Complement Your China Collection With a Sterling Silver Flatware Set
If you have made an investment in a formal set of china, then you will want to complement that set with an appropriate sterling silver silverware set. You will find styles that range from midcentury and contemporary to antique. Silver flatware sets are available for sale on eBay from a wide array of brands.
What types of silver flatware sets are there?The etiquette for formal meals has changed over the last few decades. Depending on how you entertain, you will want to look for a new silver silverware set with the utensils that you intend to use. The typical sterling silverware set will always contain the basics like a dinner fork, salad fork, knife, and teaspoon. More extensive silver silverware sets will contain eclectic utensils such as oyster forks, dessert knives, butter knives, and perhaps a bouillon spoon, which is different from a soup spoon. You should have an idea of what utensils you need as you shop for silver flatware sets online. For an even more extensive set, you can look for silverware with these interesting utensils:
- Crumber
- Baked potato fork
- Bon bon spoon
- Butter pick
- Chocolate muddler
Sterling silver flatware is 92.5% silver. The rest is an additive, typically copper. Sterling made in the U.S. after the 1850s will have a sterling mark. If it lacks the sterling mark, then it is silver-plated or may be made in another country. Sterling silver silverware will typically retain the intrinsic value of silver. In addition, sterling silver flatware sets have the ability to last for generations with good care. Therefore, you will want to choose your pattern carefully.
What brands make sterling silver flatware?Well-made sterling silver flatware from a reputable brand will carry that brand’s stamp as well as the sterling stamp. You will find silver flatware sets from all over the world, including Germany, Russia, Norway, Mexico, and China. The amount of sterling silver in relation to the alloy may be different in these countries. So, as you shop for a brand, check the country of origin. Some common makers of sterling silver silverware are:
- Gorham Silver - This brand has the image of an anchor and a bear alongside the letter “G.”
- Reed & Barton - Stamped with the words “Reed & Barton.”
- Tiffany & Company - Stamped with the words “Tiffany & Company Makers.”
- Oneida Silver - This brand has the words "Heirloom Sterling or “Oneida Sterling” stamped on the utensils.