It is silverplate. The value should she want to replace it would be about $1,000, top dollar, for a used piece of the same vintage and quality. I gave, or helped give, huge showers for our friends' children when they got married. We most often gave a silver service similar to the one you have. We bought them at various discount silver stores, like Ross Simons, Service Merchandise and one other in California. We paid around $350 for sets like you have. You can still buy a set like you have for about $350 and you can buy one for about the same price. Getting as "appraisal" means that the appraiser gives you a document, signed, that states that in his or her opinion this item is worth so much. No one will do that for you without seeing and handling the item, or if they will they are unscrupulious. There are 2 kinds of appraisals, one for replacement cost...if sauch an item were stolen or destroyed, and the other is for quick sale, or for estate purposes. That is the price you could expect to sell it for to a dealer, much lower than the value for insurance. You can give your mother a very good idea of what it's worth by looking in jewelry stores to see what a Wm Rodgers coffee service with tray and kettle sells for. And you can give her an idea of what she could sell it for by looking on eBay to see what similar sets sell for. Hope I've helped. Linda C

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!

Well, I heard back from the lady I thought might be able to help you find the perfect tray, but I think it might be a bust. She located three trays she said are very close to your inspiration pic, one 24 inches and the other 25 inches and around $650-750. Bad part, they are new. :( The other she found is 31 inches and circa 1850, sounds perfect, right? Then I heard the price, $6500. Had to pick my jaw up of the floor and think that the 1st Dibs tray is looking especially good now, even though I already thought it was a cool piece. By the way, did you see the marble tray in the WSJ this weekend? Probably not what you want since you have an inspiration room with a great silver tray, but what a great piece. Anyway, good luck with your continued search. Hope you have success this week in NYC.

I purchased a jar of clear liquid, Goddards (est. 1839) silver dip and smells like the old hair perm solution. It does a quick job but turns plate almost yellow. Great for jewelry and sterling silver.