.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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Elegant Opaline glass & silverplated butter keeper, circa 1870, in Classical Taste by Joseph Rogers of Sheffield, England.

Boulsover discovered that when sterling silver is fused to copper the two metals are identically malleable. One could pound out a piece and have the silver and copper retain the same geometric ratio to one another as the metal was worked. This led rather quickly to the development of a very large industry based on the fusing of ingots of sterling silver to one or both sides of ingots of copper. The new merchant class—and down on their luck members of the aristocracy—could now have terrific pieces of hollowware that appeared to be made from sterling silver but were in fact made of thinly veiled copper!

The keys to identifying Sheffield silver are strictly related to the method of its manufacture and the need to disguise the underlying copper. Because the silver, not the labor, was the expensive part of the process, large pieces of Sheffield silver were tinned rather than silvered, on unseen surfaces.

Areas such as the inside of a meat over or the bottom of a large tray, even the bottom of a large tureen, will often be tinned, not plated. When you find such a tinned area on a piece you know for a fact that it is old Sheffield plate, unless it’s a tinned bottom added to electroplate with rolled edges. Than you have a fake Sheffield!

Another major characteristic of Sheffield plate is that all exposed edges must be covered with a rim of silver, otherwise the copper middle layer would show through, giving away the fact that the piece is not sterling silver. This is referred to as a wrapped edge. Either one of two processes were used: the applied silver decorative motif was bent over the edge; or a thin silver band was wrapped and fused around the edge. In both cases you can get a fingernail virtually under this edge. You will also find a seam where the ends of the strip of silver or applied moldings meet.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, most families purchasing large pieces of hollowware had their family crest engraved on the item. If you were to engrave a piece of Sheffield plate, the copper would show because of the thinness of the silver layer, Engraving shields or plaques were therefore inlaid into the side of the piece in the appropriate spot for engraving, If you blow air either at the engraved area or at the appropriate areas on an un-engraved piece, the engraving shield will “jump out” at you. This is caused by the differing rates of condensation on the solid silver plaque versus the plated areas. Any piece with an engraving plaque will invariably turn out to be Sheffield plate.

On any item formed out of a cylinder of metal, such as candlesticks, pots, vases and so on, the metal was joined together by crimping or dovetailing. This left an obvious seam, often with a little copper showing. Originally this was carefully burnished, but with a couple hundred years of wear and tear, you can often spot such seams. The presence of these seams is a guarantee that the items are old Sheffield.

Pair of late 18th century Sheffield Plate Candlesticks engraved with a shaft of wheat and inscribed with the Latin words, “Sapiens Qui Assiduus,” which means “He who is wise is industrious.”

There were many fascinating processes involved in the making of fused plate, well beyond those mentioned here. They do not, however, leave any telltale marks that specifically identify a piece as Sheffield plate as opposed to solid silver or electroplate. You can learn most readily about those processes by reading the major books that details all of the processes involved in the creation of fused plate.

The value determinants of Sheffield silver are similar to those for all antiques, but with some exceptions. Aesthetic factors are identical to those for similar pieces of sterling silver. Provenance and rarity also have an impact on value. The originality of the pieces making up a multi-part piece, such as covered vegetable or entree dish with a separate water reservoir, is crucial to value on Sheffield pieces, as it is to all sterling or electroplated items.

Anything made in multiples and of more than one part had each separate piece numbered in a series. Thus, you would have cover, dish and under tray number one, number two and so on. Because the pieces were not always perfectly compatible, the numbering system allowed servants to get the correct cover on the correct base. If the pieces no longer are three to three, or one to one, but are cover three with base four, then an incestuous relationship has developed, and the value is no more than 75 percent of a completely original piece. Marriages of work by two makers would have even less value, perhaps only 25 percent of the value of a perfect piece.

Approximately 90 percent of Sheffield silver pieces are completely unmarked. In fact, the lack of marks can often make one first think an item might be a piece of Sheffield plate. In the very early days a few makers put on pseudo-hallmarks to suggest the high quality of their goods. The guilds of silversmiths sent up an immediate howl and Parliament quickly established severe penalties for the hallmarking of plated wares. As the companies making Sheffield plate grew stronger, they began to lobby for some allowable marking systems, and the end result was that either the name or a small symbol could be used as an identification device. Because marked pieces are rare, a premium of 25 percent or more adheres to a marked price over an identical unmarked piece.

Regency period (circa 1810-1820) Old Sheffield Plate tea caddy. This pieces shows quite a lot of bleeding (wear to top of lid) where the copper is showing through.

Finally, and of utmost importance to value, is the level of originality of the actual plating. Old Sheffield silver is often in remarkably good condition with little or no bleeding (copper showing through). This is because it is the unique property of Sheffield plate that it is sterling silver over copper (not pure silver, as is the case with both close plate and electroplate). Remember, sterling is an alloy and the point of making an alloy is that it is hundreds of times more durable than pure silver: Whereas as pure silver wears away quickly with regular polishing, sterling wears away very, very slowly.

