Where to sell antique silver (925 and EPNS)?

Evening everyone... I have a couple of very special antique silver items that I wish to sell, but not on eBay. Where would be appropriate? Are/is there specific auction house(s) for silver? If so, who has the leading reputation? Eager to read replies, and thank you....

 

Since you are in Australia, I will tag @Shangas for you. He is a silver collector from Melbourne and can advise you much better about auction houses etc than the rest of us can.

Good luck!

 

The sad thing is that there used to be a whole range of auction-houses. When I was a kid, there were at least 3-4 of them within walking-distance of my house. Now it's more like...two? I think?

The main ones in Melbourne are Leonard Joel's (which is so close to my house I can literally walk there), Philips', which is further off in the other direction, and Abbey's.

L.J. also operates an auction house in Sydney, although the main building is in Melbourne.

Not sure if that's of any help, but take it for whatever it's worth. I mostly buy things from Leonard Joel's because they have a fast turnaround and weekly auctions, and they do sell a lot of silver (although so do the others, as well).

 

Sterling is one thing....... electroplate.....well that's another thing entirely.

 

There's no real market for silverplate/electroplate/EPNS/EPBM around here. Or at least, not where I live, at any rate.

I worked in charity shops for years after I graduated from highschool, and you literally COULD NOT GIVE the stuff away. At the shop where I worked, near my house, we were literally selling electroplate/EPNS, for pennies-a-pound and NOBODY wanted it.

Sadly, the same goes for auction-houses. I mean, they will take it, but don't expect a huge amount of money for it. Not many people buy the stuff anymore. They'd prefer to save up their money, and purchase solid silver, instead.

 

Same in the Netherlands.

 

Thank you very much. I will do my homework.

 

(information good for northeastern USA only) Some silverplated items do sell, but they're the exception not the rule. Perfect condition tea sets will sell, if not for what they once did. Really ornate Victorian plated items will move. The sub-category of Victorian silverplate crazy napkin rings sell handily. Sheffield plate, the predecessor to electroplate, will sell if not for what it used to. Garden variety wedding gift electroplate is worth the scrap value of the base metal.

 

I've noticed the trays and bowls do sell (though none will make you rich). I've found certain "influencers" recommending the stuff for Halloween or "dark academia" type decor. It made me feel ahead of the trend because I'd already been using the oxidized stuff in my bedroom to corral things and then branched out to using it at Halloween lol. I got a lot of compliments...I guess it fits the witch/vampire/ghostly vibe and looks nicer than plastic bits from the store.

 

As a costume / decorative piece, yes I can imagine EPNS working very well for halloween/horror/gothic or Dark Academia-themed settings / rooms / decorative tastes. It would give the right sort of aged, silverware vibe, without costing the price of actual silver. Or for set-decoration, or whatever, but I think that would be one of the very few areas where stuff like this would still have any value or desire.

 

That sounds right. I'd imagine once Halloween decorating season is over they stop selling unless you have a stock the Goth/Dark Academia crowd likes. I rewind back to the original Sherlock Holmes stories, Poe, first generation steampunk etc and while it's not my aethetic I understand the appeal.