Tips to Help You Buy Antique Silver

When you see Russian antiques for sale you might get overwhelmed by the available choices and the price tags. To help you come out of the dilemma whenever making antique silver selections here are few tips to consider:

Hallmark Identification

You must learn how to identify the hallmarks to prove the authenticity of the silver you intend to buy. You can do this by comparing your choice with the hallmarks in an online encyclopedia. By doing this you will learn about the manufacturer and the date of production.

Silver Documentation

This is important because you want to know what the previous auctioneers and dealers had to say about that item. Find out also if the sources are credible to confidently trust their documentation and proof.

Extended Warranty

Someone must have paid for authentication if there is a document serving this purpose. Ask for that ‘someone’ and ask what warranty is extended to you to be covered in case the authenticity is erroneous.

Know the Background

The history of the item you want to buy should be available because you need to know the provenance of it.

A Condition Report

By getting this from a Russian silver antiques New York store you will understand if there are any alterations. Are there any damages? Or has it been restored in any way? This can be even better when pictures are provided.

Bid in Advance

If you are a bidder in an auction then register to do the advance bidding and benefit from it.

Research Before the Bid

To avoid overpaying for the silver antique, research and ensure your bid is in line with previous prices.

Don’t Bid if Unsure

Every sale made at the auction is final, so bid if you need it.

Know the Terms and Conditions

Know about taxes, shipment, terms of payment and ask any relevant questions.

What Type of Silver Antiques Should You Collect?

Collecting silver is a fun task but you must consider that there are several types of antique silver available. Silver is a soft metal and yet very useful and valuable. We present here information about the available types of silver to help better your collection.

Fine Silver (Pure Silver)

This silver contains 99.9% of silver with 0.1% impurities. Fine silver is very sleek and has no much use except for silver investments and bullion bars.

Sterling Silver

This one contains 92.5% of silver with the remaining percentage comprising other metals like copper. Because of this, sterling silver is capable of holding a particular shape for as long as allowed to if care is taken.

This is evident from the available 19th-century items which are still clearly marked with the name ‘sterling’ or the figure ‘925’ on them to-date which makes them the most sought-after silver by Russian silver antiques collectors New York.

Silverplate Silver

When we call an item silver-plated we mean it is covered by a layer of silver. The base material in most cases is nickel. The exterior of such items is usually written “silverplate” to indicate what they are.

Sheffield Plate Silver

This is a mixture of copper and silver layers. They are specifically used to bring down the cost of sterling silver appliances.

Unmarked Silver

As the name suggests, these are not marked. Chances are they are silver plated but we need not assume. Use the following instructions to be sure:

• Dip the item in hot water

• After some minutes, check the temperature

• Then after a minute check the temperature again

• If the item is sterling silver, it will remain very hot for a while. On the flipside, a plated item will cool much quickly or will not attain the water temperature. Russian antiques for sale are usually marked but you still need to be cautious.