Related to this condition problem is the question of electroplating old Sheffield plate. Never do it unless the condition is so bad that the piece has no value as an antique. Electroplating adds a process totally foreign to the early piece, and it covers the mellow sterling with the more harshly colored pure silver.

In approximately 1840, the Elkington Company of Birmingham England, began production of electroplated silver. They had cleverly bought up all patent rights related to the experimentation then taking place throughout England in addition to their own work. This far simpler method—by which a completed base metal object is suspended in a vat, a charge introduced, and pure silver fused onto all surfaces—quickly put the old method out of business.

Electroplated wares are coated with a thin layer of pure silver, which, as noted earlier, wears away far more quickly than an alloy would. The base metal also impact on adherence, the preferable based metals being copper, brass or nickel-brass alloy (commonly called nickel silver). Britannia and other similar white metals are inferior because they lose their shape more readily and because they provide a poor base for the silver to adhere to.

Sheffield plate Corinthian column candlesticks, made by Hawksworth & Eyre, Sheffield, England, circa 1870's. This is an example of electroplate.

Electroplated items lack all of the distinctive aspects discussed in the Sheffield section. They are commonly marked by their makers and usually have marks indicating the quality of the plating and the type of base metal. Marks commonly seen include EP (electroplate), EPNS (electroplated nickel silver), EPBM (electroplated Britannia metal), A-1, quadruple plate, triple plate, and so on. As with all silver, value is influenced by age, rarity, desirability of style and type, provenance, condition, and additionally, by base metal used.

Because they were competing with the old Sheffield platters who had earned wonderful reputations for the fine quality, the electroplating companies have often used the word Sheffield in their company names or as a descriptive adjective for their plating. Thus one sees on objects such words and phrases as “Sheffield, England,” “Sheffield Silver on Copper,” “Sheffield plate,” “Sheffield silver,” and so on. In each and every instance the word “Sheffield” on a piece of silver is your absolute, iron clad guarantee that the piece is electroplate, having nothing in common with the magnificent pieces of genuine old Sheffield plate.

— by David Lindquist

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David Lindquist co-owns Whitehall at the Villa Antiques and Fine Arts in Chapel Hill, N.C., and is a nationally recognized lecturer, appraiser, author, editor and broadcaster.

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A genuine English Hallmark

To the average person, Coin or Sterling silver don’t look much different than silverplate pieces, but where the difference lies is in the markings. By international convention, most countries have laws regarding the marking of precious metals such as silver and gold, generally referred to as “Hallmarks”—stamped marks from which the purity, the maker, city and date can be determined. Hall Marks had their origins in England, where all silver has been marked since the 14th century, and are a great aid in determining the history of a piece today. American silver is often marked with the word “Sterling” (925/1000ths. pure silver), “Coin” (800/1000ths. pure silver) or with numerical markings that indicate the same thing “925″ or “800.”

An example of a psuedo hallmark

Where the trouble started was when late 19th century makers of American silverplate began to realize they could improve their sales if they marked their products in a similar way to English hallmarks, such marks giving the impression of quality “just like Sterling.” Today, Appraisers and Dealers refer to these as “Pseudo Hallmarks,” which take many forms, but they generally appear as two or five punched marks in Old English script.

The wonderful thing about them though is they actually spell out their true metal content, as can be decoded as shown below. So if your “Silverware” has any of the markings listed below you can rest assured it’s not “Sterling”

EP - Electroplate
EPBM - Electroplated Britannia Metal
EPNS - Electroplate on Nickel Silver (nickel silver is a nickel/brass alloy)
EPC - Electroplated Copper
EPWM - Electroplated White Metal
EPNS-WMM - Electroplated Nickel Silver with White Metal Mounts

Photographs courtesy of www.silvercollection.it

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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Archibald Knox Tudric muffin dish

By Sherri Hall-Wilcox

The piece pictured above is a pewter muffin dish (valued, designed by Archibald Knox (British, 1864-1933) for Liberty & Co., circa 1901-05 as part of its “Tudric” line. Like most pieces made during this period, it is in the Art Nouveau style. Knox was born in Cronkbourne Village, Tromode, Isle of Man, on April 9th, 1864.

Knox took a winding path to end up as a designer whose pieces are now sought by collectors.

Knox’s early education took place at Douglas Grammar School and Douglas School of Art between 1878 and 1883. It appears it was here that his first interest in Celtic design took root, and later became his signature design form. Knox taught at the school from 1884-1888. In 1897, Knox moved on to become a teacher at the Redhill School of Art, whose headmaster, A.J. Collister, was a close friend. In 1899 Knox would follow Collister to the Kingston School of Art and later to the Wimbledon Art School in 1906.

It was during this period during the turn of the 19th century that he became involved with the studios of Christopher Dresser, famous for silverware, ceramics and glass and Liberty & Co. of London. Liberty & Co. was one of the leading producers of Art Nouveau decorative arts items, and it while he was here when Knox began designing pieces for which he is most famous: creating items for their Cymric line of silver (1899) and their “Tudric” line of pewter (1902). It is unknown just how many pieces he designed for Liberty, as much of the company’s records were destroyed by fire during World War II.

