Many people around the world have Sheffield-Made cutlery in their possession. We often receive enquiries about the origin of a particular brand of cutlery or about a certain cutlery company. We are often asked to provide valuations of items which people own.
We just do not have the resources or expertise here to provide you with a Valuation Service but we can refer you to a Professional Firm Of Valuers. Their fees are modest and you may consider it well worth getting your cutlery, flatware, silverware and any number of other similar products properly assessed. You would not wish to be under-insured nor to be asking too low a price should you contemplate selling your collection.
Please click here for their Valuation Service -
ValueMyStuff has some of the world's foremost experts on hand to give precise valuations for everything from pop memorabilia and militaria to contemporary art and toys. This include cutlery/flatware/holloware etc. Over the past six years, they have valued more than 1.2 million items for more than 500,000 customers globally.
You should be ready with images and descriptions of your items and the photos should be ready to upload to the valuers' web site. This is a simple process if you know where the images are saved on your computer.
Their experts can value silver, plated silver, and objects of vertu such as small personal items. 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.
Another factor which lends silver its value is the artisan. If you'd like to get a Silver valuation from their online specialists, simply upload a photograph and tell them any other details you know about the item.
Submit photos of your pieces in just a few steps and they will send you an Expert Valuation within 48 hours direct to your e-mail inbox.
Step 1 - Select your category and upload your photos. The more photos the better (up to 24 per item).
Step 2 - Describe your item in as much details as possible including condition and hallmarks (if any).
Step 3 - An expert will be assigned from their specialist team.
Step 4 - Retrieve your Valuation from your inbox.
Your Expert Valuation Report (PDF) will detail your items' history and value. You will also receive an Online Valuation Certificate so you can share your valuation with others.
The normal timescale is 48 hours but an Express Option is available (24 hours).
A PDF reader is necessary to view the valuation report and one may be downloaded for free from this link - Get Free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
If you're planning on selling your item on eBay you can add a link to your Online Certificate to show potential buyers their estimated value of your item.
Prices start from just £25.00 for a Valuation. 3 Valuations for £60.00 or 10 Valuations for £175.00.
All of their experts have worked for Sotheby's, Christie's or other leading Auction Houses, and now offer their knowledge in order to make the valuing and appraisal process as straightforward and accessible as possible for you.
They have 2 experts who deal with silver and silver plated items, both having over 25 years' experience. One worked for Sotheby's. 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.
The second expert started as a specialist at Sotheby's on Bond Street. Since 2009 he has been delighted to be using his wealth of experience and fascination for the field in his own enterprise.
Cutlery/Flatware is usually always on sale on EBay and you may wish to check asking prices on that site. These will give you a guide to second-hand cutlery values.
ValueMyStuff can also advise on values of EBay items. Choose the EBay Opinion tab for this option.
You may be seeking information which could be documented in various books to which we can refer you. See the Cutlery Bookshop.
There are 4 Assay Offices in the UK. These offices control the regulation of silver quality and content in manufactured items. To learn more about hallmarking on your silver goods, follow the links below:-
A European Union directive in 2003 sought to put an end to hallmarking. Fortunately, this is now off the agenda and, for now, a 750 year old system of guaranteeing the quality of silver has been safeguarded.
Please check our page here for Rare Items & Discontinued Patterns. We can assist you with patterns from the Arthur Price and Inkerman lines.
The patterns that we can supply are shown here - Pattern Selector.
If the cutlery pattern you are seeking is discontinued or not displayed there, try the links at the bottom of the Rare Items page for those hard to find patterns and discontinued lines.
This page shows images of hundreds of patterns Online Flatware Guide and is a good starting point.
The Sheffield cutlery industry is much smaller than it used to be and there have been many name changes or mergers with other companies. If you need to contact a particular company, try Thompsons Directory which is said to contain names, addresses and telephone numbers of UK businesses. A marking of "Sheffield" or "Made in Sheffield" could mean any one from dozens of companies in this city.
It is possible that the company may have ceased trading altogether. There is a good resource of company information which you can access here - Companies House. Look on your cutlery for the name of the manufacturers and use that name on the Companies House site to try to discover their whereabouts.
Maybe you could try the Cutlery & Allied Trades Research Association (CATRA) which has a web site. Or see details here of how to contact British Cutlery & Silverware Association (BCSA). British Cutlery and Silverware Association, Unit 10, 1st Floor, Edmund Road Business Centre, Sheffield, S2 4ED. Tel: 0114 252 7550.
Sheffield Library may help but they are very busy and your answer may be delayed somewhat. It is often possible for you to find out the information from other sources more easily, and with less delay. As a last resort, though, you could try an enquiry by email to Sheffield Library where you may find data, or try the Sheffield Help Yourself Directory which has information on groups and organisations.
We often get enquiries from people regarding items said to be from the Titanic or from the White Star Line and asking if we can authenticate them. We are unable to do this as we are not qualified. We urge caution when dealing with people who claim that a particular item is from the White Star Line which included the Titanic. Whilst it is true that Elkington and Arthur Price supplied the White Star Line many years ago, it is not possible to state whether a given item was used, and on which ship. We are aware of copies being produced since then. Whether your item is a copy or not, we are not qualified to say.
Anyone interested in the Titanic may wish to contact The Titanic Corporation. Last known address: 2 Hungerfield Road, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, West Midlands, N36 9SD, UK (We have no website details or email address).
We can offer you cutlery of the same pattern (with White Star Line logo). The pattern is Panel Reed and is available on our Titanic Cutlery page.
If you are seeking a variety of RMS Titanic memorabilia, try this link: