posted 04-18-1999 09:19 PM            

We consider a place setting essentially 8 pieces. They are: a dinner knife, a dinner fork, a dessert and/or salad fork(s), a dessert (or soup) spoon a teaspoon, a demi-tasse and a flat butter spreader.

You are, of course allowed to pick any configuration that you like and still be “in the club”, and in fact if you collect older settings all of these pieces may not be available in a particular pattern.

There are several advantages to collecting flatware in single place settings.
1. You get a lot more variety than trying to get a service for 12 in one single pattern, or collecting cheese scoops in every possible pattern.
2. It is a bit of a challenge to collect 8 pieces that match and you get that collector adrenaline rush whenever you complete a place setting.
3. You can also start new settings whenever you see a few pieces in something that you like, which keeps you from getting bored.
4. When you have completed a setting you have something you can use. It is great fun to set a table with each place setting different and amuse your friends.

We believe collecting silver flatware to be a most rewarding hobby and that the collecting of individual place settings will greatly spur it’s growth. There are clear advantages to becoming involved in a collecting hobby in its formative stage. There is little, if any, premium today associated with true collector flatware as compared to that used for the table. This compares nicely with other collectible hobbies where the rarities are out of sight. We find that the old pieces with the beautiful period monograms are discounted even further. There is also the thrill of discovery of an undocumented piece and the chance to add to the body of knowledge.

On the other hand, one wishes for more reference material documenting what is available and naming the currently undocumented patterns so that collectors can communicate. This deficiency is most noted in the 1850 American period and almost anything European. Then there is the reluctance of most dealers to break up a “set” of six or eight pieces to sell you the one that you need. This will change as more collectors enter the “singles” hobby and it becomes easier to sell one piece each to six collectors rather than 6 pieces to one. Possibly we will even see the day when dealers make forays to Europe to bring back old services of 12 and break them up into place settings to sell to collectors at a profit.

The place that we need the most help is just in knowing what pieces might be available in various old patterns we are collecting. We collectors can all help each other in this regard by exchanging information on pieces that we own or have seen.

We welcome you to this exciting hobby and refer you to further information on this site including “The Evolution of Place Settings” click here and the web pages of different patterns. Collectors are encouraged here to do a similar write-up on their favorite patterns or just ask or reply to questions.

[This message has been edited by Bob Schulhof (edited 04-25-99).]