Silver and Flatware Books

I have found this book invaluable as I am a collector of souvenir spoons. If you collect souvenir spoons, thinking about collecting them or just enjoy looking at them - you need this book!

Published in 1998, this 336 page book contains 750 large, sharp, black and white photos, plus 12 full color pages. Although difficult to photograph, the pictures clearly show the designs on the spoons. The volume contains informative text, covering the history of spoons, introduction, and details. Major topics range from Inspiring A Nation, First Americans, and Modern Vision of Government, to Inspiring Our Children, Our Bowl Overfloweth and Craftsmanship and Painted Silver. Price ranges are provided as well as a comprehensive bibliography and index. A valuable reference tool for souvenir spoon collectors.

Everyone who is interested in sterling silver and other types of collectible spoons, needs to purchase a book like this. The author has made a grand effort to bring together a great many styles of spoons for the reader and viewer......ENJOY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A recommended pick for any collector's reference library, WayneBednersh's Collectible Souvenir Spoons Book II ... considers both usual and unusual categories of spoons, from historical and art spoons to rarer prison spoons.

This is the Bible for Tiffany collectors but it also has a history of the purpose of each piece of flatware.

This book is a superb work. The authors have filled a major void in the literature concerning the history of American decorative arts. The quality of the research and textual insights make this book essential reading for anyone interested in Tiffany silverware or the latter 19th century of American craftsmanship. The photography is so magnificent that I repeatedly find myself leafing through this book to admire the beauty of this flatware of a bygone era. A great read...a beautiful coffee table book...a classic in every respect.

For all silver lovers, not just Tiffany lovers. Beautiful book, beautifully produced. Pictures could not be better.

This is a terrific book! It covers the complete spectrum of Tiffany silver flatware from 1845 to 1905. It's lavishly illustrated with photographs, diagrams, and original pattern drawings. It covers the full-line patterns, the not-full-line patterns, and the custom patterns made for the likes of the Vanderbilts and the Hearsts.

The book breaks the patterns down by designer: early pieces by retailers Polhamus, Hebbard, Gorham, Moore and others; the major designers Edward Moore, Charles Grosjean, and Paulding Parnham. It shows the various place pieces in standard patterns, as well as covering the extensive amount of fabulous and rare serving and other odd pieces (how many of you own a scallop serving fork?) There are also several useful appendices, including: Flatware Terminology; Glossary of Technical Terms; Tiffany Flatware Markings; and a Tiffany Chronology. As well, a thorough index makes it easy to find patterns or pieces you are looking for.

All in all this is the perfect book for the collector of this wonderful silver. It does not contain pricing information, which is a good thing in this day and age of online auctions, as such pricing info is often outdated by the time the book reaches the press. The only problem I had after reading it was that I wanted to own everything in the book! Don't hesitate, buy it!

For the collector of coin silver this book is a nice addition to Kovels "American Silver Marks" and Ensko's "American Silversmiths. No single book covers all American silversmiths and their marks. But, the addition of Turner's book should fill a great part of the void left by the other two.

This book is appropriate for the very advanced collector or enthusiast of silverware. It provides limited pictures of patterns but a wealth of textual historical information about uses and development of silverware. This book does not include information on recent patterns but does a good job focusing on very old patterns. As the title states, the period covered is 1837-1910. While not geared to the casual or beginning user of silverware, researchers will find it an integral part of their collection for patterns before 1910.

This is a great book for anyone interested in the use of china and silverware in the Victorian Era and the functions of each piece. It is also a great guide for antique shopping or junking. I know I have seen some of those odd pieces of china and silver and never knew what they were used for. Now that I do, I can add to my collection with confidence.

As a neophyte silver collector, I found this book to be invaluable for identifying the myriad serving and place pieces. Also included are a helpful glossary of silver terms and illustrations of the silver marks of the major silver companies. Each piece is shown in a different pattern, which is a nice sampling of the endless patterns available to the silver flatware enthusiast. A great reference!

This book is THE difinitive source for silverplated flatware pattern identification. Great resource for silverplated marks as well. If it's not in Hagan's book, it WILL be in D & D. A "must have" for the dealer, advanced and novice collector. If you are putting money into collection silverplated flatware, this book is an excellent investment. Hard to find.

This has become my bible for identifying sterling flatware. Of course, it has the most popular patterns, and obscure patterns may not be found; but generally, it is a great resource for collectors or those who sell flatware on auction sites. I keep it right by the computer, and use it almost on a daily basis. I have recommended it several times to those who don't know how to ID what they have. I don't know what I would do without it.

