What's New?
We are constantly updating this web-site. This page is designed to help regular browsers to see at a glance what information or new categories have recently been added.
N.B. New stock items for sale will be added to the top of the relevant listing in the items for sale section.
Recent Additions
April 2013 - Web-site re-launch. This website was originally designed and built in 2000/01. Since then it has grown a huge amount and is now one the World's largest and most comprehensive websites for antique silver. It would be an under-statement to say that the design is now outdated! We are currently undergoing a revamp of the entire site and a new look website will be launched in the coming months. Proposed date for re-launch is June 2013.
August 2012 - Please take a look at our new sister website at www.uksilverxchange.co.uk . This website is aimed at saving all the silver that is being sent for scrap. It is inevitable that poor quality, damaged, tired and unsaleable pieces end up in the metal pot, but there are plenty of serviceable items that can be saved and re-cycled back in to the trade. This new website shows how we do this with great success to our growing list of trade buyers.
February 2011 - we have been buying scrap silver from the trade in large quantities and are now advertising the service further afield. Please click here for our current scrap rates.
February 2011 - A new category for those fascinating silver toys and miniatures.
October 2010 - The current metal price of silver is now an important factor in the pricing of many of our canteens and sets of flatware. We continue to hold a huge stock of flatware and will price any request on demand.
August 2010 - An article entitled "Small
Collectible English Silver Flatware of the 18th Century" written by
Gary Bottomley (our managing director) will be appearing in the Sept/Oct edition
of "Silver Magazine" - available from September 1st from REPLACEMENTS, LTD.
PO Box 26029,
Greensboro, NC
27420-6029 USA
Phone: 336-697-3000, ext.
2075 Fax: 336-697-3100
email: amy.fisher@replacements.com
www.replacements.com
July 2010 - We are offering for sale an important 9ct Gold Cup - The Coronation Cup - the trophy cup of a major Group 1 flat horse race held annually at the Epsom Derby Festival.
June 2010 - We buy as well as sell silver and gold. Please see our buying page for more information.
May 2010 - In early May, the BBC borrowed 11 items of silver from us for use in their prime time BBC2 TV programme "Antiques Masters". This new show has similarities with "Mastermind" in it's format, but has the subject of antiques at it's heart. One of the specialist subject rounds involves the handling of five pieces and the identification of the oldest, the most valuable and an odd one out. We were asked to supply ten items relating to Victorian silver. Five would be used in the first round and a further five were required should the contestant reach the semi-final stage. We grouped our items in to five silver boxes and five items of silver flatware. Another specialist subject, was tea caddies and we therefore supplied our beautiful Georgian bright-cut engraved example for their use.
Unfortunately, the BBC have not told us yet which items were used or how the "Victorian silver" contestant fared. The show is due to be aired in a mid-week evening prime time slot during July. We have now received the items back in stock. The additional provenance of five minutes of TV fame, adds an extra air of interest for the items and will provide a further talking point for your collection. Links to the items used in the show can be found at this page:- BBC Antiques Master. Update August 2010 - the show was aired on August 9th. The "Victorian silver" contestant did very well to reach the edition's final, but did not progress to the next round.
October 2009 - Serving items have now been split up in to five separate pages: Collectable items and unusual patterns, Fiddle Pattern Serving Items, Old English Pattern Serving Items, Hanoverian Rattail Serving Items and King's Pattern Serving Items
September 2009 - two new categories - Mustard Pots and Fiddle Pattern Serving Items
August '08 - New category - Georgian Silver Hollowware - we have always been active dealers in good quality Georgian hollowware. We tend to specialise in either the most popular or the more unusual items. Therefore cream jugs, mugs, condiments, coaster, salvers, candlesticks etc have always been a mainstay of our stock (mostly being sold within the trade), but rarer items such as argyles, biggins and quirky pieces are regularly available. We thought it about time to make some of these items available to a wider clientele. Please enquire about the availability of items that are not currently shown in the stock listing.
April '08 - New category - antique silver items with some form of Medical interest - administering medicine, medical instruments, dentistry, optometry, medical related silver etc.
February '08 - easier payment. We have now added a fully integrated shopping cart giving wider payment options and quicker checkout. Direct credit/debit cards payments are now available. No Paypal accounts are necessary, but can still be used if preferred. If you prefer card payments can also be made by fax or telephone. Shopping baskets can be viewed using the "view basket" link at the top of each page. Existing clients can continue to make contact or payment in the same way as before. To view all the payment options please click this link - payment and order options.
December 07 - We have recently made changes to certain web-pages and as a result they have been re-named. You may need to re-set your bookmark.
August '07 - New category web-page added - "Curiosities". This page is for those items that on first view one thinks "What the devil is that?". Tongue scrapers, cucumber saws, nipple shields...
July '07 - New category web-page added - "Novelties". We have always been attracted to clever and inventive designs. This web-page will be a showcase for those items that are both practical to use and interesting to look at, yet do not fall under an existing heading e.g. Sampson Mordan, Pin Cushions etc.
May '07 - regular visitors to this page will not have seen much change for a while! Although we are still very active searching for those rare and desirable items, the arrival of our second son (and the subsequent time involved) has prevented the opportunity of adding new information to the site. It is my longer term aim to expand the site further with plenty more information pertaining to antique spoons, canteens and collectables. We are grateful for all the kind words we receive and appreciate your patience.
August '06 At long last a top quality dvd for silver collectors is on the market. We are pleased to be selling "A Video Guide To Collecting Silver" . It is an excellent 58 minute programme comprehensively covering aspects of silver that are particularly suited to an audio visual medium.