In 1912 Knox left Britain, seeking employment in the United States, returning to the Isle of Man in 1913, just before the outbreak of World War One. During the war (1914-1918), he worked as a censor in an alien detention camp on the Isle of Man, returning to teaching after the war at a number of schools on the island. He died from sudden heart failure on Feb. 22, 1933 and was buried in Braddan Cemetery.

Certified Early Gold (1795-1834) and Why They Are Scarce, Part I

By Silvano DiGenova

Methodology of This Study
There are those of us who not only consider early gold as rare coins worthy of our investment dollars, but the ultimate embodiment of the first American mint masters and engravers art as well. The best examples of these coins are rare and desirable as both artifacts of our new nation and tangible evidence of the difficulty that the original founders faced when creating our new currency system. The mintages are small and the survival rates in all grades low. Early United States gold coins in any grade worthy of investment are going to be both rare, and thus hard to come by, and much in demand, and thus expensive to buy.

Collectors have known that pre-1834 gold is rare virtually since the coins were originally made, but just how rare, while not a surprise is statistically amazing. All the mintage figures in this article come from John Dannruther’s new unpublished manuscript, which is very helpful, and sometimes, often, differs from the mintage figures in the Yeoman’s Red Book. I recommend you buy a copy when it is published, as it will unquestionably be the “state of the art” on the subject for years to come.

The population report figures come from both Professional Coin Dealers Grading Services and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation population report figures combined, in some, if not all cases there will be some duplication and other statistical errors, perhaps to the extend of 20 percent in either direction. Grades of individual coins go up and down with the fashions in grading, complicating the issue even further. Additionally, the coins held in old collections, museums and at the National Collection in Washington are not certified, so they will further confuse the survival rates. Therefore, survival rates within are a compilation of the opinions of Silvano DiGenova, John Dannruther, David Akers, David Hall and Neil Berman, DiGenova being the original source and later used to verify his estimates.

Early Money before United States Gold Coins
The first attempts at producing currency inside North America were issued by the Continental Congress, the original 13 Colonies individually, and later the brand new United States of America. Because these were for the most part paper or copper money, what little acceptance they received was on the faith our early patriots and did not readily translate into serious use for international commerce. The paper money devalued into fiat currency as paper money almost always does, and the need for hard currency became apparent immediately during the American Revolution. Production was planned as soon as the new government was able, which was no small undertaking. This was authorized by the new U.S. Government by the Mint Act of 1792.

This new coinage appears to have begun on or about March, 1793 with the production of what we now call chain cents, the design of which the public was not pleased with. The first gold coins, the coins that we are particularly interested in, half eagles, were not manufactured until 1795. It is here, at their little sisters, the quarter eagles, that we start our story.

Early gold coins come in three denominations, those being quarter eagles, half eagles, and eagles, or 10-dollar pieces, as the gold coins were all divisions or multiplications of the eagle 10-dollar denomination. There were no denominations on the coins because it really did not matter to the merchants and governments of the time who used the coins in commerce, as the coins were only worth their weight and fineness in gold, and no more. They were emitted from the mint in the following order. First, the Half Eagles, 744 of them, were struck on July 31, 1795. Next, the Eagles, 1,097 units of the highest denomination coin, on Sept. 22, 1795. Last the lowest denomination gold coins, quarter eagles, and they were first delivered on Sept. 21, 1796 (Dannruther). A quick note on the mintage figures. All mintage figures at the early U.S. Mint are more or less educated guesses, as there was no law governing the use of dies like there is today. Dies were time consuming and expensive to make, and so the dies were used almost indiscriminately until they were no long serviceable, and sometimes even past then, as coins struck from cracked and rusted dies are not uncommon. The date on the gold coin is not necessarily the date that the coin was made at that first American mint, and in some cases has no relationship at all to the date of manufacture.

All the early gold coin types of all denominations are rare for several reasons. First, the very limited mintages made them hard to come by, even when they had just been freshly minted. Then they were removed from circulation for all of the usual reasons including loss and wear. The grand final, so to speak, was the change in the weight of all gold coins by Act of Congress on June 28, 1834 which restated the ratio of the value of gold to silver. With the increase in the relative gold value, the coins were worth more as metal than coins, and they were melted by the thousands. What is left today was saved as souvenirs by the new Americans, shopped overseas, saved as bank reserves both in the States and abroad, or in the hands of early collectors.

Descriptions to be continued in Part II

Methodology of This Study

There are those of us who not only consider early gold as rare coins worthy of our investment dollars, but the ultimate embodiment of the first American mint masters and engravers art as well. The best examples of these coins are rare and desirable as both artifacts of our new nation and tangible evidence of the difficulty that the original founders faced when creating our new currency system. The mintages are small and the survival rates in all grades low. Early United States gold coins in any grade worthy of investment are going to be both rare, and thus hard to come by, and much in demand, and thus expensive to buy.

