Sterling Silver Flatware Sets

What is Sterling Silver?

Sterling silver denotes a certain quality or pureness of silver. Pure silver at 99.9% purity is too soft to be used for flatware. Thus, pure silver is mixed with other metals to give it the qualities of hardness and durability. The weight of sterling silver is 92.5% from pure silver and 7.5% from other metals, most often copper. Thus, Sterling silver flatware sets are actually 92.5% silver! Given that copper causes silver to darken over time silver manufacturers have used other metals in recent years. However, copper remains the industry standard. In the United states the two most famous sterling silver set companies are Gorham Manufacturing Company and Tiffany & Co.

The history of sterling silver sets

During the century prior to World War II sterling sliver sets were extremely popular and were some of the most prized possessions of many families. During this time period families lived a much less rushed lifestyle and spent much more time gathered around the table enjoying several course meals which lasted several hours. The high of the silver craze in the United States was from 1870 to 1920. During this time American silver companies produced Stirling silver sets of up to 100 pieces. Given that family meals would have anywhere from three courses to ten courses including a soup, salad, fruit, meat, cheese etc., these elaborate silver sets often had specific silver ware for specific courses. For silver forks, for example, a proper Stirling silver set would have a dinner fork, place fork, salad fork, pastry fork and shrimp cocktail fork. The same type of variation applied to the silver spoons and knives. Most often these fine silver pieces often had larger pieces such as cake slicers and soup ladles that had embellished ivory ends.

Sterling Silver flatware should have a hallmark.

Silver hallmarks are markings stamped onto silver flatware to denote the purity of the silver, the date of manufacture and the manufacturer itself. Historically, England and Ireland had the strictest system for hallmarking silver, with the city and date being stamped onto the silver piece, along with a lion and head of the royalty during certain periods. In the United States, however, the system of silver hallmarks was less strict. Prior to 1868 silver flatware was made from the melting of coins and had varying quality. However, from 1968 onwards to denote the quality of sterling silver manufacturers would stamp "sterling" or use the numbers "925" or "925/1000". Also, the major sterling silver set manufacturers Gordon and Tiffany used the hallmarks "G." and T. and Co.", respectively. So, if you're buying a Sterling silver flatware set online make sure the seller has provided pictures which clearly show the silver's hallmarks.

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