• Silver Price Guide
• Silver Appraisers
• Silver Identification
• Silver & Its Uses
• Monogrammed Flatware
• Engravers
• Museums
• Newsgroups
• Organizations
• Silver Periodicals
• Retinning
• Frequently Asked Questions

Silver Price Guide

• Kovels On-line Price Guide

Silver Appraisers

• American Society of Appraisers
555 Herndon Parkway, Suite 125
Herndon, VA 20170
703/478-2228, Fax: 703/742-8471,
Find an appraiser at ASA

• Appraisers Association of America, Inc.
386 Park Ave. South, Suite 2000
New York, NY 10016
212/889-5404, Fax: 212/889-5503,
Find an appraiser at AAA

• International Society of Appraisers
1131 SW 7th St., Suite 105
Renton, WA 98055
206/241-0359, Fax: 206/241-0436,
Find an appraiser at ISA

Silver Identification

• American Silversmiths by Willian Erik Voss
This is a single occupation/single tree study of American silversmiths. It links together, by blood or marriage, more than 1000 makers as far ranging as Robert Sanderson, working in Boston c.1640, to William Herbert Thurber who saw his family's company, Tilden-Thurber of Providence, Rhode Island, into the 20th century. In addition, Voss has included information on related pewtersmiths, clockmakers, artists, and metal engravers when available. This reference for collectors contains 3,853 silversmiths, jewelers, watchmakers, and other related craftsmen included in my larger family project, American Silversmiths.

• American Silver Marks (Silversmiths & Silver Companies)
A collection of hallmarks from American manufacturers and retailers of sterling silver, coin silver, and silverplate.

• American Arts & Crafts Makers' Marks
An educational, research-oriented site on Arts & Crafts silver.  The site contains numerous examples, hundreds of silver marks, bibliographies, and silver resources such as old catalogs, and the full text and photos from silver articles that appeared in early 20th century publications.

• Detecting Modified Silver and Silverplated Flatware
Gain knowledge about modified flatware items that have been altered to make it appear to be a more valuable, rare or unusual piece.

• Gorham Manufacturing
Samuel J. Hough is the Gorham archivist at Brown University's John Hay Library. He is THE expert on Gorham's history and product line. A review of his CD The Gorham Design Library can be found here. Mr. Hough can be contacted at The Owl at the Bridge, 25 Berwick Ln., Cranston, RI 02905-3708, 401/467-7362, .

• Match Your Flatware Pattern
If you know what company made your flatware, but don't know the pattern's name, you may find it in this illustrated guide.

• Museum of Fine Arts Silver Collection Search
The MFA offers a fantastic view into their magnificent silver collection with discriptions of each piece

• Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks, & Makers' Marks
Outstanding compendium of silver marks from around the world.

• Archived information on the following Connecticut companies: International, Meriden Brittania Co., Rogers Bros., Wilcox Silver Plate Co., Wm. Rogers
Contact: lan Weathers, Meriden Historical Society, Records Center, 1090 Hanover Rd., S. Meriden, CT 06450, 203/639-1913. Hours: Wednesdays 2:00-4:30 pm.

• Silver Hallmarks & Maker's Marks From Around the World
Another great resource, plus some hallmarking history

• Silver Hallmarks From Around the World
Not as well organized as the Online Encyclopedia, but still an excellent resource. What you don't find on one Web site, you may find on the other.

• Silver Queen's Flatware Pattern Guide
Identify your sterling, silverplate, and stainless flatware...an excellent resource!

• Sterling Flatware Guide
Curious about what that unknown serving piece is used for? Go here.

• William Spratling Silver
A great Web site with information on Mexico's most famous silversmith, William Spratling.

Silver & Its Uses

• Kitco, Inc. - Precious Metal Price Updates
Gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and rhodium prices updated every 10 minutes.

• The Silver Institute
This Web site contains facts and descriptions of the uses of silver and its role in the economy and in our daily lives.

Monogrammed Flatware

• Silver Monogram Finds
This is vintage silver with monograms, some of it is well over 100 years old. This silver is not new, but has been used and loved. A greast resource!

