Antique sterling silver appraisal, online
That inherited tea service, or the boxed canteen of flatware you have wondered about, may hold more value than its weight alone suggests. Our team researches your antique sterling silver and sends you a clear value report within three days.
Structured research, reviewed for clarity
We begin by setting your piece against comparable sales, the prices similar silver has actually realized at auction and through dealers, rather than the optimistic figures sellers ask. From there our team reads the hallmarks, weighs the maker, form, and period, and assesses condition and originality. You receive a plain-English report with an estimated value range and the reasoning behind it, reviewed by our team before it reaches you.
What affects the value of antique sterling silver
Silver value rarely rests on a single feature. Two pieces of the same weight can be far apart in worth, and our team weighs several factors together before arriving at a figure.
Hallmarks, maker and date
The small stamped marks on silver, the lion passant for sterling, the assay town mark, the date letter, and the maker's mark, tell our team where and when a piece was made and by whom. A respected silversmith or a sought-after assay town can lift value well above the ordinary, and our team reads these marks rather than guessing at age.
Condition and originality
Original surfaces matter. Removed or replaced monograms, worn gilding inside bowls, soldered repairs, and thinning from years of over-polishing all weigh on value, while crisp detail and untouched engraving support it.
Comparable sales
We anchor every estimate to what comparable silver has actually sold for in recent auction and dealer records, not to asking prices, which often run well above realized results.
Melt weight against craftsmanship and rarity
Every piece of sterling carries a bullion value set by its weight and the price of silver, and that figure forms a floor beneath it. But the pieces that bring the highest prices are usually prized for the hand of their maker, the rarity of their form, and their condition, far beyond the metal. A plain modern bowl may sit close to its melt value, while a Georgian piece by a known silversmith in fine state can sell for many times that. Knowing which of these drives your piece is central to a fair estimate, and it is one of the first distinctions our team draws.
Inherited a silver collection?
Silver handed down through a family often arrives as a mix, a canteen of flatware, a few serving pieces, the odd pair of candlesticks, with little record of maker or age. You do not need to sort, polish, or identify anything yourself. Tell us what you have, share clear photographs of the marks and the pieces you are most curious about, and our team will research them and report back with estimated values and context. When you are ready, submit your item and we will take it from there.
A few reports we've delivered
Illustrative: Georgian sterling teapot, London hallmarks, 1790s, original condition
$400 - $900
Illustrative: Victorian sterling flatware service, full canteen, matched and cased
$1,500 - $4,000
Illustrative: pair of weighted sterling candlesticks, early 20th century, clean detail
$300 - $800
Illustrative: American sterling water pitcher, Gorham, early 20th century
$350 - $750Estimated ranges shown to guide research — not official appraisals for insurance, tax, or legal use. Illustrative examples.
Questions, answered honestly
How old does something have to be to be an antique?
As a rule of thumb, an antique is generally at least 100 years old. Items roughly 20–99 years old are usually called “vintage,” and the line shifts by category — but age alone never sets value. A 60-year-old designer piece can be worth far more than a century-old everyday object.
What affects the value of my item?
Value comes from a combination of factors: who made it, its age and rarity, condition, originality, provenance (its documented history), and — most of all — what comparable pieces have actually sold for recently. Our research weighs each of these to produce an estimated range.
I’ve inherited a collection — what do I do?
Start with the pieces you’re most curious about, or the ones you suspect are most valuable. Submit them individually, or for more than ten items use our white-glove service and we’ll research the whole batch together at a tailored rate.
Is this an official appraisal?
No. Every report is a thorough, researched estimate to guide your research — not an official appraisal for insurance, tax, or legal purposes. For those uses you’ll want a certified appraiser, and our report is a great, fast first step before that.
How accurate is a researched value report?
Our research is based on real comparable sales and a structured assessment of condition, era, and maker. It’s designed to give you a credible, well-researched estimate quickly. Like any estimate it isn’t a guarantee of sale price, which is why we always give a range rather than a single number.
“I had a vase from my grandmother and no idea where to start. The report was detailed, fast, and honest about the range.”
“Three days, a fair price, and a genuinely useful breakdown of comparable sales. Far better than waiting weeks.”
“Loved that it was upfront about being an estimate. It gave me exactly what I needed before talking to an auction house.”
Illustrative examples shown during launch — verified customer reviews will replace these as reports are delivered.
Find out what your sterling silver is worth
A thorough, researched value report in 3 days. From $29, no subscription.
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