When they made sterling silver, or 92.5% pure silver, they marked it International Sterling. Silver plating has next to no cash value as it cost far more to remove and process it than it's worth. Another common marking in silverware is W.M. Rogers or Rogers and Son.
Is Rogers silverware worth anything?
Unfortunately, silver – plated items hold almost no monetary worth. There is not enough silver content to have melt down value and generally, these pieces do not retain their resale value. Begin with looking for the hallmarks or stamps on the item. How do I date my Rogers Bros silverware?
How can you tell if Rogers is silverware is Sterling?
- The word STERLING stamped on it
- 925 stamped on it
- STER stamped on it.
Is WM Rogers silverware worth anything?
There were so many Rogers silver companies in late 19th-century America that it was hard to keep track of them. However, for valuing Rogers Brothers silverware, it's useful to know that almost all of the flatware produced by companies named Rogers is low-worth silver-plate, not valuable sterling.
How to tell if silverware is really made of silver?
Method 1 of 3: Conducting a General Assessment of the Item
- Search for a sterling silver quality mark.. Precious metals are stamped with a quality mark, a symbol or series of symbols that denote its type, purity, and authenticity.
- Listen for a bell-like ring. When sterling silver is gently tapped, it will produce a high-pitched bell-like tone that lasts for 1 to 2 seconds.
- Smell the item. ...
How can I tell if my Rogers silverware is real silver?
Buff the silverware to a shine with a soft, nonabrasive white cloth. If the silverware is real, it will leave a slight (or not so slight) black mark. Real silver chemically reacts with oxygen to form a patina (tarnish) while silver plating bonds to the underlying metal, so stainless steel will leave no such mark.
Did Rogers Bros make sterling silver?
1847 Rogers Bros Antique US Sterling Silver.
Is FB Rogers silver real?
For several years, the company was known as West Silver Company, and produced silver products for the William Rogers Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. F. B....F. B. Rogers Silver Co.FoundedShelburne Falls, Massachusetts, 1883Defunct2000sParentNational Silver Company1 more row
Is Rogers Bros 1847 real silver?
925 percent of sterling or higher. The silverware we are talking about is silverplate. Silverplate has an extremely thin layer of silver covering a base metal such as copper, brass, or nickel. The melt value of silverplate as a metal is very low, especially compared to sterling silver.
How do you date Rogers silverware?
Step 1. Locate the manufacturer's mark on the back of the item. Look for the name "Wm. Rogers" prefaced by the date "1865," which identifies a piece made by William Rogers around 1865.
What does the IS mark on Rogers silverware mean?
“1847” and “IS” Marking on Rogers Brother Silver This is the founding date of Rogers Brothers that they include in the hallmark of all their silverware. The “IS” stands for International Silver who has owned Rogers since 1898.
How old is Wm Rogers Silverware?
William Rogers began by apprenticing with Joseph Church, a silversmith, and watchmaker, from 1820 to 1825. They became partners in 1825. Their company, Church & Rogers, manufactured silver-plate flatware and hollowware.
How can you tell if something's real silver?
Look for markingsor stamps on the silver. Silver will often be stampedwith 925, 900, or 800.Test it with a magnet. Silver, like most preciousmetals, is nonmagnetic.Sniff it. Unlike many othermetals, silver is odorless.Polish it with a soft white cloth. ... Put a piece of ice on it.
Is my silverplate worth anything?
Depending on the silver plated pieces you have, you can expect around twenty five cents to a dollar per pound depending on the piece.
What does 1881 Rogers mean?
Most 1881 Rogers patterns will have a backstamp of "1881 Rogers A1." This mark indicates the pieces are silverplate. The A1 designation means that plating a gross of teaspoons took 2 ounces of silver.
Is 1847 a Rogers?
Heritage by 1847 Rogers Bros. IS - International was introduced in 1953 and discontinued in 1973. This is perhaps the most traditional of the mid-century silver plate silverware patterns to be produced. The pattern will bring out the best in either traditional or retro table design.
