Preserving the Past: What is the True Value of Silver?

Value of Silver | Reed & Barton Sterling Silver Bride's Basket

Reed & Barton Sterling Bride's Basket, late 19th/early 20th century, Lot 345 in the March 31, 2012 European Furniture & Decorative Arts Auction

It was once quite fashionable to display a silver tea and coffee service, a pair of candelabra, or a nice center bowl in your home. Just a few decades ago, fine dining was still a frequent occurrence and the appearance of a fine set of sterling flatware at the dinner table along with a set of Wedgwood china and some Baccarat stemware really set the tone of elegance, and added to the overall experience.

On today’s dinner table, more often than not we use silver plated or stainless steel flatware, and dishes and glasses compliments of Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Crate and Barrel, or Pottery Barn. Personally, I prefer stainless steel for everyday use and silver plate for more formal use. For some, daily dinnerware consists of paper plates and plastic utensils.

Yet many, many people still own sterling silver—whether it came to them through inheritance, as a personal purchase, or as a wedding gift. Many wonder about the value of silver, and what their pieces might be worth.

Today, the antiques market is flooded with people finding that their grown children don’t want or will never use their silver and other fine dinnerware. Dishwashers and microwaves are here to stay. Who has the time any more to wash dishes and crystal by hand?

While it may be challenging today to find a buyer for your grandmother’s fine china dinner service, sterling silver has never been easier to sell. The recent rise in the value of silver as a commodity has led to high melt values and thus high demand for anything made of silver.

I’m not talking about silver pieces by makers at the high end of the market, including Tiffany, Gorham, Dominick and Haff, George Jensen, and Kirk. These high end pieces still command prices much higher than their melt values. However, silver produced by more moderate manufacturers such as Towle, International, Durgin, and Whiting is seeing new interest, mainly due to the rise in spot silver prices.

My fear is that a lot of this silver will see its way to the smelter, with no merit given for its intrinsic historical or artistic value. When recognized by a silver appraiser, this additional sentimental value could attract buyers willing to pay much more than the price quoted by a smelter.

I hate to see fine silver disappear forever without any consideration for its history or quality. If we all rushed out to melt our antique silver for a sum, what would be left for future generations to appreciate?

If you’re interested in finding out more about the value of your fine silver, please send images and a description using our free online auction evaluation form. I’d be happy to take a look.

A Week in the Life of an Antiques Appraiser: My Top 5 Finds

K'ang-hsi Period Cloisonne Bottle-Form Vase, China, 1662-1722, Estimate $10,000-15,000

Have you ever watched Antiques Roadshow on PBS? As a senior art and antiques appraiser at Skinner, many of my days are a lot like the reality TV show.

I spend considerable time meeting with prospective consignors at our Marlborough and Boston auction galleries and viewing the antiques, collectibles & fine art brought in for an auction evaluation.

I’m always surprised by what I see. Items run the gamut, spanning centuries, continents and values. The stories behind these antiques are often fascinating.

Over the past few weeks, many interesting items have come through our doors. Here are five of my favorites that I’ve taken in on consignment.

Keep an eye out for these antiques in future Skinner auctions:

1. K’ang-hsi Period Cloisonné Bottle-Form Vase, China, 1662-1722

The fluidity of the floral pattern and elegant form made this piece stand out from the Bohemian glass, Limoges china and other items on the viewing table. Purchased at auction in New York in 1911, this vase will be featured in our April Asian Works of Art auction after 100 years off the market. Auction estimate: $10,000-15,000.

2. Norse-revival Silver Covered Presentation Cup & Cover, by the Norwegian silversmith Henrik Moller

Combining the Arts & Crafts styling of the period with scenes from the Viking Sagas, mythical beasts and dense interlaced stylized foliage, this cup has a fantastical look that would fit any décor from Arts & Crafts to Goth. Auction estimate: $4,000-6,000.

3. Miniature Portrait on Ivory of a Gentleman

The profile is dashing in a Darcy-like way, and a curious note accompanying the piece mentions a Margaret Churchill, duchess of Marlborough, and H. Francis Blagge whose initials are engraved on the reverse of the token. Auction estimate: $400-600.

4. Pair of Minton Pate-sur-Pate and parcel-gilt decorated cabinet plates

Signed by the artist Albion Birks, and painted in the slip technique imported from France in the late 19^th century, the plates are elegant with scenes of Cupid and gilded foliage. Minton saw great success with this line of wares at the turn of the 20^th century. Auction estimate: $1,000-1,500.

5. Art Deco Fada Radio

From the model line L-56 first introduced in 1939 and made of Catalin, a brand-name resin similar to, but not identical to Bakelite, the radio’s yellow color isn’t as rare as those incorporating multi-color combinations but it should appeal to both art deco collectors and radio enthusiasts alike. Auction estimate: $300-500.

Exploration, Adventure, and Endurance Part II: Henry F. Sullivan’s English Channel Swim

Henry F. Sullivan with The Alexander Channel Cup. The trophy will be auctioned on October 14, 2011 with an estimate of $30,000-50,000

The press described it as “the greatest feat of endurance of all time.” Henry F. Sullivan had become the first American, and only the third person ever, to swim across the English Channel. His feat established the world’s endurance record and the world’s breast stroke record, and earned him a stunning silver trophy.

“The Alexander Channel Cup” will be sold on October 14th, 2011 in a Skinner Fine Silver auction.

The first successful swim across the English Channel was in 1875, by Englishman Matthew Webb. It wasn’t until 1911 that the second person managed the feat, Englishman Thomas William Burgess. It was his sixteenth attempt.

