How to Identify Vintage Dinnerware

Silver cutlery and dinnerware gained popularity in the beginning of the seventeenth century, when a new and efficient way of cutting silver into slender strips was invented. A silver plating process was introduced in the later part of 1800, which revolutionized the cutlery industry and brought fancy dinnerware to middle class people. 

1. Check identifying hallmarks. If you are looking at British silver then it will narrow down the year of its make. If you have a piece of U.S. silver in hand and it has a number like 950 then it means that it has 950 parts of silver out of 1000. This would indicate that the piece is almost a century old.


2. Check other marks. To look for the silver plated sets, you have to identify marks such as A1 or EP, which means that particular set has been silver plated. This process was introduced just before 1850s. These sets have great quality and shine when polished the right way.


3. Check the maker’s name. If you see the maker’s name, try searching it on the Internet. This may provide you with company information. If you are an enthusiast you can browse through their entire collection and may be stumble onto a better at auction. If the company is closed then you can find someone who is an enthusiast like you, may be even a seller.


4. Check the packaging. Fancy dinnerwares used to come in either old oak boxes or leather covers with red velvet used in the interior. If your set has such a covering then it might have a maker’s name or year of its production engraved in it. The covering will tell you about the quantity and quality of the material.