Collectibles -> Housewares-and-Kitchenware -> Tableware
The first silver tea set was created in 1790, almost 100 years after the first known silver tea pot was created. That first silver tea pot is now in a London museum and is much smaller than what we think of as a tea pot today, because tea used to be quite an expensive luxury. The era of King George II saw teapots larger, thanks to the public’s growing taste for tea. With tea’s popularity came public demand for teapots, and manufacturers created them, often making each one much more than a vessel for tea, but almost as a work of art.
A silver tea set will at minimum have a tea pot, a creamer pot and a sugar bowl. It also might come on a silver tray or a tray made of another material, usually with at least a silver edge, designed to carry the service from room to room. In England, during Queen Anne’s rule, sugar and milk were used in tea for the first time, so the first silver sugar baskets and creamers were introduced. These were created originally with rounded feet, and later were designed to match the tea pots they accompanied.
A silver tea set from the mid 19th century might have 6 pieces—a kettle, waste bowl and even a coffee post, in addition to the creamer, sugar bowl and tea pot. Because Queen Victoria loved her afternoon teas, those who worked in silver at the time sought to produce beautiful tea services, befitting a queen. So services from this era are some of the most collectible today.
Silver has its own value, no matter what form it’s in, so almost every silver tea set carries a good value based on that alone. The manufacturer and the age of the service, and whether or not it’s complete and has been cleaned, also affects the value and collectability. Silver collectibles, including tea services, shouldn’t be cleaned in such a way that the silver’s patina is stripped away—this drops the value drastically.
But the silver does need to be cleaned so that it doesn’t tarnish. A tarnished silver piece has to be aggressively cleaned and buffed to restore it to its original beauty and this buffing will remove patina and make the pieces worth less, and could even render it almost worthless as a collectible. You should clean a silver tea set with a soft cloth and silver paste or polish, and do it by hand, as gently as possible.
When shopping for a silver tea set, ask the seller many questions about the manufacturer, the age, and whether or not the silver has scratches or abrasions. Asking about how the silver has been maintained and cleaned is important, too. If you want to collect silver tea services, read a little about silver manufacturers during the 18th and 19th century so you’re aware of the more valuable and collectible items, and can judge whether a price is fair, and whether or not you want to own the set.
Originally posted 2008-12-08 14:00:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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