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 Impact of monograms on old silver value
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| Author | Topic: Impact of monograms on old silver value |
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endorasboxer Posts: 9 |
posted 04-20-2005 11:50 AM
  
I'm about to purchase an old set of Meriden silver plated mother of pearl knives and forks. The set is in pristine condition, but has a monogrammed initial on all the silver ferrules. What kind of impact does a monogram have on this type of item's value? It happens to be my initial, but I don't know if I should negotiate the price down because of this or not. Thanks. IP: Logged |
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Clive E Taylor Posts: 450 |
posted 04-20-2005 02:50 PM
I do not know if I am breaking the rules in talking about valuation but , here goes ! Generally on all items a monogram or owners marks that are NOT CONTEMPORARY with the piece reduce value substantially . Unless you have a provable mark of someone really famous of course. Preferably a love gift from Elvis to Marylin Monroe. Contemporary marks are some what debateable. Certainly the worst situation is where some one has removed an eighteenth century set of initials and substituted their own ! Should you try to get the price down. Of course you should try, especially if the vendor does not realise you have the same intials. Vendor will regard initials as "character", Buyer regards them as damage ! That's bargaining ! Good luck
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salmoned Posts: 336 |
posted 04-20-2005 02:53 PM
Well, we're not really supposed to discuss value, but I'm usually willing to pay a bit more for monograms I can use, giftwise or personally. In other words, resale value is in the eye, mind and heart of the purchaser. IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 04-20-2005 03:09 PM
There are a number of interesting threads on monograms that are worth reading. Here are links to just a few and you can use the search function to find more:
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endorasboxer Posts: 9 |
posted 04-20-2005 04:30 PM
Everyone, thanks for all the information. Clive, how can you tell if the monogram is contemporary to the piece or not? Thanks again. IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 04-21-2005 12:50 PM
One can get some idea of what monograms styles were in different time periods by looking in reference books on silver. I am not aware of any book just devoted to that subject, but looking through silver books in any library should give one a pretty good idea of the various styles through the years. To get some indication of whether the engraving was done at or about the same time the object was made one should also look for wear patterns. There are still great hand engravers working today, but I am not sure that anyone can duplicate the wear of years of polishing. I can certainly understand why one likes to get new silver monogrammed with their name or initials. Sense of ownership is stronger on new items and I remember many years ago waiting with anticipation to get my new Duncan Yoyo craved on one side with my name and the raising sun carved on the other. With old items I really do not have that sense of ownership, but feel that I am a caretaker trying to preserve the item for the next interested person. The monogram or engraving is part of the history of the item and I feel should be preserved. IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 04-23-2005 12:57 AM
People who object to monograms are a hazard and menace to the silver trade. They should be treated like mad dogs. Old silver usually has monograms. If it doesn't have a monogram, one should become dubious about it. As my friend Curb, who is probably the wisest silver person I have ever met puts it: if you want silver that has been loved and cherised and cared for over long periods of time, you will end up with monogramed silver as someone who cares enough to put a monogram on silver will also take care of their silver. After many years of silver dealing, I have seriously come to feel that the anti-monogram people are a complete menace and should be stomped out. IP: Logged |
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dragonflywink Posts: 993 |
posted 04-23-2005 03:08 PM
But how do REALLY feel, Dale? Have to agree, well done monograms only enhance the piece for me, and if I can fit the initials into my family names somewhere - voila, instant heirlooms! Cheryl ;o) IP: Logged |
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Marc Posts: 414 |
posted 08-24-2008 03:39 PM
"People who object to monograms are a hazard and menace to the silver trade. They should be treated like mad dogs." Dale, you are right in thinking this, and trying to educate the public is what we do. But... when they don't take to education, I just charge them more for never monogrammed silver. Politely .. Marc IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 08-24-2008 06:12 PM
Thanks Marc for the kind words. This is one of the things that used to drive me crazy when I was an active dealer. Miss Manners points out that a woman puts her first initial on the silver so that the second wife will not be able to enjoy the silver. A full name is better. Once had some forks monogrammed 'Aunt Naomi'. I found that very catchy. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 08-24-2008 09:08 PM
I like to buy spoons with interesting names on them. I'm planning to give the heroine of my next book a name I found on a mid-19th century spoon. (It will be a historical novel.) IP: Logged |
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Clive E Taylor Posts: 450 |
posted 08-25-2008 05:52 AM
Polly - what name do you write under ? IP: Logged |
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bascall Posts: 1629 |
posted 08-25-2008 08:33 AM
Give me a monogram everytime. On an old piece silver, it's not disasterous, but it is disappointing not to have one. IP: Logged |
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rian Posts: 169 |
posted 08-25-2008 11:24 AM
There are a large quantity of turn of the century floral teaspoons with girl's names on them. Like salmoned, I am always on the lookout for the names of people to whom I want to gift spoons, mostly nieces and little girl cousins. I've always resisted the temptation to have the silver altered. My very first find was Corinne, a name that I thought would be too rare to match. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 08-25-2008 12:23 PM
Fortunately all for the lonely spoons, many old-fashioned names have come back into style in recent years. I even know a little Corinne, not to mention all the Sophies and Sadies and Claras. Clive, you won't have heard of me unless you're a teenage girl--and probably not even then. My website, if you're curious: IP: Logged |
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Clive E Taylor Posts: 450 |
posted 08-25-2008 12:50 PM
Thanks Polly. I am always curious. (My wife says weird !) Your site is most interesting -thanks for permitting us to put a face and details to your name . As you can see from Your habit of putting "cayenne pepper in ... chocolate cookies" make me think that one of your ancestors may have come from Yorkshire. In the North of England we put black pepper onto fresh strawberries and serve fruit cake with a piece of cheese. No, not a joke, both are delicious ! IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 08-25-2008 08:51 PM
I took a look at your link, Clive--how beautiful! I wish I were on a narrow boat eating strawberries and pepper right now! Sorry about the tangent, folks. Back to monograms. Somewhere there's a thread of appealing monograms, I believe. I looked but couldn't find it. I like the ribbony, almost illegibly Art Nouveau monograms by Shiebler, Tiffany, & the like at the end of the 19th century. IP: Logged |
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dragonflywink Posts: 993 |
posted 08-26-2008 08:45 PM
I'm also very fond of intricate entwined monograms, it was what first attracted me to this Simons Bros. trinket box, but when I turned it over and saw the "Sunshine" (one of my nicknames) - had to have it. Pondered on it, but not sure I've ever actually decided the letters represented, not sure I really care. On the subject of names on spoons, one of my first purchases was an 1895 H&E sterling spoon with "Ella", my grandmother's name (born in 1897-so close), oddly remains a mystery to me, have seen the pattern in both sterling and silverplate, have the original patent, but haven't found a name for it. And Polly - my favorite girl's name on a spoon is a lovely little engraved Danish salt or miniature spoon with "Mikkeline". ~Cheryl IP: Logged |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 09-05-2008 09:50 AM
Ah, inscriptions and monograms with a story--they always get me. Check out the Curator's Voice for a new topic related to inscriptions and monograms... IP: Logged |
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