My grandmother's silver

14 years ago

My grandmother is 91 and passing on her belongings to her family slowly over time. Yesterday I happily received her box of sterling silver flatware and went through it last night. She tells a story about one of her book club members stealing a teaspoon once after a meeting... after counting her pieces I'm pretty sure the lady made off with more than one. ;) Can you give me thoughts about how to proceed? It matters to me to rebuild her set.

The sterling is Oneida's Damask Rose. There are 8 knives, 8 dinner forks, 5 salad forks, 2 soup spoons, 3 teaspoons, 2 serving spoons, and 2 butter knives.

I feel this is enough of a beginning to work on rebuilding the set, but how best to proceed? Is ebay my best bet? Replacements.com? Do you consider them overpriced or is the value usually appropriate?

Thank you!

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Comments (13)

sweeby
14 years ago
In my experience, Replacements.com charges much more than one would normally pay on either eBay or Craigslist, but it's a good site for folks who are uncomfortable with online sellers or who 'want it now'. But you pay for that convenience...

Silver prices are high right now, but that's a popular pattern. Using an Advanced Search on eBay, it appears individual pieces have been going for about $15-20 apiece.
sarahmakes6
Original Author
14 years ago
I don't mind collecting it slowly, so skipping Replacements.com is fine with me. I guess I'll start watching ebay.

I thought I was getting a full set ~ must say I was a little sad so many pieces were missing.
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Good for you Susanka! If you don't love it, use it or it brings you happiness ... let it go! Holding onto stuff out of guilt is no good. I keep telling my mother this too. She has so many items that were my grandmother's or great-grandmother's. She doesn't use them and they take up valuable real-estate in her china cabinet. I think she's finally ready ... this winter we are going to work on purging and organizing together (fun mother/daughter project). Just for your future information. There is a company in the US called Replacements. If you send them a photo of your item they will try and track down the pattern info for you. They also buy items. They helped me with my Great-grandmother's silver plate (which I'll admit is in the original chest tucked away in my guest closet). I don't even like the pattern so it will be going this winter. I am learning to live with less. We really don't need so much stuff. Good luck! Here is a link that might be useful: Replacements
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antiquesilver
14 years ago
Sarah, you might want to check other places where your grandmother keeps flatware. It's amazing how many times silver will show up in the 'junk' drawer in the kitchen or someplace where serving pieces are stored, or just mixed in with the stainless. When other family members wash & dry silver, they don't always know where to put it - & sometimes they don't even think about it being silver! If you have the opportunity, you might give the sideboard/server or whatever is in the dining room, a good going through; I'd bet something will show up.

As far as adding to your collection, in addition to ebay I'd suggest you attend antique shows that may have silver dealers. Most all do flatware matching (it's the bread & butter for the majority of silver dealers) & some may be very willing to bargain, especially if you buy multiple pieces. After a dealer quotes the price, always ask if that's the best he/she can do - & 99% of the time, you'll get at least 10% off & more if you work it.
lindac
14 years ago
I "finished out" a set of Oneida Damask Rose for a friend...she wanted soup spoons. By watching carefully I bought her 8 soup spoons for about $18 each including shipping. That was a year ago.
Your tea spoons and butter knives and salad forks will be less.
Just look every day....and be creative in how you search....things like silver soup spoons...and Heirloom salad forks may yield different things.
And be aware that that pattern was also made in stainless....so if it seems too cheap to be true...it's probably not! LOL!
And google that pattern....there are lots of silver shops besides Replacements.
Linda C
Fori
14 years ago
AHhh reminds me of the time I decided to drag out the silver I'd inherited for my first Thanksgiving and found I had 12 of everything for a standard place setting...except no salad forks. I KNOW my great grandmother had salad forks. Soupspoons and seafood forks, no, but salad? Of course. I asked all my siblings and nobody admitted to having a bunch of salad forks that didn't match anything.

Ebay is good if you set up a watch and are patient. But do you have enough to complete the set? Only if you like it, or feel sentimental enough about it. You could go either way. But if you don't love it, find a pattern you do love and just get something that you can use grandma's serving spoons with.
lindac
14 years ago
I think it's likely your grandmother might have more stashed....I know sometimes a few teaspoons make their way into the wrong drawer.
Ask grandma is there are any teaspoons or salad forks in with her everyday stuff or in a spooner on her table.
But also....this set....will be a better buy than buying individual pieces.....and the absence of the Oneida means nothing!...
At $20 times the pieces you need you will have $400 in just what you need....
Linda C

Here is a link that might be useful: damask rose
colleenoz
14 years ago
Er, Linda, that link goes to portable grills on Amazon!
lindac
14 years ago
At this price it's about $5 a piece...
Linda C...ever the enabler!

Here is a link that might be useful: damask Rose
sarahmakes6
Original Author
14 years ago
Ah, for a spare $892.00. :)
lindac
14 years ago
Hmm....when I linked it was $445....but at $920 that's only $10 per piece....very VERY inexpensive!
Ideefixe
14 years ago
Also take a look at Shop Goodwill. Sometimes you can snag some real bargains.

Here is a link that might be useful: Shop Goodwill
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13 years ago
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nanjean68
13 years ago
Another website is silverqueen. When I lived in Michigan there were always antique shows at the malls with lots of silver.

My grandmother's silver

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My grandmother's silver

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