Featured Rare early Gorham goblets

I have 12 sterling goblets that are marked sterling, ornate G, and the initials W L. The G looks like the Gorham mark and I just learned that this means they were created before Gorham began stamping their trademarks. Does anyone know what this might do to their value? With the current price of silver, I'm being advised to sell my sterling items for their melt down price. For some pieces that's OK but I'm hesitant. Each goblet is 6.5" tall.

 

@Elizabeth Warner, would you be kind enough to post a photograph of a goblet please? Preferably against a plain background.

Debora

 

I'm being advised .......

here's our advice....
Selling where..?
On the web , sure....at full melt weight price of the day.... plus maybe 5 to 10% if it's a set , in very good condition..
Selling elsewhere...... shop around for the best price as it can vary wildly.

 

Not sure where you learned that, but you were misinformed, Gorham never used a 'G' alone mark. This is a Gebelein mark, Rainwater also shows similar Old English font 'G's attributed to Goldman Silversmiths and A.E. Goodhue.





~Cheryl

 

What some members have found is that so much silver is being dumped into the market that refiners are swamped & not accepting anything less than .999 pure silver. Let's have a full picture to see what we're talking about.

 

If you are selling sterling for melt value, it doesn't matter what hallmark/maker because you are getting melt value. We don't price any of our sterling at melt value unless it is broken or damaged or something basic like the weighted short candlesticks (which often have dents). Be wary of pawn shops, etc. Depending upon the maker of your other pieces, some names (Tiffany, Christofle, ect), the value is going to be more then the melt so make sure you know what you are looking at. If you have a local auction house with a good reputation, you could take it to them and negotiate the commission.

 

I found this on the internet after being unable to identify the G so it made sense to me. Your answer is really appreciated! I would have been unknowingly trying to pass them off as Gorham.

 

Sorry, just saw you're new - welcome to the forums!

AI responses usually have inaccuracies regarding silver marks, and many other areas as well - in this case, as said, Gorham has never used just a 'G', but they did use various marks early on, most with 'Gorham' included ('J.G.& Son' used 1841-49), and even after the 'lion/anchor/G' trademark, with its variations, came into use in 1852/53 (not the 1860s), a script font not used until right around 1950. It's actually correct that their coin flatware sometimes lacked a maker's mark, like most manufacturers, they were primarily wholesalers, selling to retailers who might have preferred to stamp their own marks (Gorham-marked holloware and flatware also sometimes lacked a 'COIN' stamp), and also correct regarding silverplate. Might mention that 'hallmark' should really refer to official marks that guarantee the item was assayed and up to standard (but the term is often used more loosely for other marks as well).


~Cheryl