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Finding the Right sheffield-silverplate for You
Sheffield silverplate is a durable combination of thin silver sheets and comparatively thicker sheets of copper that was used to create a variety of household objects for years. On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique and vintage Sheffield silverplate and other silverplate for all of your formal dining and entertaining needs.
A cutler named Thomas Boulsover, who worked for a cutlers company in Sheffield, England, accidentally invented what we now call Sheffield silverplate during the 1700s. While working on a decorative knife for a customer — the metalworkers guild had been tasked with repairing its handle — Boulsover mistakenly overheated the silver and noticed that the knife’s layers of silver and copper melded together, creating an impressive bond. This new material felt like silver but was substantially cheaper. It was then used to produce a variety of serveware, candlesticks, buttons, tea sets and more. For families that couldn’t afford the sterling-silver tureens that were used to serve soup in the upper-class English homes at the time, this was good news. They could impress guests with housewares that looked like sterling silver but actually weren't.
Today, just as pewter collectibles and sterling silver are popular with collectors at neighborhood flea markets, antique Sheffield silverplate housewares are sought after for their appearance and rich history. Sheffield silverplate can command high prices on the secondhand market.
Securing yourself a Sheffield silverplate piece is like acquiring a little bit of history. In order to identify authentic Sheffield silverplate, you need to look for one significant attribute of the material. A metalworker had to ensure that all of the exposed edges of a particular piece had to be covered with a rim of silver. If not, the middle layer, which comprised copper, would show through. This would reveal that the piece was not sterling silver.
Don’t just trot out your matching crystal, silver and porcelain once or twice a year. Make a habit of mixing high and low when setting the table. To pair with your everyday contemporary tableware, find antique and vintage Sheffield silverplate on 1stDibs as well as silverplate by goldsmith and tableware companies such as Christofle, Elkington & Co. and more.
- What is the best chafing dish?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertAugust 17, 2021The best chafing dish is determined by your preference for size and design. On 1stDibs, you can find chafing dishes in sterling silver, porcelain and brass. There are designs from Victorian, Art Deco and other periods.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022There are a few other names for a chafing dish. This style of metal pan, used for keeping food warm, can also be called a bain marie, food warmer or water bath, to name a few. You can shop a collection of chafing dishes from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Chafing dishes have gone in and out of style over the decades and have acquired many different names. Some of these include bain-marie, food warmer and double boiler. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of antique chafing dishes from some of the world’s top sellers.
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