Collectors have known that pre 1834 gold is rare virtually since the coins were originally made, but just how rare, while not a surprise, is statistically amazing. All the mintage figures in this article come from Joh9n Dannruther’s new unpublished manuscript, which is very helpful, and sometimes, often, differs from the mintage figures in the Yeoman’s Red Book. I recommend you buy a copy when it is published, as it will unquestionably be the “state of the art” on the subject for years to come.

The population report figures come from both Professional Coin Dealers Grading Services and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation population report figures combined, in some if not all cases there will be some duplication and other statistical errors, perhaps to the extend of twenty percent in either direction. Grades of individual coins go up and down with the fashions in grading, complicating the issue even further. Additionally, the coins help in old collections, museums and at the National Collection in Washington are not certified, so they will further confuse the survival rates. Therefore, survival rates within are a compilation of the opinions of Silvano DiGenova, John Dannruther, David Akers, David Hall, and Neil Berman, DiGenova being the original source and later used to verify his estimates.

Early Money before United States Gold Coins

The first attempts at producing currency inside North America were issued by the Continental Congress, the original Thirteen Colonies individually, and later the brand new United States of America. Because these were for the most part paper or copper money, what little acceptance they received was on the faith our early patriots and did not readily translate into serious use for international commerce. The paper money devalued into fiat currency as paper money almost always does, and the need for hard currency became apparent immediately during the American Revolution. Production was planned as soon as the new government was able, which was no small undertaking. This was authorized by the new US Government by the Mint Act of 1792.

This new coinage appears to have begun on or about March, 1793 with the production of what we now call chain cents, the design of which the public was not pleased with. The first gold coins, the coins that we are particularly interested in, half eagles, were not manufactured until 1795. It is here, at their little sisters, the quarter eagles, that we start our story.

Early gold coins come in three denominations, those being quarter eagles, half eagles, and eagles, or ten dollar pieces, as the gold coins were all divisions or multiplications of the eagle ten dollar denomination. There were no denominations on the coins because it really did not matter to the merchants and governments of the time who used the coins in commerce, as the coins were only worth their weight and fineness in gold, and no more. They were emitted from the mint in the following order. First, the Half Eagles, seven hundred and forty-four of them, were struck on July 31st, 1795. Next, the Eagles, one thousand ninety-seven units of the highest denomination coin, on September 22, 1795. Last the lowest denomination gold coins, quarter eagles, and they were first delivered on September 21st, 1796 (Dannruther). A quick note on the mintage figures. All mintage figures at the early US Mint are more or less educated guesses, as there was no law governing the use of dies like there is today. Dies were time consuming and expensive to make, and so the dies were used almost indiscriminately until they were no long serviceable, and sometimes even past then, as coins struck from cracked and rusted dies are not uncommon. The date on the gold coin is not necessarily the date that the coin was made at that first American mint, and in some cases has no relationship at all to the date of manufacture.

All the early gold coin types of all denominations are rare for several reasons. First, the very limited mintages made them hard to come by even when they had just been freshly minted. Then they were removed from circulation for all of the usual reasons including loss and wear. The grand final, so to speak, was the change in the weight of all gold coins by Act of Congress on June 28th, 1834 which restated the ratio of the value of gold to silver. With the increase in the relative gold value, the coins were worth more as metal than coins, and they were melted by the thousands. What is left today was saved as souvenirs by the new Americans, shopped overseas, saved as bank reserved both in the States and abroad, or in the hands of early collectors.

What is the difference between Cast Iron and Wrought Iron? Cast iron objects are created from molten metal that has been poured into a mold and allowed to harden. In contrast, wrought iron items are individually created by bending pieces of hot, malleable iron.

The first simple metal castings date to the Neolithic period (6000 – 1800 BC). Through the following centuries different metals were discovered and new techniques were developed. Foundries were prevalent in Europe prior to the first settlers colonizing America, and the Pilgrims brought their knowledge of metal working to America with them. However, it was not until after the Civil War that foundries were well established in the United States. Until then, a blacksmith hand forged the metal objects needed for everyday use.

The most popular metals for casting have been iron, brass and bronze. Iron is the most common metal used for early American trivets. There were many shapes … spade, rectangular, circular, oval, and freeform. In the late 1800s to 1920s it was popular to apply a plated coating (nickel, brass or copper) to iron; the plating served to prevent the formation of rust. A Japanned (lacquer) finish was also popular during the same period and for the same reason.

One method of evaluating age in a trivet is by identifying the Cast Mark, which is the scar left when the downspout or gate is severed after casting. There will be one of three types of casting marks. The first two marks, the Sprue and the Wedge, were typical of trivets pre-dating 1865 and appear on the trivet center reverse. A Sprue mark is round while a Wedge mark is rectangular. The third mark, the rectangular Gate mark or marks, can be found along the rim and was seen in castings where two or more trivets were cast in one mold pour. Pronounced or incompletely filed gate marks are typical of castings predating 1895.

