A Guide to Buying Antique & Vintage Silver

Every antique or vintage piece we sell is genuinely individual — a different maker, a different year, a different history. This guide covers what actually matters when you’re evaluating a piece: the hallmark, the period, the maker, and the condition.

What to Look For

The hallmark city and year are the first, most reliable facts about any piece — everything else builds on them. A maker’s mark adds another layer of interest where one is recorded, though a blank maker field is common on genuinely older pieces and isn’t a sign of a problem. Weight is a useful, honest indicator of substance, and condition is worth judging on its own terms — a plain, sparsely decorated piece is a legitimate stylistic choice, not a lesser one.

Silver by Period

The period a piece comes from shapes both its style and, often, its silver standard. Here’s a rough guide to what each period generally means.

Queen Anne (1702–1714)

Pieces from 1697–1720 were legally required to be Britannia standard (95.8% pure) rather than sterling — worth checking the hallmark before assuming.

Georgian (1714–1830)

The century that saw English silversmithing reach its peak of technical refinement, across the reigns of George I to IV.

Victorian (1837–1901)

Style moved through rococo revival before settling into the heavier, more architectural forms of the mid-to-late century.

Edwardian (1901–1910)

A shorter reign, and lighter, more restrained neoclassical forms reacting against high Victorian ornament.

20th Century

The broadest period — worth looking at the decade specifically, since a 1920s Art Deco piece and a 1960s piece look very different despite the shared label.

Antique or Vintage?

“Antique” is generally used to mean a piece 100 years old or more, with “vintage” covering genuinely older 20th-century pieces that don’t yet meet that threshold — though usage varies across the trade. Both are fully hallmarked UK sterling silver, and both are meant to be used, not just displayed.

Common Questions

Is a missing maker's mark a problem?

No — it’s usually just a gap in the historical record, not a sign of an issue with the piece. We state what’s actually recorded rather than guessing at a name.

Does age alone determine value?

No — maker, condition, rarity, and hallmark city all factor in alongside age. An later piece by a notable maker can be worth more than an older, plainer one.

Can antique silver be used daily, or is it just for display?

It’s meant to be used. Sterling silver is durable by design — many pieces have already survived a century or more of actual use.

How do I know a piece is genuinely from the period stated?

The hallmark itself is the primary evidence — city, year, and standard are independently assayed facts, not a claim we’re making unsupported.

Can I see pieces in person before buying?

Yes. Everything shown on the website can be viewed at our showroom in the London Silver Vaults.

If you’d like help evaluating a specific piece, or finding one that fits a particular period, our showroom team in the London Silver Vaults are happy to help.