Whether you’ve inherited some silverware from grandma or picked up a few pieces at a yard sale, you may be wondering if it’s worth anything. Finding a fork, spoon, knife or utensil stamped with ‘1847 Rogers Bros’ can be extra exciting – 1847 was a long time ago!
In this guide, we’re going to explain what your silverware could be worth, how to determine the value, and some examples of valuable 1847 Rogers Bros Silverware to get your hands on.
Let’s dig in.
TLDR; The Value of Your Silverware Is…
Your 1847 Rogers Bros Silverware is probably not worth that much. A single fork might sell for less than $10. While more valuable patterns and designs can sell for several thousand dollars, that’s unlikely.
The main reason for this is that Rogers Bros silverware is pretty common and not made of solid silver or sterling silver. Not all Rogers Bros silverware is antique either, with the date ‘1847’ referring to the year Rogers Bros patented their silverplating method, rather than the year the silverware was made.
Ultimately, silverware is more valuable than plain old stainless-steel cutlery, however it’s not the goldmine many people hope for.
A Quick History of Rogers Brothers
Rogers Bros was a trademark for the International Silver Co., a company that incorporated many independent silversmiths – including several who went by the name ‘Rogers’ – under one roof. They used this trademark from 1898 to 1981 when they ceased manufacturing. That means your silverware could be just 40 or 50 years old.
Some items made by the ISC have been collected by museums, while there are also examples of designers creating items for the ISC over the last hundred years. However, these tend to be more elaborate than a simple silverware cutlery set.
Your flatware is unlikely to be a must-have item for museums and even collectors. Nonetheless, some silverware designs are more valuable than others. Let’s take a look at a few examples.
5 Valuable 1847 Rogers Bros Silverware Items
These previously sold items plus a few that are currently for sale, are examples of what happens when you find some valuable silverware marked with 1847 Rogers Bros!
Grapes Motif
- Date/era: 1900 – 1940
- Service for: 12
- Total pieces: 114
- Price: $3,400 on 1st Dibs
At the time of writing, this is one of the most valuable sets up for auction. At an estimated price of $3,400 and 114 total pieces, the average price of each utensil is only $30. The real value here is that the set is complete, in good condition, and has a nice motif on it.
If each item was sold individually, they would be at less than $30 each.
You can spot the grapes on the handles of each item. This set contains spoons, knives, forks, and serving items.
Siren Motif
- Date/era: 1891
- Service for: 8
- Total pieces: 44
- Price: $3,195 on 1st Dibs
The beautiful Siren motif, manufactured in 1891, makes this set a wonderful antique silverware collection. It contains 44 pieces, all in excellent condition, that will serve 8 people. It includes forks, knives, spoons, and some interesting items like soup ladles, cake servers, ice cream slice, and stilton cheese scoop!
The Siren design shows a mermaid-like creature on the handle of each item, representing sirens from Greek mythology. These creatures would sing from rocks to lure sailors to their deaths at sea.
Marquise Motif
- Date/era: 20th century, pre-war
- Service for: 12
- Total pieces: 84
- Price: $1,050 on eBay
The Marquise design was first manufactured in 1933 and was discontinued in 1983 when the company was dissolved. So, it’s not antique! This vintage set could be 90 years old, or only 40 years old. Nonetheless, this large set is in excellent condition and comes with a nice display box.
It sold on eBay for $1,050, meaning each piece was roughly $12 – this is completely average for silverplated Rogers and Bros items. We love the elegance of these Marquise utensils.
Daffodil Motif
- Date/era: 1940s onwards
- Service for: 12
- Total pieces: 65
- Price: $950 on eBay
The daffodil motif was used primarily in the 1940s and 1950s, so this post-war era is firmly in the vintage category. Nonetheless, the daffodils are beautifully created and these sets are very pretty. We’ve found daffodil sets sold across the internet, so this is definitely one of the more common sets available.
This particular set, which sold for $950 earlier in 2023, contains 65 pieces to serve 12 people. The average cost per utensil is $14, which isn’t bad at all. The entire set is in excellent condition with minimal tarnishing.
