Introduction
If you’re looking to buy silver antiques, it’s important to know what makes a piece valuable and how to spot fakes. This will help protect your investment and prevent you from buying counterfeit products that look like real antiques but aren’t worth much money. Here are seven things to look out for when buying antique silver:
Check the maker’s mark
Maker’s marks are a great way to verify authenticity, but they can also tell you much about the piece.
- Maker’s marks may be stamped on the back of your silver, or they might be engraved into an area that isn’t visible when the piece is soldered together. Either way, these markings will alert you to where and by whom your silver originated.
- They can help determine when your piece was made—and therefore how old it may be! For example: If you see “M” followed by numbers or letters next to some text (“MICHAEL” for example) this indicates that Michael was the master silversmith who created this particular item (or at least oversaw its creation). This information can come in handy when searching through collections looking for similar pieces; knowing what kind would have been created at different times allows collectors better chances for finding similar items within their price range than if they didn’t know anything about their history beforehand.”
Look for a hallmark
The hallmark is a symbol that appears on many pieces of silver. It tells you where the piece was made, who made it and when it was made.
Examine the design and decoration
When you’re looking at the design and decoration of an antique silver piece, think about what it represents. If you’re buying a piece from around 1900, for example, you should look for items that are Victorian in style. That said, if your piece is more modern than that (like something from the 1950s or 1960s), that’s fine too—but make sure there aren’t any obvious signs of modernism on the piece itself!
You’ll also want to consider how well crafted and finished your antiques are; if they’ve been overpainted or otherwise repainted with something new in order to make them appear antique again then they probably won’t be worth much at all.
Determine the quality of the silver used to make it.
To determine the quality of the silver used to make it, look for a purity mark. The most common purity marks are 925 and 14k (14K), but there may be more than one type of mark on your piece. If you see several different types of marks, check them out in more detail.
Next, look for other metals used in the silver that could reveal how much wear and tear it has endured throughout its lifetime. Look at any repairs made over time; if they are recent or not visible enough to be seen easily by eye contact alone then know that this could be an indication that your piece was repaired (or possibly damaged) at some point during its history! Finally ask yourself whether or not there are any signs indicating repair work done by an amateur rather than professionals who specialize in repairing such items as antiques–such as scratches around certain areas where people touch objects frequently like handles on jars or vases etcetera…
Check for signs of wear.
It’s important to look for wear on the surface of an item. If you find any scratches or dents, this is a sign that something has been used and abused in the past. Wear can be caused by many things, including heavy use over time (such as a grandfather clock being pushed up against a wall) or just normal wear from everyday use (like when someone sits down on your antique chair).
If the amount of wear seems excessive for its age then it may be best to pass on purchasing it because there are other more appropriate options available at lower prices without sacrificing quality or comfort. If however this isn’t the case then consider how much wear would bother you before buying anything else!
Look at the condition of any stones used.
The quality of stones used is important. Stones should be of good quality, and in good condition. They should not have been cleaned or treated in any way. The stones themselves should also be in the right place, size and shape for their intended use with the object they’re attached to; if you’re looking at a table leg, it’s probably not going to matter that one side has been marked with some sort of stamping tool—but if your piece was meant for an earring holder or necklace pendant? That’s what makes these pieces special!
Assess if you like it!
The final step in the process is to assess if you like it. If you do, then great! You can buy it. If not, then don’t buy it either.
When evaluating antiques and collectibles, there are many factors that should be considered before making a purchase:
- Whether or not this item appeals to your aesthetic tastes (or tastes)
- How much money do I have?
- What will happen if I sell my home someday?
Learning more about silver antiques will help you make better purchases.
There are a lot of different types of silver antiques, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for. This can be hard if you don’t know much about the history of silver pieces or their value.
To help you learn more about your options and make better decisions, here are some tips on how to buy silver antiques:
- Do your research! Learn as much as possible about each item before deciding whether it’s worth buying. You’ll want to find out if there are any cracks or scratches inside the piece that could affect its condition; also look at any damage outside of the metal like scratches and chips in gems or stones embedded in them (this will often be evident without having an expert look at them). If something seems particularly unique compared with other pieces from this period then maybe this piece is worth spending more money on since most people wouldn’t be able pay enough attention when making purchases back then due mainly because there wasn’t much money available yet so people didn’t really care about things like these being damaged during transportation either.”
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you to better understand the silver antiques market. By taking the time to learn about each piece of silver, you will be able to make more informed decisions when buying an antique or vintage piece. At Antiques & More, we are committed to providing our customers with the most accurate information possible so that they can make well-informed purchases. If you have any questions about any aspect of buying antique silver pieces please contact us at 877-829-5331!