My "new" vintage silver flatware

[michaelman2]

Rich, that is a nice set and the story that went with it is nice as well. Those green stamps purchased some cool things back in the day.

I collect Oneida Silver Plate patterns "Seneca" " Fairhill/Clairhill". They all are the same pattern just produced at different times.

Anytime I find a set or some pieces that I want,and it is a decent price I try to purchase. Started production in the 1920s and stopped production in the1980s.

The patterns were called "hotel plate" because they were plated heavily and would hold up to commercial use.

I like the pattern because it pairs well with contemporary and traditional settings.

My sterling is Towle - King Richard and it is ornate. My mom and grandmother's patterns. Picture in a minute

 

[michaelman2]

Picture of Towle - King Richard

Ornate, kind of like Old Master.

Oh, and guys, place several pieces of chalk (like used on a chalk/black board) to the chest or container where the pieces are contained. It will help reduce tarnish.

Never, ever.. use Tarnex or one of the acid based tarnish removers on anything, but especially silverplate.

 

[petek]

In a way real silverware doesn't have to look all that shiny and mirror like, such as wehen you first purchase it. As it ages and with use the good stuff should gain a nice patina.

As for the cleaning with the aluminum and baking or wash soda.. it's pretty straight forward..
You should use a non metallic / non conductive wash bowl, either plastic or glass, like a glass lasagna pan..
Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil and place it on the bottom.. or even an aluminum pie plate.
Put about 1/2 cup of washing soda and about a teaspoon of salt in the pan and then pour in enough near boiling water to cover everything that will be in it..stir it.
Then just place the knives and forks a few a time into the water touching the aluminum..voila,, the tarnish begins to disappear.

 

[sudsmaster]

Thanks Pete and Michael.

I like the Senaca pattern you pictured first. Simple but elegant.

I figure this sterling Oneida Heiress set might be worth $2,000, at least from what I've seen on eBay. It's a six piece setting. Not shown in the photo (which I pulled off the web) is the soup spoon and the butter knife.

So... I'm thinking I need to move it from the bag (where the piece clang together and scratch each other) into a proper chest, or at least a divided carrier. That is, after careful cleaning and polishing.

It's also interesting how place settings have changed over the years. Back in 1942, a proper setting had teaspoon, salad fork, dinner fork, knife, soup spoon, and butter knife. Nowadays the butter knife has been relegated to the hostess setting, and the soup spoon has been replaced with an oval desert (or table) spoon. Perhaps because many, including myself, could never quite get the hang of a big round soup spoon.

 

[firedome]

many decades ago

we were told NOT to put the sterling in the dishwasher because the glues that cemented the knife blade for the handle would become, well, un-glued! Supposedly new glues are now alleged to be not affected by hot water & detergent, and thus are dishwasher safe, and the sterling part itself should not be affected. Just to be on the safe side, however, we still handwash, along with handwashing the Lenox Solitare dinnerware, and any cut crystal, as the platinum bands on the dishes would indeed eventually wear off in time, I believe. After 40 yrs of use everything still looks new.

 

[sudsmaster]

Well, I'll be hand-washing my mom's sterling collection, just to be on the safe side.