An Oldie, but a Goodie

                                              An Oldie, but a Goodie.

     The cover of a magazine tells it's contents. An ad, however, shows many different things. So, I've collected old advertisements which are mighy interesting. This, my first choice, is from 1869.

Redfield & Rice Manufacturing Co.

. I can't tell you how many ads there are in our early archives that involve an image of a fork. If I were I spoon or butter knife, I'd be very offended.

The Watchmaker and Jeweler September 1870

Adams, Chandler & Co.

One can never have enough firemen's parade trumpets. How close was I to blowing my rent money buying one of these babies off eBay? Not very much :) but still interesting.

The Jeweler's Weekly Aug. 18, 1886

R.S.F. & Co.

This ring would go nicely with a with a top hat and walking cane. No one would want to mess with you.

The Jeweler's Weekly Aug. 25, 1886

R.F. Simmons & Co.

This was the only ad that used color that I saw from the 1800s. Looks to be lined with a gold leaf-like material. Eye-catching compared to all the black and white surrounding it.

The Jeweler's Circular Feb. 6, 1895

R. Wallace & Sons Mfg. Co.

One of the more ecletic mix of products during any era, never mind the 1800s. The perfume bottle for the missus, and the knife for the gent to use on himself when he picks up the bill.

The Jeweler's Circular Feb. 13, 1895

The Dueber-Hampden Watch Factories

Nothing says "Buy our watches!" like an omnious factory pouring dirty soot into the sky.

Which one is your favorite?

Is it Silver or Silverplate? How can one tell?

                               Is my piece Silver or Silverplate? How can I tell?
       I often encounter antique pieces marked with hallmarks other than the typical .925 to identify the piece as sterling. Sterling Silver flatware manufactured in America after 1849 is ALWAYS stamped with one or the following markings:

• The word STERLING stamped on it
• 925 stamped on it
• STER stamped on it.

       If, for example, your flatware is stamped "Wm & Rogers" and "IS", it is not sterling silver. The IS merely indicates "International Silver" which was the company that actually manufactured the set. Because the pieces have no stamping to indicate Sterling, they most definitely are NOT sterling. Manufacturers never neglected to mention the word Sterling on their pure silver sets, while they always "neglected" to mention the lack of purity on mere plated material.

        British sterling carries 4-5 stamped hallmarks identifying the company, the location, date of manufacture, etc. These can be matched with photos in the silver hallmark database (google it). Similarly, American manufacturers employ hallmarks or sponsor's marks that can be identified by matching photos.

       The first patent for silver plating was issued in 1840. Older pieces are sterling, although they may not be stamped as such.

      Some of the early makers of silverplate flatware seen regularly in the store are Rogers Bros, Rogers & Bros. FB Rogers Silver, Wm Rogers, the Meriden Britannia Company, Middletown Plate Co. (Superior Silver Company) and others. Many of these names were used well into the 20th century. In 1898, this group of companies formed the International Silver Company.

       Some of the silverplate manufacturers also released sterling patterns, but these are stamped "sterling," whereas the plate is not. Many of the sterling pattern numbers are recorded in a database or databases.

      Some of the stamps used to distinguish silverplated tableware are: IS (International Silver), IC, Brittania, EPNS (Electical Plated Nickle Silver), A1, Triple Plate, 3x, Quadruple Plate, 4x, Silver on Copper, EP, EP on Copper, and a whole host of initial and pictorial marks that can be matched with pictures in the silverplate database.

 Myth #1: Silverplate is magnetic; silver is not. In truth, neither is magnetic. Stainless steel shows varying degrees of magnetism.

Myth #2: Silverplate doesn't tarnish like genuine silver. In truth, both will tarnish, because both are genuine silver. The difference is, sterling is sterling silver all the way through; plate only has a thin skin of silver over a base metal. Stainless steel doesn't tarnish.
      Unfortunately, to buyers, silverplate has no scrap value. Even the thickest plate is only about .20mm thick, and refineries won't buy it because the process of reclaiming silver from plate is too expensive.

     Pictured here is a William Rogers set which has a higher retail value as an antique than for silver value.

 

I have also enclosed some resources to evaluate your flatware or silverware.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5480931_identify-vintage-sterling-flatware.html

http://www.blurtit.com/q570058.html

https://www.antiquecupboard.com/



Silver, the Forgotten Child of Precious Metals

                          Silver, the Forgotten Child  of Precious Metals

           

               In times of economic uncertainty, people often seek to protect their nest egg by investing in precious metals. Precious metals historically rise when the value of a fiat currency falls. In today's market, pre-1964 US junk silver coins like the 1964 silver quarter the twenty five cent piece, 1964 silver half fifty cent piece, 1964 silver dime ten cent piece and 1964 silver dollar hundred cent piece U.S.A these coins all contain 90% silver provide an affordable and liquid silver investment opportunity.