June '06 New collectables categories - Card Cases and Vesta Cases
April '06 A fine collection of snuff boxes is being offered at this page - snuff boxes. Two more new categories have been added - bookmarks/paper knives and child's silver. The latter includes items that are suitable for presentation to children and babies to mark events such as births and Christenings, in addition rattles are currently included under this title.
April '06 Two more new non-spoons categories have been added. Menu Holders have always been a popular item that we have sold and the highly collectable silverware made by the innovative firm of Sampson Mordan & Co.
March '06 Due to the success of our other non-flatware pages we have decided to expand the web-site beyond spoons and into other collectable areas, namely Boxes (inc. vinaigrettes, patch & snuff boxes, vesta & card cases), Pin Cushions and Scent Bottles. More categories will follow. If there are any categories that you would like to be added please let us know.
March '06 We have finally given up on keeping the spammers away from our guest-book and have therefore reluctantly withdrawn this facility. Thanks to everybody who made kind comments.
December '05 Sauce Labels - the less common relative to the wine label. A new section devoted entirely to these tiny gems.
September '05 Wine labels? They may not be used for eating with, but at least they are flat! As many spoon collectors are also interested in other small silver collectables, we thought we would add a new section devoted to bottle tickets/wine labels. Please click here for a selection from our current wine labels stock.
September '05 A listing and price guide for our loose flatware/canteen components stock (sets of 4,6, 8, 12 etc) of Old English, Fiddle and Hanoverian Rattail Patterns. Please click here.
September '05 Further additions to the links page.
August 05 New Selling Category - 20th Century Spoons, including Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco etc. Makers such as Omar Ramsden and Georg Jensen will be included under this heading.
June '05 Additions and updates to the hallmarks page.
February '05 A new page devoted to engraving. Learn about why silver is engraved, understand their meanings and find out how engraving styles evolved.
February '05 A new book on the market. Please see the review for East Anglia Silver 1550-1750 at only £15 it is a must have.
January '05 Updates and additions to many pages.
December '04 A new book on the market. Please see the review for Eighteenth century Silver Tea Tongs and contact us if you wish to buy a copy of this limited edition title.
October '04 Additional items to Glossary
August '04 Due to popular demand we have now separated English Provincial and Colonial/Foreign silver in to their own sections. Pre-1700 provincial spoons will remain in the Early Spoons section.
July '04 We are proud to offer 104 spoons from the 2nd John Norie Caddy Spoon Collection. Please click this link to view.
June '04 New book reviews for Hester Bateman, Sussex Silver & It's Makers, & Salisbury Silver & It's Makers
June '04 Yet another new guestbook. We always appreciate the kind comments left by people, but our old guest book was constantly bombarded by spammers. This guest book was kindly tailor made for us by a satisfied visitor to our site who could see and resolve our problem. Many thanks Paul.
May '04 New book reviews for Barnstable Silver and Its Makers & West Country Silver Spoons and Their Makers, 1550-1750
April '04 We are proud to offer 32 caddy spoons from The John Norie Collection (author of the book "Caddy Spoons"). Many of those on sale are illustrated in the book, so this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy a spoon depicted in THE text book on the subject. Please click this link.
April '04 We are pleased to offer the following highly sought after copies of Tim Kent's books:- Barnstable Silver and Its Makers * London Silver Spoon Makers 1500-1697 * Salisbury Silver & It's Makers 1550-1700 * Sussex Silver & It's Makers * West Country Silver Spoons and Their Makers, 1550-1750 *
February '04 Updated and improved indices for books of use to the silver spoon collector. Silver Spoon Books Introduction.
January '03 Updated biographies of the Bateman family members & additions to Glossary (more to come in the near future).
September '03 Due to recent holidays and moving premises we have been unable to update the site. Rest assured we have plenty of new spoons in stock to be added in early October when normal service will resume.
July '03 Canteen Makers. Short biographies and the maker's marks of most of the well known producers of silver flatware and canteens from the late 19th and 20th centuries. Gleened from many different sources and taking a considerable amount of time, this is probably the only place you will find all this information in one place.
June '03 New & improved guestbook. The old guestbook was continually being wiped by server problems. So I've reverted to one provided by www.guestbook.nu . Thanks to those of you that signed the old versions (in some cases several times!) it would be great if you could do it again for one final time. If you are pleased with your purchases or find this web site interesting/useful please do take the time to sign the book as it is appreciated & does encourage us to add more! Please note that all sections are optional.
June '03 New and much anticipated new book; A Directory of Scottish Provincial Silversmiths & Their Marks by Richard W. Turner. Please read our review - available from us for only £18 plus £1 P&P (UK).
June '03 Something a bit different and as far as we are aware the only ones currently available - CD ROM's and a video entitled A Brief History of the Spoon both by Colin Ticktum.
May '03 All recently sold items are now briefly summarised at the bottom of each selling page with links to the photos - this should improve downloading times!
May '03 Paul Storr biography.
Mar '03 Guestbook - We would be grateful for your comments; whether you are a new or regular browser, or an existing customer.
Mar '03 Additions to Glossary.
Feb '03 Measures Conversion Charts - We use metric measures throughout - if you are more conversant with imperial then try our conversion charts.
Feb '03 Currency Exchange Charts - To gain an idea of the value of the items for sale in your local currency, try out the currency exchange charts.
Feb '03 New book reviews: Banister, Judith - "English Silver Hallmarks", Belden, G and Snodin, M - "Spoons", Grimwade, A G - London Goldsmiths: 1697 - 1837, Norie, John - Caddy Spoons an Illustrated Guide
Jan '03 Links page - more links are anticipated in the future and we welcome any suggestions.
Jan '03 Glossary - definitions of jargon and technical terms (& still being updated!)
Jan '03 Hallmarks - their purpose and recognition t