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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 American Silver before sterling
 OOPS! Or Am I Really An Idiot?
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| Author | Topic: OOPS! Or Am I Really An Idiot? |
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labarbedor Posts: 353 |
posted 12-20-2004 10:25 PM
  
As promised in the "snuff rake" thread here is my stupidest mistake. This is not my biggest mistake (I am remembering something very heavy, hauled around for a long time), my most expensive mistake (don’t trust rug dealers), or even my ugliest (my mentor said “never underestimate the poor taste of the public”, but there are limits). No this is my stupidest mistake. Financially I was OK as I bought a very rare piece of silver for about $8 at a Memphis flea market. I didn’t know what it was, but I was one step ahead of the seller, who said it was a salt and pepper shaker. In each hollow hammer head there is a small gas vent hole. I may have been relatively ignorant, but how anyone could a get the salt and pepper into those tiny hole, and then use it, was beyond me. I had read about Indian trade silver, and knew it was often decorated with wriggle work decoration. Bingo I had a rare example of a pair of cross tomahawks. It was probably the property of a famous chief. Please remember this was at least 35 years ago. I hope, I really hope, you all know this is an Odd Fellows president’s badge. OK what was your stupidest mistake? Please don’t bring up that girl in high school. Maurice IP: Logged |
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dragonflywink Posts: 993 |
posted 12-21-2004 08:31 AM
Probably not my biggest mistake, but the one that made me realize I was aging: picked up very nicely made tongs at an estate sale, saw hallmarks, priced low, get home to find only the dreaded "EPNS". Went from someone who could make out the tiniest marks to someone who must now carry glasses AND loupe. Cheryl IP: Logged |
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agleopar Posts: 850 |
posted 12-21-2004 10:46 AM
I can hardly say that I collect, really just pick up very dented or torn coin spoons when they are a few bucks. If a piece of sterling holloware fell into the equivalent price range and the money was in my pocket... well that has happened twice in 20 years. This time I was in central Florida on vacation and had a head cold that kept me in bed for 4 days. Very frustrated and determined to explore the 2 antique shops for spoons I got out of bed,still feeling awful. After a short tour of the first shop the only piece worth attention was a baby cup, 1880's engraved with Japanese style birds and bamboo. In the case it was perfect, color, surface and the engraving was superb. Out of the case it was still perfect and Gorham and only $60! In my fog of sickness and blinded by the engraving (how could so much work be on anything but silver?) I had overlooked the "silver soldered" under the Gorham marks. I still have it, its a beautiful cup. IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 12-21-2004 01:10 PM
Many moons ago, when I was on low end of the steepest side of the learning curve, I was pawing through a box of junk silver at a flea-market looking for overlooked treasures, when I came across a spoon marked "SINCERE." "What a dumb name," I said to my wife, laughingly. "Who would buy anything marked like that?" It must have made an impression on me, though, because, some years later, when going through a list of marks on Chinese Export silver. . . . You can guess the rest. I didn't laugh that time, although I can now. Oh, well. . . . IP: Logged |
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