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How to Date Silverware

Silverware is a term often used to refer to silver cutlery. Forks first appeared in the 17th century, as did the notion of the silverware for a meal being provided by the host, rather than the guests bringing their own. By the early 18th century, the process of making matching sets of silverware had become mechanized and their use spread rapidly from Britain to Europe and the New World. You should be able to date your own silverware by factors such as its appearance, its method of construction and any marks that it might bear.

Instructions

- 1
  Look at any spoons. Pre-18th century examples were assembled from three separate pieces soldered together -- the bowl, the stem and a decorative finial. Later examples were cut from one piece of silver.
- 2
  Examine the silverware for any decorative patterns. These will usually be found at the ends of the stems on forks and spoons. It's hard to date silverware with any exactness from these patterns, but as a very rough guide, silverware that is pre-1840s or post-1910 tends to look comparatively plain and unadorned, while elaborate, embossed decoration points to an origin between those two dates.
- 3
  Examine the pieces for any impressed marks. On silverware from the 19th century and later, these marks can usually be found on the undersides of stems on forks and spoons and on the hilts of knives. If they are positioned elsewhere, this in itself can be a sign of an earlier date. With British silver, which can be recognized by the presence of a mark representing a lion walking sideways known as the "lion passante," a system of hallmarking is used that can enable you to date the piece to an exact year. Pre-1870s U.S. silver tends to be stamped simply with a maker's mark, but these marks can be researched, enabling you to establish a timeline for your silverware from the dates when that particular maker was in operation. Later U.S. silver carries the word "Sterling," "Sterling Silver" or the number "925."

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