What to do with old silver plated items?
Pawn shop. Pawnshops are a great option if you're looking for quick money for your silver-plated items. Nevertheless, you need to be aware that you'll have to pay a certain amount for that speedy process. Also, you're likely to get a lower price than it would on the internet.
How many times out of 100 Rogers will be silver?
About 97 times out of 100 Rogers will be plate. Rogers made A LOT of silver plate throughout their history. Probably tens of millions of pieces. Rogers in general, and it’s many iterations and name variations over the years, is not really high dollar silverware.
What is 1847 Rogers?
The 1847 in the name does not mean it was made in that year. The name is a marketing brand for Rogers and International Silver (IS), Rogers’ parent company . The brand was first used in 1922, the Jubilee year for Rogers development of the process for electroplating silver onto base metal flatware and hollow ware in 1847.
How to tell if a flatware is sterling silver?
The easiest way to discern sterling silver flatware is to look in the reverse side of a fork or a spoon and find the word, “Sterling”. This is true of all sterling makers and of patterns.
What is sterling silver?
Sterling silver is marked with the word STERLING or with the number .925. If the marking is .900 or .800 your piece is less than sterling silver, but it is still silver. If the back is marked Rogers, most Rogers are silverplate, no matter what else it is marked. Sometimes it has the pattern name, or Triple Pl.
What is the specific gravity of silver?
Silver or silver alloy goods will typically have a specific gravity of 10.1 to 10.5. Silver plated goods or nickel silver goods (they have many names) are mostly a copper alloy with a specific gravity (weight of metal verses weight of an equal volume of water) that will not exceed 9.0.
What happens when you test nitric acid on non silver alloy?
Nitric acid tests on non silver alloy goods will produce a green foam reaction if the acid reaches the substrate. Such is accomplished by filing or grinding deep enough into the item to be certain of getting trough any plating which is typically thinner than oven duty aluminum foil.
How to tell if silver is worn?
Another good way is to look for wear. On quite a lot of silver plate you can see places where the silver has worn away , exposing the interior metal (typically brass). This is pretty easy to see because it will have a yellowish tint. Other kinds of metal, like nickel silver will be harder to tell since it’s grey.
What does the 1847 Rogers Brothers mark on silver plate mean?
1847 Rogers Brothers is one well-known silver-plate mark that indicates the year the original company was founded , not the year the flatware was manufactured . An additional "IS" mark after the Rogers name on the backs of spoons and forks stands for International Sterling.
What does the 925 mark on a spoon mean?
An additional "IS" mark after the Rogers name on the backs of spoons and forks stands for International Sterling. Real sterling silver is marked with the word "STERLING" or the number 925, for the 92.5 percentage of silver required for the sterling designation. Any piece with a sterling mark may be reliably valued by a certified appraiser ...
Is Rogers silverware valuable?
There were so many Rogers silver companies in late 19th-century America that it was hard to keep track of them. However, for valuing Rog ers Brothers silverware, it's useful to know that almost all of the flatware produced by companies named Rogers is low-worth silver-plate, not valuable sterling. The various Rogers and Rogers Brothers silverware ...
Who is William Rogers?
Who was William Hazen Rogers? He lived from 1801 to 1873, he was a well-known and widely regarded American silversmith and watchmaker.
Who created silver patterns?
Wm Rogers Silver Patterns. Rogers was a true artist who created hundreds of silver patterns. We have previously discussed his silver marks. They are a good place to start. Obviously, if you have a silver mark that belongs to him (or at least one of his companies) on a piece it makes it more likely that the pattern of the piece was designed by him.
When did the Rogers brothers become partners?
They became partners in 1825. Their company, Church & Rogers, manufactured silver-plate flatware and hollowware. From 1832 to 1838 he was partners with his brother, Asa Rogers, in the firm, A. Rogers Jr. and Co. The partnership expanded to include their brother Simeon from 1847 to 1853 as Rogers Brothers. From 1857 to 1861, and again ...
