The gleam of sterling silver adds a touch of elegance to everyday living. It warms quickly to the touch, cools quickly when plunged into your favorite ice cream, and makes everything just taste better!! Sterling is functional art…beautiful in both look and feel, as well as practical for daily use. We encourage you to use your sterling everyday not only on your dining table but thoughout your home where the glint of silver candle sticks or a stylish compote will add warmth to any room.

Whether you’re looking to start your adventure with silver, searching for a special gift, or an advanced collector seeking the exotic we suggest you browse though our store. You’ll never know what you’ll find!! We are dealers in pre-owned sterling silver flatware, hollowware and other select items. Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida we have a large population to acquire our merchandise, but also travel and are constantly finding new fresh items. We don’t have a retail “brick & mortar” store, but sell here in our internet store and also at select antique shows both locally and along the eastern seaboard see our show schedule. If you don’t see what you are looking for, please check back frequently since we’re always adding new treasures. We make every attempt to keep our ebay inventory current and correct but sell though a number of venues so ALL ITEMS ARE SUBJECT TO PRIOR SALE. You can also email us notarnish@aol.com and let us know what you’re looking for. We’ll be happy to add you to our want list.

Not all tarnish is bad tarnish. Silver oxidation (tarnish) is the antiquing that helps bring depth and highlight the intricate pattern on many pieces. Removing all tarnish will often leave a piece looking flat and lacking the subtle contrasts that make the detail stand out. Because silver dips and electrolysis plates remove all tarnish both good and bad we recommend not using them except as noted below. (See Photo.)

Most sterling silver flatware used on a regular basis requires little maintenance. Regular washing in soap water removes the chemicals that cause tarnish. Eggs, mayonnaise and vinegar will cause silver to tarnish but can be easily cleaned with a quick hand polish. We us Haggerty’s silver foam (available at Linens & Things or Bed Bath and Beyond) to clean our silver flatware as needed. It is gentle on the silver and your hands. We use a dip to remove tarnish from fork tines. The dip will leave a yellowish residue on the silver, but can be removed by polishing it with the foam after dipping. If you don’t use your sterling on a regular basis, storing it in a box lined with specially treated pacifica cloth or in cloth wraps will help prevent tarnish. Never use rubber bands or plastic wrap since they can cause marks that may have to be removed by professional polishing.

CAN I PUT MY SILVER IN THE DISHWASHER?

Yes, if it means you will use it. However, knives should not be put in the dishwasher. The handles contain a resin that holds the blade in the handle. The heat from the dishwasher causes this resin to expand and crack which will eventually cause the knife blade to become loose. Also, the water in a dishwasher contains a lot of small particles being thrust at the silver at a high velocity. Over time, these particles cause a lot of small scratches that will dull your silver’s shine.

We clean our silver hollowware with Haggerty’s silver spray (also available at Linens & Things or Bed Bath and Beyond) and polish it with a nubby terry cloth towel to remove the residue from highly detailed areas. The spray has a retardant in it that will help prevent tarnish of a few months. If you plan on using it on any item that will come in contact with food, we suggest you wash it to remove any residue.

Old knives with silverplate carbon steel blades are high maintenance and require special care. The blades will rust quickly when wet. I have ruined carbon steel knives by leaving them in the sink while finishing dessert. It is best to wash and dry them right way and store them in a cloth sleeve to help keep them dry. Newer knives have stainless steel blades so this is not an issue. For the purist, old knife blades can often be cleaned up and re-plated, but it is expensive. Old blades can also be replaced with a variety of different shaped stainless steel blades. We can assist you with replacing your knife blades by contacting us.

Antique silver is usually monogrammed. It has always been the fashion to monogram your silver, to make it your own. When dealing with previously owned silver the question usually arises “Can I take the monogram off”? The answer is “yes”, but usually not very successfully. The success of monogram removal depends on a couple of things; the original design of the piece and the ease of getting around the existing pattern, and also the skill of the person doing the work. This combination makes for a difficult job on all but a very few patterns and even then there is usually tell tail evidence of the removal. We DO NOT remove monograms from our silver. We encourage you to view any existing monogram as part of the history of the piece and appreciate the artistry it contributes to it. Speaking from a collector’s point of view, monograms do not usually detract from the desirability of an item nor adversely affect its value. The gouging and over polishing that comes along with a removal will however adversely affect both the desirability and value of an item. Occasionally, we do come across items that have been previously mono-removed and offer them if they are exceptional pieces or very rare. We always state in our listing if we feel an item has been mono-removed.