A cast mark is more easily identified on trivets made of iron and bronze, because the hardness of those metals made removing traces of the scar more difficult. Since brass is a softer metal, casting marks were more easily removed during finishing and may not be evident.

Some of the early foundry castings (1870s to 1920s) were thin and delicately formed, exhibiting sharp detail, an openwork design and occasionally letters and/or numbers. Others were more substantial and featured Pennsylvania Dutch designs such as the distelfink or the rosette. There were trivets cast for utilitarian use as iron stands or pot rests. Other trivets served as coffee, tea or table stands.

View the examples provided of the various casting marks, and from now on always examine trivets with an eye for identifying their birthmark!

Lynn Rosack is a Worthologist who specializes in trivets and kitchenalia.

Early $10 Gold 1795-1804 by Silvano DiGenova

For rare coin collectors seeking challenge and reward, Early United States Gold coins dated 1795 to 1804 are an ideal choice of specialty. Early Gold coin mintages are remarkable small and the survival rates in all grades are low, making these beautiful coins not only challenging to collect, but also potentially highly rewarding as an investment. Sophisticated collectors often become interested in early Gold coins because these coins are fascinating artifacts from our nation’s infancy, and tangible pieces of history, attesting to the development of our nations system of money.

While collectors have long known that all early Unites States Gold coins are rare, recent analysis by noted authority John Dannruther indicates that these coins are even rarer than was originally thought. The mintage figures in Mr. Dannreuther’s yet unpublished study differ in some instances from the mintages figures in “A Guide Book of United States Coins,” by R.S. Yeoman. When published, Mr. Dannreuther’s study rates to become a standard reference on the topic.

The basis of the population figures in this article is the combined number reported certified by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC). However, in the opinion of the authors, actual populations may be as much as 20% difference than published figures in some cases, taking into consideration multiple submissions of the same coin(s). In several cases we have made some estimates where we feel the published information does not give as accurate a perspective on the true population. This is due to the services not recognizing certain varieties in the beginning of the population reports and then adding them later. Also in the case of the 1803, besides the population report variety changes, it is with near certainty that virtually all the Large Start reverse Tens certified are actually the Large Start with 14 Star reverse.

Following is a date-by-date analysis of early Eagles to use as an aid in making informed buying decisions in this challenging and rewarding series.

Eagles 1795 – 1804

Eagles are the largest denomination struck of early Gold, and the second denomination of Gold coins manufactured at the new Mint. The first Eagles were struck at the Philadelphia Mint on September 22, 1795.

All Early Eagles are thirty-tree millimeters in diameter, weigh 270 grains of .9167 fine Gold alloyed with .0833 Copper and Silver, have a reeded edge and were designed by Robert Scot except where otherwise mentioned. In those cases the reverse may have been engraved by John Gardner. They come in two types, with both the Small Eagle reverse and with a Large Eagle reverse. A total of 132,500 plus were minted between the two types, with 3,213 examples certified in all grades, a total survival rate of two percent for the entire series, of which 1,550 graded Uncirculated. There are only twenty-five Gem Uncirculated coins reported of all dates, or less than two hundredths of one percent.

The Small Eagle reverse was made with four major varieties, those being the 1795 13 Leave and 9 Leaves, the 1796 with 11 Leaves and the 1797. There is just a total mintage of somewhere between 13,344 and 15,251 coins, of which 524 reported certified in all grades, which is a survival rate of nearly four percent, with 154 graded Uncirculated by both grading services. I would be surprised if there really are that many coins in such a high grade, as widely known coins of this value and subjectivity are frequently regarded and often the tags are not returned. We believe a 20% or more over statement by the population reports is certainly possible.

The large Eagle reverse comes in eleven date/variety combinations, a total of 2,689 examples reported certified in all grades, of which over 1,102 are called Uncirculated. There are also the Proofs of 1804 with a Plain 4 that were struck thirty years after the date on the coin. As states before, we certainly feel like the population data is considerably overstates. Also worth nothing that unlike series such as Morgan Dollars or $20 Saint Gaudens, the majority of the known coins have been graded with the likelihood of undiscovered hoards next to nil.

Draped Bust Small Eagle Type 1795 – 1797

1795 Small Eagle 13 Leaves: With a mintage estimated at just over five thousand from two pairs of dies, this is the most “common” of the Small Eagle Type by a factor of more than two over the next “common” date 1796. With 327 graded we have a relatively large survival rate, probably because this was the first year of the Type and many must have been saved as souvenirs, accounting for the availability in most grades. The grading services have graded 105 as Uncirculated and four as MS65 or better. Certainly duplication exists. Being the first year Type and the most available of the Type, this is always sought after and fully priced within the series. Scarce in Circulated grades, rare in Mint State.