What is the mark on sterling silver?
American sterling silver markings contain the mark of the manufacturer or silversmith. It indicates the purity of the silver and sometimes identifies the maker and date of manufacture. As detailed in the above paragraph, William Rogers was associated with a number of company names during different years. When you are looking at the sterling silver ...
How many times out of 100 Rogers will be silver?
About 97 times out of 100 Rogers will be plate. Rogers made A LOT of silver plate throughout their history. Probably tens of millions of pieces. Rogers in general, and it’s many iterations and name variations over the years, is not really high dollar silverware.
What is the 1847 Rogers Bros?
All 1847 Rogers Bros is silver plate. The 1847 in the name does not mean it was made in that year. The name is a marketing brand for Rogers and International Silver (IS), Rogers’ parent company.
What is the mark on a sterling silver bracelet?
Sterling silver is marked with the word STERLING or with the number .925. If the marking is .900 or .800 your piece is less than sterling silver, but it is still silver. If the back is marked Rogers, most Rogers are silverplate, no matter what else it is marked.
How to tell if silver is worn?
Another good way is to look for wear. On quite a lot of silver plate you can see places where the silver has worn away , exposing the interior metal (typically brass). This is pretty easy to see because it will have a yellowish tint. Other kinds of metal, like nickel silver will be harder to tell since it’s grey.
Why is nickel used in jewelry?
Occasionally, something like nickel is used, though, because it behaves more like silver — it has a closer melting point, is more pliant, and tarnishes to the same color, as opposed to oxidizing green. Sometimes for unique pieces that will be hand-wrought, pliancy and a lower melting point are desirable qualities.
Which country makes silver?
There are other countries that make silver for export to the US, but England is by far the most common. There’s a lot to learn, but a good place to start is Google, followed by the Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks.
Is Sterling silver a solid silver?
In other words, “Sterling” is not a synonym for “solid silver.”. You can have something that is 825 fine silver, or 900 fine (when US coins were silver, they were 900 fine), and they are still considered “solid” silver.
What is silverware used for?
What is Silverware? Silverware is a generic term used to describe eating tools in the Western Hemisphere. It can be forks, spoons, knives, ladles, candlesticks, pitchers, platters, bowls or cups. Basically, anything that you’d use to entertain the President at a fancy dinner is considered silverware.
How to tell if flatware is sterling silver?
2. Look for Foreign Hallmarks. If it’s possible your flatware was made in a country outside of the US, your flatware will have other hallmarks that indicate sterling silver. They will look like stamped icons on your flatware.
What does epns mean on silver?
EPNS – This stands for ElectroPlate Nickel Silver and is not real silver. Any symbols that contain an E and P stand for Electroplate. 925/800/Coin – You may see 925, 800, or Coin marked on your flatware, either within a circle or written out. These may indicate sterling silver (925), 80% silver (800) and 90% silver (coin); however, ...
How to tell if sterling silver is real?
1. Look for the Marking Sterling Silver. Sterling silverware made in the USA after roughly the 1850s always has a marking: either Sterling or 925.
What does silver plate mean?
International Silver, Silver Co., English Silver, German Silver, Silver-Plate, Silver-Plated or any other variation of the word silver indicates that the flatware is not real silver. These are just company hallmarks. 2. Look for Foreign Hallmarks. If it’s possible your flatware was made in a country outside of the US, ...
Where is the silverware marking on a spoon?
You can find this marking on the bottom of platters, candlesticks, cups and bowls. With forks, knives and spoons, you’ll see this marking on the back of the handle .
Is silverware real silver?
But just because you call it silverware doesn’t always mean that what you have is real silver. Flatware can come in a variety of materials, such as base metal, stainless steel, silver-plated metal or even wood.