Items such as snuff boxes, cigarette cases and scent bottles were made as demonstrations of wealth and beautifully adorned with precious gems and metals and as such many items have an excellent historic significance and if commissioned by royalty or aristocrats would have great value on the market. 

Another factor which lends silver its value is the artisan. If you'd like to get a Silver valuation from our online specialist, simply upload a photograph and tell us any other details you know about the item.   

Our first silver expert joined Sotheby’s thirty-four years ago. In 1972 he gained a degree in Chemistry from Magdalen College, Oxford and subsequently trained at Phillips, London as a silver specialist, before establishing their Wine Department. Joining Sotheby’s in 1978 he worked as Vice President, Sotheby’s Canada, and returned to the UK in 1983. As a Silver Specialist for Sotheby’s London Valuation Department he has valued many major private and institutional silver collections throughout the UK and Ireland as well as on the Continent. Thanks to his long experience at Sotheby’s, he is quite familiar with Continental silver too. 

Our second silver expert has over twenty-five years of experience in the business, starting as a specialist at Sotheby’s Bond Street silver department. Beginning with the cataloguing of a large collection of vinaigrettes, he went on to deal with some of the largest and best works by the Royal goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. He left London to run the antique sales of a Nairobi based auction business and then spent two years as a freelance valuation specialist in silver and works of art on the West Coast of America. Returning to Sotheby’s in 1996 to become a Deputy Director, heading their Olympia valuations department, and subsequently as a Director of Lyon & Turnbull South, he continued to focus especially on the fields of silver, vertu and works of art. Since 2009 he has been delighted to be using his wealth of experience and fascination for the field in his own enterprise. One of the highlights of his own auctions was the George V gold freedom casket.

Our silver experts can value silver, plated silver, and objects of vertu such as small personal items and Russian silver and Fabergé. Collectible silver includes such items as early spoons, English and Continental tea and coffee sets, candelabras and trays as well as statuary and religious items.

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