Silver plate was popular in Victorian era

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This silver on copper “bisquit jar” is a classic Victorian piece. It uses an old spelling for “biscuit,” a British-English term. In present day American English, we would call it a cookie jar.

Silver and silver plate were popular in the Victorian era. Almost every type of food had its own specific serving dish or utensil made of silver.

Every food you might find on a Victorian table had its own silver-plated dish. This English silver-plated jar was used for cookies of “bisquits.” (Kovels.com)

“Old Sheffield” refers to a special kind of silver plate made in Sheffield, England, in the 18th century. The silver was hand-rolled in sheets over copper. Most silver plate made in the 19th century is electroplated.

This jar may not be Old Sheffield silver, but it was made in the city of Sheffield. It sold for $270 at a Selkirk auction. Its pelican hallmark identifies it as the work of Thomas Wilkinson’s firm, which received a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria in the 1840s.

Q: When I was young, my mother made braided rugs from old wool coats. I braided the strips of fabric she created from the coats. Two large rugs that we made have been in daily use for 85 years and show very little wear. I am now 90. I might sell them and would like to know what they are worth. Do they have any resale value?

A: There’s a rich history of braided rug making in the United States that began in the American colonies. The craft was inspired by Native American weaving techniques. The process is the same way the settlers recycled and repurposed worn clothing into rugs, giving them a new, useful purpose. Large handmade rugs similar to yours have recently sold for $65 to $175.

TIP: A “cut” autograph, one that’s on a small piece of plain paper, is more attractive to a buyer if it’s professionally matted with a photo of the player who signed it.

Current Prices
Dinnerware, Iroquois Casual, bowl, vegetable, divided, indented handles on sides, yellow, Russel Wright, Steubenville Pottery, 1947-1967, 2 1/4 x 10 1/4 inches, $35.
Coca-Cola vending machine, Drink Coca-Cola, Serve Yourself, metal, red, white letters, rectangular coin box with slot on top, 25 x 30 x 41 inches, $675.
Pair of lamps, copper base, bulbous, tapered, banded, tapered shade with copper frame and mica panels, pull chain, Mica Lamp Co., 23 x 21 inches, pair, $750.
Sterling-silver centerpiece bowl, asymmetric form, turned up edge, three short tapered feet, Modernist, Mexico, 20th century, 17 3/4 inches, $880.
Advertising sign, Borden’s Ice Cream, lithographed tin, embossed, die cut strawberry ice cream cone, Elsie in daisy logo, 1900s, 59 x 35 inches, $1,250.
Galle cameo glass vase, purple irises, cream shaded to yellow ground, bulbous, tapered, flared neck, signed Galle, c. 1900, 16 x 6 inches, $2,000.

Looking to declutter, downsize or settle an estate? Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2022 by Terry and Kim Kovel has the resources you’re looking for.

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