1795 Small Eagle 9 Leaves: With an estimated mintage of only five hundred coins, this is the rarest date of the Type. There are 21 examples reported certified in all grades, which is undoubtedly many of the same coins being resubmitted to the grading service. I doubt there are even the fifteen that Dannreuther seems to think survived. Twelve examples are reported certified in Uncirculated, also likely to be overstated. The population shows four coins in MS63. We are aware of only two with the possibility of three. The 9 Leaf $10 in all grades is far undervalued relative to the 1795 13 Leaf and most of the series. Very rare in all grades, extremely rare in Mint State.

1796 Small Eagle 11 Leaves: With a mintage of just over 4,100, including 125 examples reported certified in all grades makes this the second most “common” date of the Type./ The certified mintages match Dannreuther’s estimates. PCGS and NGC have reported 25 uncirculated survivors. Underrated relative the 1795 13 Leaf. Rare in all grades, very rare in Mint State.

1797 Small Eagle: With a mintage of 3,650, there are only 51 certified in all grades and just 12 in Uncirculated grades. Of the Uncirculated coins, none appear to be higher than MS62. Undervalued in all grades. Rare in all grades, exceedingly rare in Mint condition.

Draped Bust Large or Heraldic Eagle 1797 – 1804
1797 Large Eagles: With a mintage of almost eleven thousand in three die variations, the 1797 is the fourth most “common” date of the Type. There are 305 certified in all grades of which 71 are reported to be Uncirculated. Scarce and very popular as it is the first year of the new type as a result it tends to be more fully priced than the 1803 or very underrated 1800 both of greater rarity when evaluated by year and variety. Scarce in all grades, rare in Mint State.

1798/7 9X4 Stars Obverse. Overdate with nine Stars to the left of Liberty and four to the right. With the obverse of 1795, reverse by John Gardner, and an estimated mintage of nine hundred coins, of which 61 are certified in all grades, only ten of those are Uncirculated. Very rare in all grades. Exceedingly rare in Mint State. Undervalued relative to its rarity, especially in Mint State.

1798/7 7X6 Stars Obverse: Overdate with seven Stars to the left of Liberty and six to the right. With the obverse of 1795, reverse by John Gardner, and an estimated mintage of only eight hundred forty-two. Since there are only 11 coins certified in all grades, Akers call this the rarest date of the Type, and the certified numbers bear him out. Only four Uncirculated coins make this the second rarest in the series and the rarest of the major “Red Book” varieties. In general undervalued, however, always fairly expensive and only necessary to the advanced collector.

1799 Small Stars Obverse: This variety is from seven pairs of dies with an estimated mintage of 7,500. As both services did not designate this variety from the beginning, the population figures do not illustrated an accurate picture. We know that 939 total 1799 have been graded, of which 407 are Uncirculated. In examining several criteria including the following, approximately 1/3 of the 1799 $10 were Small Stars from the time NGC started making the designation. Also examining Jeff Garrett and John Dannreuther’s book on auction records, 36% are Small Stars and 64% Large Stars. It is this ratio that was used to approximate the population report. The proportion of Uncirculated was 30% and therefore we approximated 122 Small Stars in Uncirculated. The 1799 Small Stars, although nearly twice as rare as the Large Stars is still the third most common of all early Tens but at little or no premium over the 1799 Large Stars or 1801, it still presents a very good value and is relatively rare in Mint State.

1800: With a stated mintage of 6,000 from one pair of dies, it has only 198 examples certified in all grades and just 77 in Mint State. Very rare and underrated in all grades. Generally sells for less than the 1797 although far rarer. MS63 and better specimens should trade for far more.

1801: With a mintage of about 44,500 the 1801 has the largest mintage of the Type, and in fact, the early $10 series. Seven hundred sixty-seven examples certified, of which 358 were graded Uncirculated, which while not very likely does illustrate that this is the most “common” of the Type. Available readily in all grades except Gem, which of course barely exist. Very popular as the Type coin for the series. Rather than the 1799 in high grades of MS64 and up.

1803 Small Stars Reverse: The 1803 Small Star reverse has a mintage of 10,800 of which we estimate 249 are certified in all grades and 97 in Mint State grades. Far scarcer than either 1799 and the 1801, this date and variety should carry a considerable premium to those especially in Uncirculated grades.

1803 13 Large Stars Reverse: With a total estimated mintage of only 1,200 from four pairs of dies, we estimate only about four coins are graded in all grades (or less) only one Mint State coin can actually be identified through the last ten years of auctions. This is the rarest of the varieties listed here. Not well known in the marketplace, this coin is highly sought-after by several specialists. Hard to determine an accurate current value, however, what is certain that we would pay far in excess of any current price guide!

1803 14 Large Star Reverse: The extra star in the clouds, with a total estimated mintage of only 3,000 coins, we estimate 67 of the total 319 1803 graded in all varieties are the 14 Star Reverse. This variety was first identified by Harry Bass and, although rare, many more Large Start Reverses are actually the 14 Star as the Small Star is easily worn away or obscured by bag marks. Very popular and rare. Probably priced accurately in today’s market.