Sullivan, age 34, made it across on his seventh attempt, and it took him 26 hours and 50 minutes in what was described as “a sea almost unfit for boats.” The point-to-point distance is recorded at 22.5 miles, but due to the terrible conditions, it is estimated that Sullivan ended up swimming about 56 miles. For more about why someone would undertake a feat of this magnitude, see Part I: How to Earn a Three-foot-tall Sterling Silver Trophy.

Sullivan made his crossing in August. According to the Channel Swimming Association website, the water temperature in the Channel during summer averages around 59 to 64 degrees. Hypothermia is a real threat to swimmers attempting the crossing. Imagine being in rough, choppy, 60 degree water for 26 hours, 50 minutes. That’s what Sullivan endured.

This is a staggering feat of endurance. Until March 6 this year, Sullivan held the record for the longest crossing. The record was handily beaten in 2011 with a time of 28 hours and 44 minutes.

When Sullivan completed his swim, he became an international sporting star. He toured Britain with this massive trophy before returning to the United States where he and the trophy went on tour for four years. Promotional materials about Sullivan reference the trophy, stating that it is “The world’s handsomest trophy… (for lobby display under police protection).” Whoever carried the trophy to Sullivan’s appearances had to be relatively strong, as it weighs approximately 373.4 troy ounces, or nearly 26 pounds. It takes some muscle to pick it up. I know. I lifted it while I was cleaning it for a photography session!

Polishing the trophy for its photo shoot

Sullivan pursued and achieved many other notable endurance swimming accomplishments. He resided in Lowell and Beverly, Massachusetts throughout his life, where he ran a successful business. Not surprisingly, this impressive, sculptural trophy, crowned by a figure of winged Victory, always held pride of place in Sullivan’s home.

As a sports hero, Henry F. Sullivan’s name may not spring immediately to most people’s minds, but his accomplishment is truly astounding—certainly for me, a fair swimmer at best, and someone who won’t even dip a toe in water colder than 75 degrees. Sullivan’s part in an era transfixed by the drive to conquer and achieve historic firsts is fascinating. The trophy is certainly worth seeing in person during the preview for the Fine Silver auction on Thursday, October 13 from 12 to 8 p.m. or Friday, October 14 from 12 to 4 p.m. (The Friday evening preview continues until 8 p.m. for the European Furniture & Decorative Arts portion of the auction). You can email me for more information at silver@skinnerinc.com.

Exploration, Adventure, and Endurance Part I: How to Earn a Three-foot-tall Sterling Silver Trophy

Monumental and Historic George V Silver Presentation Trophy, "The Alexander Channel Cup," Birmingham, 1910, Elkington & Co., Estimate $30,000-50,000

This monumental George V sterling silver trophy made by Elkington & Co. is an intriguing relic of the golden age of achievement, adventure, and historic firsts. Known as “The Alexander Channel Cup,” it is a stunning piece of silversmithing that measures over three feet in height—only 2 feet shorter than me. The trophy was presented to Massachusetts native Henry F. Sullivan in 1923 as a prize for becoming the first American to swim the English Channel. He succeeded on his seventh attempt, a swim that took 26 hours and 50 minutes. His remarkable trophy will be sold on October 14th, 2011 in a Skinner Fine Silver auction.

In this photo, Sullivan looks a little different than the expected fitness star of today’s standards, but it is his “every man” quality that I find compelling. What would drive a Massachusetts man to attempt to swim the English Channel not once, not twice, but SEVEN times? Why would he invest that kind of energy, money, and time? Remember, this was before the age of air travel, so he had to travel by ship across the Atlantic Ocean to England each time he made an attempt. In fact, a newspaper article from the 1940s states that each attempt cost Sullivan close to $5,000. That was a lot of money in the 20s!

Sullivan completed his swim during a time when the western world was fascinated with human achievements, exploration, and pushing the boundaries of the known world. The imperative to “boldly go where no one has gone before” far, far predates Captain Kirk!

Henry F. Sullivan earned the world record for endurance with his swim across the English Channel that lasted 26 hours and 50 minutes.

Exploration has always been a basic human imperative, but the resources and developments available in the more modern world of the late 19th and early 20th centuries allowed humans to travel farther and attain greater knowledge about the world than ever before. The 19th century saw a boom in the founding of horticultural, cartographic, geographic, and exploration clubs, including the Royal Geographic Society, founded in 1830, and the first Alpine Club in London, founded in London in 1857. Many of these groups encouraged and sponsored research and expeditions.

If there was unexplored wilderness—a mountain top, body of water, rainforest, land of ice, or land of burning sun—there was someone concocting an idea to be the first to see it, describe it, chart it, and conquer it.

Perhaps the most famous examples of striving for first achievements are the early attempts to “conquer” Mount Everest. George Mallory made his first summit attempt on Mt. Everest in 1921, and later died on her slopes along with fellow climber, Andrew “Sandy” Irvine in 1924. During this same era, English explorer Percy Fawcett was attempting to find a mythic city of gold in the inscrutable Amazon basin. It is interesting to point out that Henry Sullivan was making his aquatic attempts during this same period.

Although few may know his name today, Sullivan’s feat made him a sports star in his own day. In Part II of this blog series, I’ll describe his swim and his fame in more detail.

If you’d like to view the trophy in person, along with the rest of the Fine Silver auction, feel free to attend the auction previews on Thursday, October 13 from 12 to 8 p.m. or Friday, October 14 from 12 to 4 p.m. (The Friday evening preview continues until 8 p.m. for the European Furniture & Decorative Arts portion of the auction). You can also email me for more information at silver@skinnerinc.com.

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