First Love
- Date/era: 1900 – 1940
- Service for: 12
- Total pieces: 101
- Price: $405 via eBay
With 101 pieces, this silverware set sold for a very reasonable price of $405. This is average! Most sets don’t sell for thousands of dollars, particularly when they’re vintage rather than antique (manufactured within the last 100 years).
The First Love design is moderately ornate but not too lavish, leaving the majority of the handle plain with a little décor around the edges.
This set is large and comes in a box. Having the original storage box can add a little value to the set, but it doesn’t change the fact that overall, silver-plated cutlery isn’t that valuable.
Where to Sell Silverware Online
When it comes to selling or buying silverware online, you have a few options. You can also use these sites to look for existing sales, which will help you work out the value of your set of silverware.
- 1st Dibs – mentioned on our list a few times, 1st Dibs is a site where verified antiques dealers can list their items.
- eBay – this should always be the first place you check. Receiving a lot of online traffic, eBay is popular with collectors and novices.
- Etsy – occasionally you will find silverware on Etsy under the vintage category. It’s a good place to find one-off items as well as whole sets.
There are also a few online sites that specialize only in silverware, like Antique Silver Buyers.
Also Read:
3 Tips to Keep Your Silverware Valuable
If you aren’t ready to sell your silverware or want to keep it as a gift for future generations, to be handed down, then you’ll need to keep it in good condition. Here are three tips for maintain the value of your silverware.
Clean the Silverware
Silverware can go in the dishwasher! Yes, it’s true. If your silverware is fairly modern or untarnished, you can pop it in the dishwasher. Once it comes out, wipe it down with a microfiber cloth in a polishing motion to remove any watermarks – this will prevent tarnish from building up.
If your silverware is in poor condition, you can use a tarnish removing solution. This video will show you how to clean your silverware using store-cupboard ingredients that you probably already own:
Store the Silverware
Silver scratches and dents easily, even when it is only plated on like with Rogers Bros silverware. So, you should store your silverware in a soft case or bag that prevents the silverware from moving around and scratching together.
Flannel-lined boxes and bags are made especially for silverware sets. They are often treated to prevent or reduce the rate of tarnishing too, so correct storage will ensure you don’t need to polish them every few weeks!
We also recommend storing your silverware in a cool, dry place. Heat and humidity will only speed up the tarnishing process.
Use the Silverware!
Although storing the silverware correctly can reduce the rate of tarnishing, it’s very difficult to stop tarnishing from happening altogether. That’s why using your silverware to eat with is actually a good idea.
By using the silverware and then cleaning it regularly, you can remove tarnish and also keep an eye out for damage. Store the silverware when it is not in use, and make sure you rotate the set if you do not use every item in one go.
FAQs
Is Rogers Bros silverware valuable?
Not massively! A good set may sell for a few thousand dollars if the pattern is rare and the condition is good, however a random piece of cutlery is unlikely to be worth more than $10. It’s nice to keep for your home, however.
Is Rogers Bros silverware pure silver?
No, Rogers Bros patented a method of plating metals with silver in 1847. This allowed them to use cheaper metals at the center of each item, applying a thin plate of silver over the surface. As a result, the cost of the items was lower at the point of sale and isn’t worth as much today. It also has a low value for scrap metal.
How can you tell if your silverware is fake?
First, look for the stamps. If you spot Sterling Silver, that’s a good indicator that the item is genuine and was made in the US or UK. Other unusual stamps may indicate that it was made abroad or is not pure silver. For unstamped antique items that are tarnished, rub the item with a cloth as if you are polishing it. If black residue comes off, that’s a good indicator that the item is silver and it may have been made before 1850 when the Sterling Silver stamp because the norm.
What’s the most valuable kind of silverware?
Antique Sterling silver flatware (pure silver) that’s in good condition is the most valuable. For example, Wallace, Kierstede, and Lunt are well-known silversmiths that produce some of the most valuable silverware, valued in the hundreds of thousands and sometimes selling for millions.
Where to sell silverware online?
eBay is a good place to sell silverware, whether it’s valuable, antique, or neither. If you have a verified antique on your hands and want a good price for it, look for dedicated websites that sell antiques. 1st Dibs often sells silverware, including 1847 Rogers Bros silverware.