               While gold and platinum are the superstars of jewelry for sale, Sterling silver should not be ignored. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent pure silver, with the remaining fraction made up of other metals, like copper.It's understandable how clientelle overlook Sterling. The spot market price of gold today is at $1616.90/ounce and Platinum is at $1,414.00/ounce. Silver seems poor by comparison, at just $25.37/ounce. However, don’t be mislead. If you have a large amount of Sterling, such as a service for 12, it represents many, many ounces that can be converted to much-needed fast cash. It is an excellent example of why a seller’s Sterling Silver flatware which, if a seller is like most of us, only comes out on special occasions, can represent a sizeable cash payout. Don't be mislead into overlooking your Sterling.

          Here at Suffolk Gold Buyers in Northport, webuy all kinds of Sterling silver regardless of age, condition or place of manufacture.We are not interested in the quality or design of the silver pieces, only in their purity.  Our company is three generations old and has the means to pay the highest-possible percentage of actual value based upon the spot price at the time.   If it is an antique or estate piece we can assess the value for you also.

           Also, Sterling Silver is present in many coins and jewelry as well. Coins pre-dating 1964 contain 90% silver which were used as money until the mid-1960s, serve both as an investment medium and could be used as "survival" coins should our monetary system fail as many people fear. Because they were circulated coins, they can still be used as currency in a survival situation, saved to reap the benefits of a rise in silver price, or used as a hedge against inflation. Although coin collectors call them "junk" coins, they are far from what the nick name may imply. Junk silver coins are good investment in our mind.

            

How to autheticate your Tiffany & Co. piece.

                  When buying jewelry, Tiffany & Co. is often measured the embodiment of class, style and taste. The prices of the pieces mean most any purchase can be considered an investment. Unfortunately, if you do not purchase Tiffany jewelry from a Tiffany & Co. store, it can be very difficult to spot a fake. Here are some tips to consider whether your piece is authentic.
                     Accessories do not prove an item isn't a knock off! It doesn't matter if the seller has the suede pouch, bag, care card, ribbon or anything else ... inspect the piece and decide based on the jewelry alone.
Tiffany does not authenticate any piece of jewelry. This means you cannot buy a "Tiffany" necklace from another person and take it to a Tiffany & Co. store and ask them to verify that the piece is "real" and not a knockoff. Do your homework before you buy!
                  Make sure that the Tiffany item was made in the United States. Tiffany & Co. does not have any factories in China, nor will authentic Tiffany items come from China. If purchasing from an online auction site, check the location of the seller and how many Tiffany items are being sold. A large amount indicates a replica maker.
                Find the "Tiffany & Co." engraving on the piece. Without it, it is a clear fake. If you find the engraving, examine the letters for a thin and clear font. Blurry or thick engravings indicate a fake. You can identify authentic Tiffany jewelry by searching for and finding the Tiffany & Co. logo somewhere on the piece.
               Consider the price of the object. Tiffany jewelry does not go on sale, nor does it have a factory wholesale outlet. Tiffany jewelry is in such high demand that all of the items are full-priced, notes TiffanyGuide.com. If a new item is not full price or a used item is less than 30 percent off of the full price, it likely isn't real. Remember that you are paying top dollar for the real Tiffany.
Examine the links on the necklace or bracelet. Real Tiffany jewelry features soldered links that are so smooth you can barely tell where they are attached. They will never have links that have been pinched together. Look for the utmost in quality from your Tiffany piece to make sure that it is authentic.

Visit http://www.tiffany.com/ for further reference.

Silvers Up & Silverwares Up

Gorham Sterling Silver - Silverware Set Service 12

As the price of silver is rising quietly, heads are turning to silver as a better investment option than its more expensive older brother gold. We are seeing many clients bring in their silverware, flatware, candle holders, coins, and all silver items. Flatware sets are fetching from $700 to $7000 depending on the make, model, rarities, weight, and condition. The picture we have depicted above is of a Gorham set. Gorham is one of the most famous silverware companies, and regarding as the king of silverware. The company was founded in Providence, Rhode Island. Long Island silverware owners have been cashing in on their fine silverware and flatware sets, and silver is hovering around $35/Ounce