Nadja,
I would like your advice on the best way to sell sterling flatware. I am interested in selling a set of Stieff Rose. Here’s a description of what I have.
78pc STIEFF ROSE PATTERN STERLING SILVER FLATWARE SET
Presented is a fine 78 piece sterling silver flatware set by Stieff. The set is done in the Stieff Rose pattern which was first produced in 1892. The knives, hollow handle carving fork, and servers have sterling silver handles and stainless steel blades. All other pieces are solid sterling silver.
The set includes:
• 8 dinner knives: 8 7/8 inches long
• 8 forks: 7 inches
• 8 salad or dessert forks: 6 inches
• 8 soup spoons: 6 ½ inches
• 8 teaspoons: 5 7/8 inches
• 8 small teaspoons: 5 ½ inches
• 8 flat handle butter spreaders: 6 inches
• 3 hollow handle servers: 9 7/8 x 2 ¼, 9 7/8 x 1 ½, 6 1/8x 1 3/8 inches
• 1 hollow handle carving knife 14 inches
• 1 hollow handle carving fork 11 1/2 inches
• 5 serving spoons: 8 1/2 inches
• 2 iced tea spoons: 7 ½ inches
• 1 butter or cheese knife: 7 1/4 inches
• 1 cold meat (three prong) serving fork: 7 5/8 inches
• 1 berry spoon with repoussé strawberries on the bowl: 8 inches
• 1 sugar spoon: 6 inches
• 1 point tip spoon: 6 inches
• 1 ladle: 6 1/4 inches
• 1 cocktail fork: 6 inches
• 1 2-prong fork: 4 3/8 inches
• 1 butter pick: 5 5/8 inches
• 1 broad flat spoon: 5 ¼ inches
The condition is very good to excellent. Several pieces need to be polished. The pieces are hallmarked on the reverse with Sterling Stieff. The backs are monogrammed with “W”.
I appreciate your advice.
L. W.
Response:
The good news is, the price of silver is going up. The bad news is, fewer and fewer people have time to polish silver and it is never a good idea to put sterling flatware in the dishwasher.
If you have the time, the highest prices are paid for individual pieces by folks who need to replace a missing item from their set, such as an iced tea spoon. You can selling the set, piece by piece on eBay or a similar online auction and the items are easy to ship, as they are not breakable. Set up an account. Wait until the check clears before shipping or only accept money orders.
If you are in a hurry, there are plenty of dealers who inventory large quantities of flatware to sell as replacement pieces. To give you an idea of prices– currently a five piece place setting is listed at $170 but an individual soup spoon is listed at $85. Expect to receive half of the list price from a dealer.
To give other readers some background on the Steiff Rose pattern, which is extremely popular in the Baltimore, Maryland region of the country- the design is characterized by an ornate raised rose pattern. The earlier pieces, probably produced before the factory moved from downtown Baltimore to the Wyman Park neighborhood are slightly larger in size and heavier in weight. In 1979 Steiff purchased Samual Kirk and Sons having previously purchased the assets of the Kirk Corporation in the late 60s. In 1990 Lenox Incorporated purchased Kirk-Steif and still produces the Steiff Rose pattern.
Tags: antique flatware, Kirk-Steiff silver, Steiff Rose, sterling silver
April 5, 2009 at 1:46 pm |
[...] How to sell Antique Silver Flatware « All About Antiques Tags: Antique Silver Plate, Dating, Tea ServicePosted in Antique Silver | [...]
June 23, 2009 at 5:58 pm |
With silverplate you only want to polish when needed and as with all silver do not put your items in the dishwasher. Hand wash with gentle soap and hot water. A toothbrush will help you get into nooks and crannies. Any silver cleaner will work, but be careful not to leave any residue of the cleaner behind. Polish and rinse thoroughly.
August 12, 2009 at 3:49 pm |
While it is always important to check prices and recommendations, if you choose to sell to a business that deals in precious metals– your best strategy is to sell items to individuals who are making the purchase because they want to use or collect that particular item. Thus, if you can find a young couple who want to own a set of sterling flatware, they are going to pay a better price than a wholesaler who is in the business of melting down silver and selling in bulk.
August 12, 2009 at 3:23 pm |
I would strongly suggest checking out the Silver and Gold Exchange before selling gold or silver to ANYONE. I did a great deal of research, online and offline, and learned a lot about this business. I checked pawn shops, jewelers, “gold parties”, hotel “buying events as well as the online buyers, including the “as seen on tv” guys. I found that the Silver and Gold Exchange paid more than anyone else I could find. I liked the fact that they post the prices they pay per gram (beware of the places that quote in pennyweight/DWT) on a live price chart at http://SilverAndGoldExchange.com I also checked out their Better Business Bureau report and found they have never had a single complaint as opposed to HUNDREDS of complaints some other companies have! I recommend them 100%