Antique Silver Whats It Worth?. Almost daily I get emails and phone calls from readers asking what a particular silver item they have is worth. Many are surprised at how complicated valuing an item of silver can be. I liken it to valuing a car, it will depend on its age,condition and maker amongst several other things. 
Age. 
Silver values increase with age of manufacture. There are many reasons for this but the obvious one is rarity. The older the item the more likely they will have been made by hand individually by a craftsman. Silversmiths served apprenticeships of many years and developed techniques of manufacture based around hand tools. Modern silver is often machine produced in part or whole and hence can be produced for much lower costs. Age affects styles, many periods of our history are linked to trends and fashion. If you read an earlier post on Silver Styles you will see there many different influences throughout the years. 
Condition 
This is vital in valuing an individual piece. Most Antique Silver Items were produced as utensils or utility pieces, they had a function in the home which could still be fulfilled today if in good working condition. You may see a gorgeous pierced silver sugar basin for sale but if it does not come complete with its glass liner it will be of no use to your breakfast table or collection. Having said that Silver as a metal is soft, antique silver will most certainly have been handled by staff over the years and are bound to have a few knocks and marks received from use over the years. It would be almost impossible to purchase an antique silver item without some wear and tear. 
Maker 
Just as a modern day Mercedes is worth more than a Ford so individual Silversmiths influence greatly an items value. Many Silversmiths specialised in producing highly crafted and decorated pieces which required many days and weeks of work. This skilled labour did not come cheap and hence individual silver items from highly skilled craftsmen cost more. As fashions grew in popularity so did the influence of individual Silversmiths. Those who produced items for the rich and wealthy built up reputations which have survived the years. Many collectors will only seek out and purchase silver made by their favorite Silversmith. This means there is a huge market demand for a limited number of pieces hence prices rise dramatically for their work compared to others. Hester Bateman Paul Store and many others have huge followings today of collectors prepared to pay a premium for their work. 
Weight 
Similar to my car analogy Silver also has a value as scrap metal. Unlike your modern motor car Silver has a scrap value as a precious metal and is still used today in many manufacturing industries. This means that your heavy antique silver items such as salvers or trays can increase in value as scrap metal prices rise. In the current financial markets with recession and financial uncertainty precious metal prices for Gold and Silver always rise. 
The WOW Factor 
I know, you will not see this term in any reference book but it is true of all collectors and buyers of antique silver. If you look at a piece for the first time and think WOW I want that then it has the WOW factor and its value just increased as you will not be alone in wanting to buy it. 
Availability 
Market forces fluctuate greatly, currently scrap silver metal prices are high. Many dealers and sellers are choosing to sell items for scrap and pocket the profit. This is short term gain which can disrupt the market prices. It can also make certain items much more scarce on the open market. For example flatware such as spoons and forks are usually a good weight of silver. These are frequently scrapped when prices are high. This means eventually they become more scarce and prices therefore go up. 
What will someone actually pay 
The acid test incorporating all of the points above is what will some one actually pay to buy the item. Now there are a number of simple tests you can make to value your own item of antique silver for free. 
If you use ebay, or even if you do not they have a good search facility called Completed Listings. If you search completed listings for antique silver you see a wide selection of antique silver items which have sold and what was paid for them. It also shows those not purchased with prices which is a good way of testing the ebay market place for prices. 
You would also be wise to visit a local reputable auction house. They will be willing to give you a free appraisal of what they think they will be able to achieve at an auction for you for your item. They do however expect to charge you a commission fee upon a successful sale and the commission charge also attracts tax. Some auction houses also have a habit of taking their time in sending out your cheque! 
You can also choose to sell direct to a dealer. Now bear in mind that any antique dealer has to make a profit. They have overheads like any business and are not buying your item to collect but purely to resell. They will consider all of the above based on what the think they can sell the item for. They will then deduct a percentage for profit and costs and value the item accordingly and make you an offer. This price will be nowhere near the prices displayed on their pieces for sale as a result. 
So what seemed like a simple question , whats it worth is far from simple in reality. Always seek expert advice and do as much research as you can before you decide to sell but also be realistic. 
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You can view our antique silver items on ebay or our antique silver for sale website. You may also find our Silver Makers Marks website a useful reference.

Antique silver collecting is often more about taste than it is about value. To collect antique silver you first need to have a passion for silver. This will then greatly lead you into a period or style you wish to collect.

Many periods through our history have produced very distinctive styles.

The Queen Anne period from 1702 to 1714 saw a minimalist style in design but much decoration in the form of armorials,crests and motifs.

Baroque is classed as the period from the 17th Century to the 18th Century. It is distinctive for its grand heavy forms,bulbous and often with abundant decoration with elaborate carving and often rich gilding. This period is usually associated with Louis XI, Charles II and William & Mary.

Rococo is credited to the early to mid 18th century. Once again very decorative works with engraved rustic scenes and light gilding.

The late 1700's into the early 1800's saw the influence of North America into Federal designs. Most famous Silversmith for these designs was Paul Revere.

The Victorian Period is very popular among collectors today. From 1837 until 1901 Queen Victoria presided over the growth of the British Empire and wealth creation on a grand scale. This led to the rival of historical styles and extravagant ornamentation. It also saw the first volume production of silver items.

The Art Nouveau period ran between 1890 and 1915 and saw the move waay from the Victorian extravagance towards a more aymmetrical form with curving lines typically made famous by Liberty & Co and Tiffany.

The Art Deco Period followed from 1918 to the 1940's. Streamlined geometric forms with a strong Egyptian influence led to distinctive work from Christofle and Jensen.

The modern day period has been influenced by mass production with distinct work standing out from silversmiths such as Stuart Devlin.

Whatever style takes your fancy there are many factors to be considered by the collector not least of which will be price. Modern silver will be tomorrows antiques and therefore may be a wise starting point in any collecting career. Foe a wide selection of antiques silver and modern silver visit our silver2treasure store.

Many people are aware of the value of Gold as an investment but few realise how safe and secure antique silver is to invest in. The current value of silver scrap has meant that the value of antique silver items rises steeply as well as the selection offered for sale reduces as owners flock to sell treasured items off as scrap where it is melted down and lost forever.

The easiest item to scrap is silver flatware. Silver forks and silver spoons are usually heavy and easily achieve a high scrap value. This will mean locating antique silver flatware will become ever more difficult in the coming years. For those trying to build up a canteen of antique silver cutlery this task will soon become much more expensive. The good news is that as it gets more scarce its value will continue to grow.

Whilst the more common Silversmith items will be melted owners with any sense will hang onto the more collectable Silversmiths such as Hester Bateman and Paul Storr to name but two.

For those just starting out on their collecting career it is wise to learn about the various silver makers marks. These marks make it very easy to accurately identify the date of manufacture and by whom. This information is vital in dating and valuing antique silver.

With all the financial turmoil in the world today investing in antique silver makes more sense.