I WAS HOPING TO GET SOME HELP IN MY SEARCH FOR STERLING HALLMARKS, BUT THIS BOOK IS REMARKABLE. EASY TO READ AND VERY NICELY ORGANIZED WITH CLEAR ILLUSTRATIONS, ALPHABETIZED LISTS OF PATTERNS, CURRENT APPROXIMATE PRICES OF THE NEWER SILVER AND OF COURSE A FEW PAGES OF HALLMARKS.

Silverplated Flatware by Tere Hagen is an ID and Value guide for mostly silverplated utensils or flatware. The book I received had a publisher's mistake on pgs. 369-370 in that the top part was not cut so I had to cut the pages to get to the information. There were a few pages that were pulled from the binding. But, I did not buy it for cosmetic reasons. I wanted the information. The illustrations are fantastic. It made identifying products much easier than going all over the web looking for them. So it is a timesaver. It would have been nice to have more history about the various pieces. There was a lot of information about the companies themselves but not how the were named, or why such names were chosen or for what occasions. It would have been easier to research if the pieces were in alphabetical order under each company.The book illustrated here is not the one I am reviewing.The silverplate book has a blue cover. The Sterling book was similar without the flaws.

very nice and informative book, a great haelp to any silver lover!

I bought this book because it was the only book out there that included Unger Brothers patterns. But, then I found myself looking up other patterns too. The book also has a brief price guide in the front of the book and a letter code rating system which corresponds to a price range. Every pattern in the book has a letter code which lets you know how valuable and sought after the pattern is. I have gotten a lot of use out of this book and I would recommend it to any serious collector or dealer.

Please see my review of "Sterling Flatware Identification & Value Guide". This is a good companion guide, but for silverplated flatware. It's just a little more complicated to navigate, as there are so many silverplated patterns, and so many manufacturers. However, once you become familiar with the way it is set up, and with a lot of patience, you can ID silverplated flatware very nicely. I keep both right at hand..can't do without them.

This is a great book for collectors of silverplate flatware!! I have worn out one and found another one here on Amazon. Highly reccommend the book and Amazon. Claudia Cope

This book helped in the identification and listing the ages of different flatware I have found at yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores. I have shared it with several friends.
Thank you
Tom

I have owned this book for at least 3 years, it is the most used book I own. If you are interested in identifying many pieces of silver plate, this is the book for you. Very easy to use. I was just on Amazon to see if there was an updated version yet, or I am trying to decide if I should buy a new one. Mine looks ragged, I have used it so much.

I found many of the patterns I collect covered in Hagan's book. The drawings are large and easy to use to identify your pieces. I also bought Hagan's Sterling Flatware which is set up in a similar manner. You can also use both books to note which patterns you want to search for. The dates given in the books allowed me to note which patterns were contemporary with the china I collect.
I've looked at other silver identification books and I liked these best.

EXCELLENT customer service provided for this very informative book. Helped identify many very unusual pieces.

I could not be more pleased with this book. It is 204 pages of excellent photographs and descriptions of many patterns, along with a history of the unusual pieces and their original uses. The price guide is just *one* page in this book and is meant only to provide a range. Such a guide would be out of date as soon as published, and it is not realistic to expect it to be current or definitive. (It may have been better left out!) This is the finest book I have seen for a serious silver flatware collector.

Lovely pictures and good descriptions for use of various pieces of flatware.

The "Price Guide" is totally useless! Examples: "Dinner Forks $45-110" "Teaspoons $30-85" "Macaroni Servers $295-1250"

All pieces are priced and listed just this way. Listing such a dollar range with no patterns or manufacturers mentioned, makes the price guide of no value.

This book is full of absolutely beautiful photos of (mostly old) American sterling place and serving pieces. Its strength is to help identify unusual pieces that people today don't have a clue about. Not very useful for identifying patterns, unless you happen to stumble across a photo of a pattern whose name you are seeking. Patterns are not indexed, but types of pieces are. The price guide (e.g., $30 to $85 for a teaspoon) is absolutely useless. Interesting form to photocopy to use to keep track of pieces you acquire.

I could not be more pleased with this book. It contains page after page of beautifully photographed flatware and contains the history of numerous popular patterns and the great number of pieces available in the various patterns, including the rare and unusual pieces.

This is a fabulous photo, caption, and appendix compendium for people interested in the many varieties of flatware designed for specific use. Of particular interest to me are the double-page spreads illustrating the different kinds of forks, spoons, and knives, so that one can get a sense of relative size and shape. The down side (yes, I know this would be an up side for some readers) is that the book is cluttered with recipes, making it hard to find information relating to the cutlery. I'd be much happier the food photos run with just captions, amidst appendix material used as body text, with an appendix of recipes, than the other way round. If I want to buy a cookbook, I'll buy a cookbook.