Antique Cutlery

Mike | | 0 Comments More

I find it interesting that one of the areas of collecting that has a very strong following is antique cutlery. If you check out what sells on eBay, you will see that a search on antique cutlery will bring up not only sets of knives, forks and spoons, but also pocket knives, and even vintage straight razors. For the most part, I believe that people are probably searching for the complete sets of dinnerware. (Pocket knives and razors both have a very strong following though as collectibles.)

So what makes one set of cutlery more valuable than another? Well, if there is a famous maker name attached, that certainly will not hurt the final selling price. It also seems that the boxes that the antique cutlery is presented in can help to boost the final value. In fact, some dinnerware is actually sold with an emphasis on the antique box itself! Another thing that seems to increase the popularity of this old cutlery is having a special feature to emphasize. Something like mother of pearl handles or the fact that a set of cutlery was originally designed for military use, can be enough to bump up the value.

Of course there is a lot more to it than that, but entire collectibles guides are devoted to focusing on the particulars of what holds the most collectible value. If you are selling something like cutlery, that may have had heavy use, be sure to note any possible wear or defects. If you are buying, be certain to check the item closely before buying and specifically ask if there are any defects that may not have been noted. Depending on what type of antique cutlery you are purchasing, some wear might be expected, but a reputable seller will always be up front about the condition of their wares.