Its lovely.
I've seen complete sets (silver plated) going for anywhere between $25 (small ones)up to several hundred dollars for large ones.
I decorate in mostly traditional style with a few transitional & modern pieces given to me as gifts.
It all works out and looks very nice.
Unless you're a museum I don't think it really matters, use what you love where you love to put it!

Well, some folks may think they are out of style, but I never worry too much about that! I have a silver tea service on my sideboard on a regular basis. It just looks so lovely sparkling in the sunlight of the west facing window. On top of my hutch, I have another silver coffee pot made into a lamp, and the creamer and sugar in a small tray just in front of the lamp. We are getting ready to host a small wedding reception on Sunday, so all of the silver is getting a touch up this week! Last night I polished 50 dessert forks...yikes!!

Hi stinkyG, I have several pieces in the kitchen, and use it w/crystal pieces also. I have a large rectangular tray hanging above my cooktop, a silver pitcher holding utensils, small teapot lamp, paper towel holder make out of a candle stick, small tray holding sterling/crystal salt and pepper shakers, crystal sugar bowl and creamer, and crystal toothpick holder. I like that the pieces give a bit of sparkle and add a little formality to my kitchen. ;o)

That's a lovely tea and coffee service! I think if you love it you should get it. I have no idea of what it should cost as that varies so much depending on quality of the set and demand. Some questions - who is the manufacturer (can determine the quality) and how much do you love it and want to pay? How much are they asking? IMO there may not be a lot of demand for such things in this economy but ballpark figure I'd certainly pay $100 but it might be worth more as it's quite an ornate set. I'm more used to yard sale prices and hate to pay too much. I'd expect an antique shop to be asking $250 for this.

I have two sets, one from family and one I bot at auction to resell in my store. It was a slow winter auction so I got it for $25 and later couldn't bring myself to sell it. I use one on the tea trolley in my breakfast room and the other floats around wherever I want it. Both of my sets are only tea sets with teapot, sugar, creamer, and tray - no coffee pot.

I'd love to find an old coffee pot to make into a lamp. Jaybird, have you ever posted a pic of your lamp?

Not too long ago there was a post on here about displaying a tea service set. I think most of us on here love that kind of thing, and the set you're showing is gorgeous!

I have no idea about the value of the set, hopefully someone else can help with that.

I hope you will keep coming by and will share pics of some of your vignettes and special treasures. We love hearing everyone's comments and learning more about each other.

Luvs

StinkyG,
I have my mother-in-law's tea service and I keep it on my mother's tea cart year round. I love it, in or out of fashion.

Wow, thanks for the replies!

Mel, good point...I certainly don't live in a museum, lol! Just ask my cat!

Jaybird, that all sounds so pretty, & your lamp must be charming. I saw one for sale online the other day like that. It was small, with a black shade, & was quite striking.

Patty, wow, your kitchen decor sounds so personal & elegant. Thanks for sharing the unique ways you use vintage silver.

Luckygal, thanks for the pricing info. They are asking $150.00, but I think I could get it for $125.00, as the owner is open to negotiation, usually. I saw the same set, without the tray, on Replacements LTD. for $299.00. The tray would cost another $89.00. It is made by Birmingham Silver. I also saw it featured in a book I have about how teatime is served at various bed & breakfasts called "Tea Time At the Inn" by Gail Greco. It's an old book, but really nicely done. Anyhoo, your feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

LTC, thanks for the warm welcome & glad you like the set!

OldA, that sounds so nice. I'm sure you treasure it.

Today I experimented with putting some blue & white transferware on my sideboard. I took away the art work that was over it & placed a mirror with a silver frame against the wall. I will live with this vignette for a while & see how it strikes me. I have a lot of blues in my oriental rugs & never thought the blue & white porcelain would work with it. I thought it would clash. Now I'm thinking I kind of like it. As far as the tea set goes, I do wonder if the silver plate would sort of clash with the more subtle tones of the pewter light fixture (which I really love!) Maybe I should look for a couple of great pewter candlesticks for the dining table.

Y'all are so good at this tablescaping business! My dining table & sideboard just mystify me! I will keep checking in here for inspirational pics! Surely, I will learn something!

SG..I don't think silver clashes with anything, BUT, they do make tea sets of pewter... I have part of an antique set and it is beautiful, but the patina is quite dark. I don't have the tray though or I would pack it up and ship it to you!!! I'm a bling freak, so I love the silver!
Check out "Arthur Court" ...they make some really pretty pewter stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Jaybird, your pewter set sounds great too!

