Featured Dating Sterling by Makers' Pattern Numbers

@MrNate would be proud. I spotted this Wallace crystal pitcher with a sterling base using my "silver sense." I also picked up a couple of Empire Sterling Weighted salt and pepper shakers - they had a sign though. I have spent the last couple of days trying to discern the age of these objects by the number stamped on it by the maker. I have been unsuccessful, so I thought I would ask the experts here.

First, can I conclude that numbers are marked consecutively, so if I find a date attached to a number before or after the one I found, then that would be mean a before or after date? Are their websites that list maker's products by piece number and age? Or should I just continue to fish around?

In the case of the Wallace crystal pitcher (9 3/4 inches high) the number is W-380. I found a similar pitcher with the same lip marked W-392 that had a sterling stirrer and was called a martini pitcher.
https://instappraisal.com/appraisal/wallace-sterling-martini-pitcher-stirrer-w-392

The Empire Sterling Weighted Salt and Pepper shakers are marked 486. Any thoughts appreciated.

 

Yes, woohooo, yippee and yay! Those are great items, and great eye finding them! I love hearing stories like this, and I'm glad I'm not the only one enjoying silver fun!!! Great

 

I'm so glad that I can make my Sensai happy.

 

Haha, you have it backwards, you guys teach me every day. And not just silver; you all taught me about a lot of other stuff, including how to be nice people.

 

The short answer to your question about dating by number, Kiko, is usually not.

 

Most appreciated. I saw on old Wallace silversmith catalog with four numbers in 1900. I don't even know if these are the same companies. Oh well. I'll just enjoy them then.

 

Kiko, if I remember correctly, Empire Silver didn't start in business until the early 1940's, so your pieces couldn't be older than that.

As for the Wallace pitcher, I recall my Mom having some similar pieces, all from her wedding in 1952.

 

Excellent information. This is very helpful. I didn't think to look up when Empire went into business. Thank you very much.

 

I believe those are often the model number. Which you may or may not be able to date them by. When it comes to this I search eBay listings. Sometimes someone else has done the work of finding out when it was made. Search for items similar to yours. Click each listing until you find your model number with a date that sounds legit. Doesn’t mean it’s so because as we know ebay isn’t a wonderful source of info always but it can be a good jumping off point. There are plenty of sellers on there that do care about getting it right. If you find a seller that has a date that sounds right and it looks like they are a knowledgeable antiques dealer with good feedback then you can trust that more than someone who doesn’t typically sell that kind of thing or doesn’t seem to know their stuff. Nice finds! I’ve found a glass pitcher with a sterling base and shakers at thrift stores. It’s always fun no matter how little silver might be there if you pay a good price. My pitcher was like $2 and has nice etched starbursts. I’ve only gotten one big silver haul at thrift stores, it was a small set of silverware but it was a thrill. Guessing it was around 40 pieces or so. I hope to find more in the future and hope you do too! Hunting for silver at thrift stores is what really got me into antiques. I realized I was hardly ever going to find silver outside of the jewelry case but that there was probably always at least one other good item in each store if I knew what I was looking for. I started looking at just about every item and looking things up if they looked like they might have value. Most don’t but I maintain that just about every thrift store will have at least one item you can turn a decent profit on each time you visit if you know what you’re looking at. If not you’ll probably at least find something you like for yourself or for a gift. It’s rare I make a stop at one without buying anything at all unless I’m in a rush and only have time for a cursory sweep.

Edit: I’ve always been into antiques but it’s what got me into buying and selling them.

 

Hi,
I used to get a lot of coin silver in the plated silver boxes. Most of the thrift stores also thought unmarked coin silver was plate. They only knew marked sterling every thing else was junk.
greg

 

J. I so appreciate your considered remarks on my question. You're right, I didn't even have the language to describe the number. I will certainly look at ebay sold listings to gather some information in trying to discern the age of things I find. I've learned to be wary of the "Rare, Antique\Vintage, One of a kind, etc." seller, who knows nothing except the desire to sell. I'm just a dilettante when it comes to buying things, that's why I have so many questions. I try to research before I post, so I am not wasting the members' time, and try to make my questions broad as to apply to many situations. I enjoy the hunt and research the best, but under the members' elp and guidance, I have become more selective in my purchases. I am enamored with art glass that's why I selected the pitcher as it was hand made and I am trying to emulate the many silver experts here by grabbing up good looking silver items. Thanks again for your comments. Kiko

 

Greg. You certainly are a sly one with your exceptional skills at this. I look at every piece of metal and do the research on the spot to find those kind of treasures. Thank you for the hint. Kiko

 

I’m a dabbling dilly-tant too. Pretty new Relative to all of the regulars here. I’m in the same position as you on most things. Silver being one of my stronger suits.
Edit: spelling

 

I’ve been hoping for this exact thing for a long time but have yet to find it. Most stores around here don’t even have bins of silverware anymore like I remember there being back in the day. Savers only puts out parts of matching sets in bags. I guess they throw out the rest. Some of the Goodwills and Salvation Army’s still have bins but not all of them here. My one big silver score they had a shoe box behind the counter with something shiny in it. I almost didn’t even ask to look but thank god I did. It had a small sterling set broken into three bags. I told the manager I would take them then I ran back to the silverware bin. She had put a fourth bag in there that had the small demitasse spoons from the set in it along with a couple random pieces of sterling and plate. I guess she was hoping the same person didn’t get it all maybe? Needless to say I did.

 

Agreed.