Gorham Sterling Silver "King Edward" Flatware - over 100 pcs

Gorham Sterling Silver "King Edward" Flatware
Believed to be circa 1930s. Stamped "Gorham Sterling".

Wondering if worth more in "melt value" re weight of sterling silver or as a set/replacement pieces since it's such a beautiful vintage pattern?

My folks have at least 8 of each piece below, in some cases over 16 of each. All sterling silver, except dinner knives, cake knife, & butter spreader which are sterling handles w/ stainless steel blades. Total of over 100 pieces.

Also, if anyone knows the weight of any of these pieces I'd greatly appreciate the knowledge?

Thanks in advance for any assistance!!

• dinner knives, 9 5/8" (Sterling Handle, Stainless Steel Blade)
• dinner forks, 7 5/8"
• salad forks, 6 1/8"
• teaspoons, (size unknown)
• cream soup spoons, 6 1/4"
• demitasse spoons, 4 1/4"
• serving ladle, 6 3/8"
• cake knife, (size unknown) (Sterling Handle, Stainless Steel Blade)
• flat handle butter spreader, 5 7/8"
• 

 

if u find it to be a beautiful set, you should keep it and pass it down thru the family..

 

I believe this is the King Edward pattern, but wait for someone else to confirm. I hate to see nice ornate patterns like this melted as there is demand for them, especially if not monogrammed.
Salad fork is about 42 grams, and selling around $40, so figure about $1 per gram. Full melt value today is 67 cents per gram, and you will not get that much. You might get anywhere from 50% t0 90% depending on where you would go to scrap it.
Check ebay listings for each piece and you will eventually find one that gives the gram weight. Check ebay sold listings to see how much each piece is going for. Be sure to look at what pieces have sold for and not at what people are asking.

 

Oops I see you already know it is King Edward.

If nobody in the family wants it, I think it would sell for quite a bit more than scrap if you sold it by the piece or in small groups.

 

Personally, believe it would be a shame to scrap it, but of course it doesn't belong to me. Gorham, like some other manufacturers, produced different weights in the same pattern - so just weigh what you actually have, less the hollow-handle pieces, then as already suggested, find what a scrap dealer will give you for it (the handles have value too), then check to see what the 'sold' prices are on eBay for pieces or sets in the same pattern...

~Cheryl

 

Not usually.. but it may take a while to find the right buyer. It would be a shame to destroy them, regardless of the daily scrap silver price.

 

The auction house where I work sells sets of sterling flatware on a fairly regular basis. Depending on the maker, the pattern, if it is monogrammed, if it contains serving pieces, how many place settings it contains & of course condition the bidding can get quite spirited.

Most sell to dealers but the price is often driven by someone who wants to add to their set or just wants a set of sterling flatware & likes the pattern. The dealers for the most part resell on eBay or at shows depending on the above criteria.

If you do not want to keep it I would in addition to checking the scrap price check with at least 1 or 2 local auction houses to see if you can get an idea as to what it might bring at their auction.

JMHO