Silver Plated Flatware & Vintage French Silverware

Silver plated flatware sets & French ménagères

A set of silver plated flatware brings a pattern together as a ménagère. Start with a piece-by-piece count and choose the combination of forks, spoons and knives your table needs.

Count every piece by type rather than relying on a total. Compare patterns, lengths and marks across the set. Ask about plate wear on spoon bowls and fork backs, and about replacement knives or later additions. A fitted box is useful, but its presence alone does not date the contents.

Vintage silverplate flatware: Christofle & Ercuis

When comparing vintage silverplate flatware, maker’s marks help you go beyond a familiar-looking pattern. Photograph complete marks and compare like with like.

A name is the beginning of an identification, not the end. Check the exact mark, the pattern and the construction of the piece. For Christofle, the maker’s own hallmark archive is a useful first reference. Lo Cantou distinguishes documented identification from an attribution that remains uncertain.

Vintage silverware: table knives & servers

A serving spoon, ladle or pair of salad servers is an easy starting point for vintage silverware. Silver plated silverware does not have to match every other piece on your table.

Look at handle joints, blade condition and the surfaces that contact food. Mixed materials need individual care. For sets of knives, ask whether blades and handles are original to one another and whether any joints feel loose.

What to check before choosing silverware

Request an itemized count by utensil type, pattern and length. Compare marks across the set and ask for close-ups of plate wear, knife blades and handle joints.

Explore our approach to provenance, then read how Lo Cantou plans packing and delivery to the US.

Further reading: Christofle’s hallmark archive.