1804: All are the Crosslet 4 variety with Small Stars, like the 1803, except the handful of Proofs that were struck in 1834 or 1835, depending on who you ask. All three of the known Proofs have a Plain 4 with Medium Stars, according to Dannreuther. A total mintage of 3,700 business strikes of the Crosslet 4 variety, with only 89 examples surviving certified in all grades. There are 37 certified Uncirculated specimens, but no Gems. Very scarce last year of issue. Also popular because of the profound numismatic year of 1804. Additionally this is notoriously weakly struck. Some examples as high as Mint State have much of the facial and hair detail missing. Very rare in Mint State, especially well struck. Rare in Circulated grades as well as generally under valued.

Mexico’s tradition of magnificent silverwork dates as far back as the 1530s. Mexico has abundant deposits of precious metals, so it was natural that a thriving jewelry and hollowware market would evolve there. But establishing authenticity, purity and age – especially for vintage and antique pieces – can be challenging.

Silver hallmarks stamped on a piece are supposed to signify a certain minimum purity – i.e. .925 and higher – and indicate that taxes and duties had been paid on the materials. Precious metals are linked to the currency reserves in many nations, so it’s imperative that nations keep a running inventory of available resources and an accounting of what’s been used. This process has been followed in Great Britain and France since the 14th century, and hallmarks can be used to accurately date silver pieces from there. However, these standards have not been strictly enforced in Mexico – or in the U.S. for that matter.

Since the 16th Century, this duty mark has been the image of the Mexican eagle. It often was referred to as “El Quinto Real,” or the one-fifth of the value of the silver used in the piece that was paid as taxes.

During the first half of the 20th century, the eagle disappeared. Mexican silver was generically marked with a SILVER or STERLING stamp.

The use of a newly-designed Mexican Eagle silver mark with outstretched wings appeared in 1948. It was meant to strictly represent a minimum of .925 silver content, but this was not always enforced. It also was used in association with specific numbers to indicate a manufacturer. There are numerous lists available online and in reference books to help you trace specific makers.

From 1955-80, the shape of the Mexican Eagle silver mark became more abstract, almost triangular. (See photo.) These marks were also assigned a specific number corresponding to a maker or the location.

Since 1980, the official notation is a registration code. The first letter denotes the location, the second denotes the workshop and the number denotes the actual silversmith. For example, MT-01 would indicate Mexico City, Tane (a famous workshop) and the person who registered it. Many studios also stamp a separate trademark or logo to help establish authenticity.

Alex and Elizabeth are WorthPoint Worthologists.

In general, the term Sterling Silver is meant to distinguish items that are composed of mostly solid silver as opposed to Silver-Plated that have only a thin surface layer of silver. However, there are several other distinctions, some using terms that can be confusing and often lead to a misunderstanding of an item’s composition and hence its value.

One of the most important metallurgical terms that are also used in Antique and Modern Silver are the words ALLOY and PLATED. Alloy refers to a composite metal that consists of two or more distinct pure metals that are fused together so as to make them inseparable by mechanical means. Plated on the other hand, refers to metals that have a layer deposited and adhered to a Base Metal to give it the appearance that the entire item is made of the same material used in its Plating. The base metal for most antique Silver items in today’s market is usually Copper, Nickel Silver, Stainless Steel, Brass, or Bronze.

Sterling Silver is actually an Alloy. Because silver is soft in its purest form, Silversmiths mix silver with copper to make it harder and more durable. Additionally, copper gives the resulting alloy a nicer sheen and is more appealing. This is how the Fineness Hallmarks used on silver have come to have meaning and each country considers certain levels as minimum standards (some changed over time) and are usually enforced when on Jewelry and other Silver items. For example, in the United States the first legal Sterling Silver standard was introduced by Charles Tiffany in 1852 and was soon adopted by the US Federal Government as 0.921 parts of Silver and 0.079 parts of Copper. In the United Kingdom, the Sterling Standard was established much earlier, in 1238 (enforced after 1300), and refers to a minimum of 0.925 parts of Silver and 0.075 parts of Copper. Items made of at least 99% pure silver are usually referred to as Fine Silver. In America, Coin Silver refers to a minimum of 90% silver content.

It is interesting to note that, in spite of its name, Nickel Silver does NOT contain any silver. It is actually an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc in varying proportions, usually 2:1:1 or 3:1:1. It is similar to the Chinese “Paktong” as imported to Europe prior to the 19^th century and until Nickel was more readily available from various Colonies. In the west, it was developed first in Saxe-Meiningen, Germany, in 1824, hence its other name as German Silver. Since then, Nickel Silver is used extensively as a Base Metal on Silver-Plated items hence the common abbreviation EPNS (Electro Plated Nickel Silver) or EPGS (Electro Plated German Silver).

