Standard Silver Co., Antique Silver Plate Tea Service, C. 1900

This Top Quality Art Nouveau 4-Piece Antique Silverplate Tea Service was manufactured by the Standard Silver Company of Toronto approximately circa 1900. The Set is silverplate on Britannia metal which was a metal base that was used for most if not all silverplated objects made during Late Victorian and Early Edwardian Times.

This Antique Silverplate Coffee and Tea Set contains a tea pot, sugar & creamer and a waste or slop jar. It has very ornate hand chased work on all four pieces with beaded edges.

The sizes are as follows:

(1) Tea Pot: (handle to spout) measures 9” Length by 6 1/8” High;
(2) Sugar:    (handle to handle) measures 6 7/8” Length by 4 3/4" Circumference;
(3) Creamer: (handle to lip) measures 5” Length by 4 3/4" High at lip and
(4) Waste Jar: (from handle to handle) measures 5 3/4” by 4 1/2” High.

COMMENT: The very ornate hand chasing is exquisite in detail and is very typical of the exactness of the silversmiths of Victorian times. This is an absolutely gorgeous Tea Service worthy of any fancy dining room table or tea wagon. I am sure you will receive many compliments on this service at the dining or breakfast table. It most definitely purports class of yesteryear or days gone by. This Attractive Tea Service can most definitely make a Classy Gift for any Special Event or Occasion!

HISTORY OF STANDARD SILVER COMPANY:  

Standard Silver Company operated in Toronto from 1895-1925. It was one of the silver companies that was eventually taken over by the Meriden Britannia Company of Hamilton, Ontario in the mid 1920’s. The Meriden Silver Company originated in Connecticut, USA. This company used variations of former trade marks that were used by the Standard Silver Company which attested to the quality and reputation of the Standard Silver Company established in Toronto and other regions of Ontario.

PHOTOGRAPHY NOTE: Unfortunately our photographer neglected to illustrate the minor bend to the foot rim of the waste jar.  A photo of this minor damage will be uploaded at a later date or upon request. Please accept our apologies at this time.

CONDITION: All pieces are in very fine condition except for a little bend on the foot rim of the waste jar which a silversmith can hammer out for a small fee. There is no bleeding of the base metal. The silverplate is in original condition (has “not” been re- silvered) and shines up quite nicely to a high luster.  

SILVERPLATE CONDITION NOTE:

Some minor conditional problems that are a common occurrence or commonplace with "antique and vintage" silverplate pieces which are considered acceptable and by general standards considered as "patina" are minor or light surface scratching and slight wear or minor bleeding of the base metal which is generally copper, brass or Britannica metal.

• Teapots, Coffee pots and Jugs generally show some interior discoloration and pitting due to the chemical interaction of the tea, coffee or other beverages with the various base metals if left sitting for long time periods and not properly cleaned after each usage. Teapots almost always have discoloration on the "interior" bottom.
  
• Trays normally have light surface scratching and bleeding of the base metal. Antique and Vintage Trays almost always show surface wear on the reverse side (back side).
• Flatware, for example forks, knives, spoons, etc., because of their usage, will on many occasions exhibit some light surface scratching.
• Candlesticks, at the insert top section, sometimes will exhibit slight discoloration where the candle burns too low; also sometimes on the underneath side of the base, wear will show.

"Antique and Vintage Silverplate" are not "new" items and therefore will almost always exhibit slight wear (bleeding) and light surface scratching. Normally if there is any relief work, that is embossing or floral, many times it will show slight bleeding of the base metal.

Many Victorian Art Nouveau and Edwardian pieces of silverplate will almost always show bleeding and sometimes need re-silvering. Re-silvering is frowned upon and is not always recommended by purists, especially when it comes to Georgian and Early Victorian silverplate. Re-silvering of really early pieces, Georgian to Mid-Victorian, can devalue pieces. Generally speaking, "re-silvering" is a personal matter of choice.