Have your silverware valued
An inherited canteen of cutlery, odd pieces of cutlery, a tea service or christening cups: before selling your silverware, you need to know whether it is solid silver or silver plate. The two look alike, but their values are worlds apart.
We read the hallmarks, weigh and examine each piece, then tell you what it is worth. For the pieces we are able to buy, we give you a written offer.
- Valuation
- Free and without obligation
- Where
- From photos, then at your home
- Offer
- In writing, and you remain free to decline
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 7 pm
The pieces we examine
Canteens and cutlery
Complete or incomplete canteens of cutlery, serving cutlery, odd pieces.
Dishes and services
Serving dishes, vegetable dishes, sauce boats, tea and coffee services.
Cups and beakers
Christening cups, beakers, egg cups, napkin rings.
Silversmiths’ work
Candelabra, ewers, signed pieces by master silversmiths.
- Other, or not sureSolid or plated, you are not sure? Photograph the hallmark: we will help you read it.Describe the item
Solid silver or silver plate?
It is the first question the expert asks, and the one that matters most for the value.
Solid silver
- The piece is made of silver throughout its thickness.
- Since the 19th century, French silver has carried the Minerva hallmark, the head of a woman wearing a helmet.
- Its value lies in the weight of silver, and often more: maker, period, workmanship, a complete canteen.
Silver plate
- A thin layer of silver covers another metal.
- It carries no Minerva hallmark, but a maker’s mark and sometimes the words ‘métal argenté’ (silver plate).
- It rarely sells for its weight; some pieces from great houses remain of interest, others have none.
We tell you frankly when a silver-plated piece has no resale value.
What helps us value your silverware
- The hallmarks
- Photographed close up, on the back of the cutlery or under the pieces. There are often several.
- An overall view
- The canteen in its case, or the pieces laid out side by side.
- The quantity
- The number of pieces of each type: forks, spoons, knives, serving pieces.
- The weight, if you know it
- Without knives with filled handles or the case, if possible.
- Condition
- Wear, dents, monograms, repairs. Please do not polish the pieces before the examination.
How the valuation works
You describe your pieces
By telephone or with the form, with photographs of the hallmarks if possible.
An initial valuation
Photographs of the hallmarks are often enough to tell solid silver from silver plate.
The examination
Reading the hallmarks, weighing and examining each piece, at your home.
The offer
A written offer for the pieces we are able to buy. You are free to decline it.
Payment and formalities
Silver is a precious metal: a purchase from a private individual cannot be paid in cash. Payment is made by bank transfer or cheque, and we record your identity as French law requires.
At your home, anywhere in France
We are based in Chauny but do not receive the public there: we travel by appointment to value a canteen of cutlery or a collection of pieces at your home, in the Aisne or elsewhere in France.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell whether my silverware is solid silver?
Look for the Minerva hallmark, a small head of a woman wearing a helmet, on each piece. Words such as ‘métal argenté’ or a simple maker’s mark usually indicate a plated piece. Older hallmarks are harder to read: send us a photograph.
What do the ‘1’ and ‘2’ in the Minerva hallmark mean?
On older silverware, they indicate the standard: the first standard corresponds to 950 parts per thousand of pure silver, the second to 800 parts per thousand. Today, the Minerva hallmark guarantees silver at 925 or 800 parts per thousand.
Do you buy silver plate?
Not as a rule. Silver plate rarely has resale value; we tell you so frankly after examination, and we only make an offer if a piece is of real interest.
Does an incomplete canteen of cutlery have any value?
Yes, if it is solid silver: the weight of silver counts even for odd pieces. A complete or signed canteen, or one in a sought-after pattern, can be worth more.
Should I clean the silverware before the valuation?
No. Cleaning does not change its value, and an abrasive product can wear down the hallmarks or the decoration. Show the pieces as they are.
Is the valuation free?
Yes, free and without obligation, from photographs or at your home.
Can I change my mind after selling?
Yes. When you sell silver, gold or platinum to a professional, French law gives you 48 hours after signing the contract to withdraw, without having to give a reason.
Do you publish a price per gram?
No. The silver price changes every day and says nothing about the value of a piece of silversmiths’ work. The offer is made after examination, piece by piece.
How am I paid if I accept?
By bank transfer or cheque, never in cash: French law forbids cash payment when a professional buys precious metals from a private individual.
Find out more
Have your silverware valued
Describe your pieces and, if possible, their hallmarks: an expert will get back to you.
- Telephone
- +33 7 57 99 00 67
- Opening hours
- Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 7 pm
By appointment - Address
- A.F Conclues
142 Rue de la Chaussée
02300 Chauny
Tell us about your pieces
Free, confidential valuation.
An expert will call you back within 24 hours.