Engravers

• Rose Duke
Rose has been involved in hand engraving since 1979, having worked for the Kirk Stieff Silver Company & J. Jenkins & Son Emblematic Jewelry. She does all types of precious metal engraving on flatware, holloware, trophies, and jewelry. Her repertoire includes lettering, ornamental work, and crest & seal work. She also does bright cutting, having started out as one of Stieff's Lady Claire & Betsy Patterson flatware engravers. Talisman Design Diverse Arts, Baltimore, Maryland 21211, 410/243-2454,

• William Gaskin Engraving
Outstanding hand & machine engraving. Bill engraves the 14k gold Kentucky Derby Trophy each year! 29 Bonneau St., North Attleboro, MA 02760, 508/699-4758.

• Hugo C. Hake
Completed 5-year apprenticeship in October 1944. Outstanding ornamental engraver for 61 years and still doing excellent work such as Trap Shoot Trophies for many states. Hugo has done engraving for many famous people (including Roy Rogers, John Wayne, Glenn Campbell, John Kennedy, and Bing Crosby). 2901 Ashlar Dr., Springfield, OH 45503, 937/342-0982, Fax: 937/342-0583,

• Gail J. Hedgepeth
Prior to starting her own business in 1997, Gail was Colonial Williamsburg's master engraver for seven years following completion of the apprenticeship journeyman program there. 7492 Belle Haven Dr., Gloucester Point, VA 23062, 804/642-2067,

• Cynthia Sims Kirkland
Creator of fine "master quality" designs for the hand and machine engraver. Though not an engraver, herself, Cynthia has been a professional illustrator for nearly thirty years. She can create highly detailed designs for engraving on holloware, flatware, jewelry, cutlery, etc. As well as beautifully executed names, monograms, ciphers, and initials, her work includes engraveable line illustrations of portraits and pets, scenery and display images for presentations and awards, recreating company and corporate logos, and an exclusive line of elaborately detailed Coats of Arms and Crests, which she researches herself. Graphics can be provided as digital files to upload to the latest engraving machines. Very reasonable prices quoted per "project." 10428 CR 2332, Terrell, TX 75160, 972/524-8578, Fax also available (call first)

• J.C. Randell
J.C. specializes in the ornamentation of the Jaeger-LeCoultre "Reverso". He also adorns other objects requiring fine and highly detailed decoration. 5006 N. Bannen Rd., Spokane, WA 99216 509/891-5115,

Museums

• Colonial Williamsburg: Silversmith
Experience what life was like for James Getty, Jr., the best-known silversmith in Williamsburg.

• Paul Revere House
Visit this site to find out more about the most famous American Silversmith.

• Souvenir Spoon Museum
Examples of silver spoons from around the world with commentaries.

• Major Silver Collections (an abbreviated list)
Chrysler Museum of Art, USA
Cleveland Museum of Art, USA
Dallas Museum of Art, USA
J.Paul Getty Museum, USA
Metropolitan Museum of Art, USA
Milwaukee Art Museum, USA
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA
Museum of the City of New York, USA
Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA
Rhode Island School of Design Museum, USA
Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute, USA
Victoria & Albert Museum, England
Yale University Art Gallery, USA

Metal Newsgroups

• rec.crafts.metalworking
A discussion group dealing with metalworking subjects.

• sci.engr.metallurgy
A discussion group dealing with the technical aspects of metal.

Organizations

• The ArtMetal Project
The ArtMetal Project is a non-profit volunteer venture of a group of metalsmiths and organizations. It aims to disseminate information about various aspects of artistic metalworking and to provide a forum for artists and art lovers to experience this outstanding medium.

• Ganoksin
The gem and jewelry world's foremost information resource on the Internet.

Silver Periodicals

• The Eden Sterling Company
Publishers of The Historical Catalogue Series. This is a series of seven professionally reprinted silver trade catalogues from the late 19th century and early 20th century. See Scott V. Martin's review of Eden's Unger Bros. catalog here.

• Silver Magazine
The only publication specializing in the entire field of silver, featuring the finest in research pertaining to the world of silver, with articles on primarily antique English, Continental, and Colonial American silver.

• SM Publishers
Publishers of The Book of Silver, Flatware Silver Marks & Patterns, and The Guide to Evaluating Gold & Silver Objects.

Retinning

• Retinning & Copper Repair
Restorers of fine cookware since 1916. 525 West 26th St., New York, NY 10001, 212/244-4896.