Which brings us to Silver Plating…

A very successful method of Silver Plating was Sheffield Plate, which although already known since antiquity, was formally patented for industrial use by Thomas Bolsover of Sheffield in 1742. The initial name for this method was Copper Rolled Plate, which refers to the basic technique employed at the time of rolling a layer of Silver onto a layer of Copper, sometimes on both sides. This produced a very compact and large silver sheet, usually rolled in ingots, that was still thin enough to be malleable for the Silversmith when forming intricate designs. The term Sheffield Plate became popular ca 1770s and was later referred to as Old Sheffield Plate to distinguish it from other methods developed after 1830s. Initially, the majority of Sheffield plated items had the base metal covered on the external side only (Single Plated) whereas the other side was covered with Tin. However, market demand for Double Plated items, especially on hollowware was soon evident and most specimens surviving today as Antique Sheffield Plate are double plated.

Because of repeated increases of taxation on Solid or Sterling Silver during the period between 1784 to 1815, other promising methods of Silver Plating were soon developed that were less expensive and easier to replicate in industrial quantities. Most of these techniques employed the use of fine and very thin layers of Silver, sometimes referred to as Silver Leaf, that were pressed against the base metal 3-5 layers at a time and then heated and burnished to a smooth finish. Since it took a total of 40 or 60 Silver Leaf layers to get each item ready, this method was still laborious and expensive. This method is now known as French Plating because it was mostly popular amongst French platers during the 18thC. Other similar forms of Silver Plating were also developed around the same time, including Roberts Plate ca 1830, British Plate ca 1835, and Merry Plate in 1936.

However, the most important change in Silver Plating came about with the invention of Electro Plating, a method that simply requires placing the item to be plated along with a small ingot of solid silver in a bath of mild acid and applying electric current. This set-up enabled an evenly uniform deposit of solid silver on the plated item, and varying the current and time during the process, allowed for very precise control in the thickness of the plated silver. Electro Plating was first discovered by John Wright of Birmingham in 1840, but was officially patented by Elkington & Co. around the same time. It has since been in extensive use and has remained the dominant way of Plating Silver to this day. Most Electro-Plated wares have a plating thickness of about 3-30 microns; Flashed or Silver-Wash wares have less then 3 microns.

Silver plated items were not required to have hallmarks by law. However, many companies used their own logos and often included the type of Plating that was used on each piece, usually as initials EPS, EPNS etc. This practice eventually became the norm and now most Silver-Plated items found in the market are marked with their respective maker’s trademarks. Unfortunately, some companies intentionally used marks that were very similar to true Sterling Silver Hallmarks in order to gain market acceptance at the time, but this was only during a very brief early period since authorities and other merchants whose marks were imitated, prosecuted this use.

Finally some other terms related to Silver include:

Standard Silver Plate: The equivalent of using 2 troy ounces of Pure Silver for every 144 Silver spoons being ElectroPlated.

Quadruple Plate: The use of 4 times the Standard electroplating amount of Pure Silver, i.e. 8 oz for every 144 silver spoons

Britannia Silver: A Sterling Silver alloy of 0.9584 Pure Silver Fineness

90g or 90G or G90 or 90 or Hard Plating: Refers to Elctro-Plating of over 30 microns thickness; found mostly on German Cutlery & Utilitarian Flatware ca 1920s onwards.

Alex and Elizabeth are WorthPoint Worthologists.

The art of gold leafing dates back to the times of the Pharaohs. Gold leafing is a process in which artisans hammer gold until it has achieved thin layers. The layers are then applied over the item to give it the look of solid gold.

Probably the most famous example of this is the burial mask of King Tutankhamen or “King Tut.” Not only the mask but several objects would be gold leafed. This is why the ancient burial chambers used to get looted by thieves and the thieves would in turn take the objects and peel the gold off them which then had the consistency or weight similar to tin foil. The gold would be melted down and resold.

Through the years, decades, and centuries up until today gold leafing has become a refined art form. The gold leaf has become the weight and thickness of feathers and is still used for application over picture frames and any given number of objects. This process is still very costly and time-consuming. As with everything else, this process is imitated to give an item the “look” of being gold leafed.

Being in the antiques and estate jewelry business, I have had several people approach me over the years regarding ceramic and glass objects being marked “24K gold trim” or “painted in solid 24K gold.” There is a ring of truth as to the gold trim being 24K, but the amount of solid gold actually used is not worth the cost of a telephone call. Through the aid of modern technology, dishes and glassware can be elaborately decorated in gold paint.

Gold painted items–examples

I have shown a few 20th century examples of gold painting on china and glassware. The first is the Hawaiian souvenir dish from the 1980’s being labeled on the front “24K gold trim”. This gives the novice buyer self assurance of the item being of value and collectability.

The second piece is a 1930’s oval dish with handles. It is marked “Pickard China 24K Gold.” It looks very good and one would think that the gold alone on this dish is very valuable but it is actually worth about $10-$20.00.

Then we have American glassware from the 1950’s with etched gold rims again worth about $10-$20.00 each. So if you have or see in your antiquing ventures that golden stamp of 24K, just remember that it is not the monetary value of the item being marked.

I hope this gives you some insight into gold leafing versus gold-painted wares.