Frankly, I could probably use a little more "bling" in my life, Jaybird, & the silver may not really be a problem at all!

Thanks for the nice link to the pewter site. I love all the items under "Traditional." I love Federal style, Colonial style. I decorate in such a way that I hope that Thomas Jefferson would love to stop by for tea (if he were available!) I have quite a crush on TJ. In fact, that lamp I mentioned was something I saw on the Monticello website! It's made with a tea "canister" though, not a teapot, but check it out:

Here is a link that might be useful: tea canister lamp

That's a beautiful set, SG! I have my silver tea service displayed on the built-in hutch in my dining room and the chandelier in there is pewter. I thik it looks fine but, frankly, don't care if anyone doesn't like it ;^D
I have broken it up onto two trays, though, one on each side of my hutch. I like that every piece stands out this way.
Lynn

Hi Lynn! Thanks for your reply.

Well, you have one of the most gorgeous houses ever, & just impeccable taste, so I know that YOU made it work! Do you have any pics?

The tea canister looks very similar to what I called a teapot lamp, but after looking at it, it's not a pot at all~go figure. I only paid $40 at an antique show last year, just as the vendor was packing up her merchandise. Just one of those things I just had to have! ;o)

Don't know a thing about silver except that the few items I have always look "tarnished!" But the silver service sets I've seen displayed on this forum are awesome looking vignettes!!! So, I vote "Go for it!", SG!

Learning more & more here! Thanks! Jeanne S.

Ooohhh SG that cannister lamp is lovely...okay ladies...somebody needs to find me one of those!!! Cheap!!
Thanks for posting, SG.
J

One of my favorite memories is my mom's silver tea service displayed on a beautiful tea cart in the dining room.
If you like it, go for it!

I love that cannister lamp, too!

Kathleen, yes, I remember liking my mom's too. My sister has it now.
If I like it go for it? Well, I'll tell ya what I want, what I really, really want...is this PERFECT pewter set I found on e-bay today! It's not too clunky, has a nice sheen & has the federal vibe I aspire to, rather than Victorian, as the silver set has. Thing is, I don't know beans about buying on e-bay. Will ask someone I know who does that sort of thing to bid for me. Isn't it pretty?

Here is a link that might be useful: Pewter tea set...I want it!

Stinky,
It sounds perfect for you. Go for it. And let us know how you did.

That is one pretty tea set.

In the past month, I have been in two friends homes and noticed that they had gorgeous silver tea sets. One friend lives in a mediterranean style house with the red tiles on the roof and the stucco walls. She has decorated with rich fabrics in saturated colors, and the tea set adds beautifully to the sumptuous nature of her home.

My other friend lives in a wonderful ranch house that she has remodeled with floor to ceiling windows in the back overlooking a deep yard that she has multilple gardens in. Her home is more modern, with light wood on the floor and is flooded with sunlight. In the midst of this, is a wonderful polished silver tea set and candelabra on the sideboard of her DR. I know it sounds incongruous, but the effect is anything but. It is gorgeous!

So, maybe tea sets are making a come back. Or maybe we are getting to the age in life where we are finally appreciating the finer things in life.

Go for it!

OA, thanks for the encouragement! Will keep you informed!

Barb5, imagine meeting you here! Oh, your friend's homes sound lovely. How inspiring!

Yes, our tastes do evolve, don't they? AND, we notice & appreciate things in our "advancing years" that we would have dismissed in our youth. That is a nice observation. Thanks!

I went and looked at the one on ebay and it looks great and the price seems right so GO FOR IT! Maybe the one in the store will come down in price and you can have both.

I love my DM set and have shared a table and vignette on her displaying it. Thanks to all these enablers here, I have brought it out and enjoy using it on here.

Will be looking forward to hearing more from you.

Punk

Stinky, that is a gorgeous tea set on eBay! I sure hope you get it. Its very easy to buy and sell on there, I've done it since '99.
Keep us posted if you get it.

hugs, Karen

Phonegirl, you sound like my dh! I told him about them Friday night & he said, "Get both!" We'll see. He's going to ask someone at work to bid on the pewter set for me. Neither of us know our way around e-Bay!

Purplemoon, thanks for your interest. I really should learn how to do e-bay. My dh & I don't use credit cards online, so we're kind of cautious about these things. I know there is something called Paypal, but don't know how that works either! It would be good to learn! Will keep you posted!

Oh! Both sets are gorgeous! If I had a formal dining room or enough room I'd love one. They just seem to be such a show piece. Good luck on your Ebay purchase. You should look into Paypal. It's great to be able to buy things online.