posted 07-25-2005 05:51 AM            

This little rant was kick started on the weekend, when my better half and I were traveling in the NSW (Australia) countryside. An open Antiques Store beckoned (I didn't need a second invite) and before you could say "its from where?" my other half has found a nice gold ring (18K) labelled Sheffield, England, 1932. Having a quick look at the marks showed me a completely different story, being Birmingham 1914. When I brought this to the attention of the proprietor (foolish I know), she didn't believe me, insisting it was Sheffield "because it had a Crown". I ended my half baked education lesson, shrugged and bought it. Not the most amazing story, but a funny one nonetheless.

I hope to be massively outdone in this regard

Waylander

posted 08-25-2005 09:32 AM            

quote:

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pbanz
Posts: 7
Registered: Jan 2005
posted 08-25-2005 09:16 AM
... The piece was not mislabelled but I think the story fits....

A week or so ago my wife and I were at a local flea market looking and I spotted a domed, three piece silverplated butter dish setting on a table. I picked it up and read the underside. WmRogers mfg Quadruple Hartford, Connectitcut #672. It was in great physical condition as far as no dents or dings but the bottom piece had silver loss and was badly tarnished. (all black)
I asked the man if he knew the age of the piece and all he told me was that he had it for 15 years. I told him it could be over a hundred years old and he said "BS I have tons of that junk in my shop and it isn't that old." Well, I could tell I wasn't going to educate him any so, I bought the piece for a song. Didn't even have to dance.

Now after telling this story. Am I the fool? Can I honestly say that all "quadruple plate" is close to a hundred years old or is the vendor right?

If I am right then I will be taking a trip to the mans antique shop to buy a ton of it and I will even dance a little if I have too.

If he is right, well, then, ....... sigh, ......You can't believe what you read comes into effect.

Thank you and Happy hunting,
pbanz

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posted 08-27-2005 12:27 AM            

It seems that one day back in the early 80's this gentleman and his wife were traveling back to North Carolina from New Mexico and decided that this quaint antiques shop in High Point was just the stop to cap a 32 hour cross country drive in a VW beetle (it was winter so they had excellent air conditioning).

The shop was open and both husband and wife were new to the pleasures of antique silver. After walking around the shop for a few minutes, the husband spotted this amazing looking epergne in another room, and, never having seen one in the flesh, approached it as inconspicuously as he could
(which was not easy.. him being a handsome hunk standing 6'5").

The owner noticing the movement, met the gentleman at the piece, and in a whiskey laden breath pronounced it the finest piece of Sheffield plate he had ever owned.

Black as coal it was, and 27" tall. It did have a coppery over glow, but for some reason he pointed to the marks on one of the three arms and blurted, "see... here are the marks".

Well.. the husband looked and sure enough, there were the marks of the Barnard family, the English sterling mark, Queen Victoria;s head and a lions' head. Strange... each arm and the base were also marked this way.

Casually as he could the husband asked what the price was, and was told that it would be not a penny less than $700.00 because it was "the finest Sheffield plate in the land".

Needless to say, the centerpiece rode home with the wife driving and the husband carrying the centerpiece in his lap, with the glass in the foot well before him.

From then on the intrepid engineer checked the shop every week, but he never found any other bargain there.

Thanks..

Marc

posted 09-18-2005 08:58 PM            

At a local yard sale (started at 8am, I got there at 2pm), had the usual fair of brick-abrac etc. Then I noticed some really high prices on silver everyday holloware that were badly damaged, they were all marked silver-plate & yes, they did on the back say Silver plate or EPNS, all American makers. No surprise that they had not been sold. Off to the side in a clump were several blacken holloware pieces priced at 50 cents & $1.00 all marked Rogers Sterling......Amston sterling Donatello, Fisher sterling, etc. all said Sterling ..needless to say I bought them all & said Thank You! It made my day!

All of you stay safe.

Jersey