Having a rare find in your hands is getting hold of a true treasure. Take a good look at the silverware in your home. Have they been passed on from generations before you, your parents or your grandparents? And are they Gorham silverware? It’s time to get a magnifying glass and do some polishing. Look closely at the silver marks. You can have an idea of the time frame when the silverware was made through the silver marks. The older your Gorham silverware is, the higher its value.
Gorham silver marks generally vary, depending on the designer. A silverware is a rarity if the silver marks include the silver smith’s name other than the company. In the 1800′s and the 1900′s, silver smiths would place their first, middle initial and last name in their silver crafts. These silver marks, by all means, signify the value of the silverware.
One of the oldest Gorham silver marks is Gorham and Webster. In 1831 when Gorham Silver was founded as a company, Jabez Gorham partnered with Henry L. Webster, which is why Gorham silver products at the time carried the Gorham and Webster silver marks.