A history and guide to Old Silver and Old Sheffield Plate, with the most comprehensive table of hallmarks ever published in one book.Here is the fascinating story of the great silversmiths and their art. All the factors of interest to the amateur, collector or connoisseur of Old Silver and Old Sheffield Plate are authoritatively covered:The development of design in tea services, flatware, candlesticks, trays, cups. Values and scarcity. Where to buy. How to collect. How to detect frauds. Reproductions. And most important, this book permits the exact and indisputable identification of Old Silver by means of the Hallmark tables. These are conveniently and simply arranged so that anyone may trace in a few moments any hallmarked piece of silver of American, English, Sheffield, French, German or other European origin.The splendid pictures are from photographs of authentic pieces from the foremost dealers in Antique Silver. Mr. Seymour B. Wyler, himself a well-known New York dealer, is regarded both in this country and abroad as an authority."What the Kovels don't know about antiques," says House Beautiful, "isn't worth knowing." American silver -- from grandma's coin silver spoon to Art Deco tea sets -- is becoming increasingly popular, and the Kovels have stepped in with a guide to identifying American silver marks. Before collecting another piece of silver, collect Kovels' American Silver Marks!Almost everyone owns an old piece of silver. Few know the complete history of the piece. Kovels' American Silver Marks is a simple-to-use guide to identifying marks and monograms that appear on silver. Collectors and professional dealers can quickly determine the maker of a piece of silver. Each listing includes working dates, location, mark (if known), and bibliographic references to over 200 books and articles. Makers working from 1652 to the present are included. Over 10,000 silversmiths are listed in alphabetical order, with a cross-indexing system for monograms and pictorial marks. Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks, Pottery and Porcelain is a standard in libraries and museums. Kovels' American Silver Marks is an equally scholarly and useful book.