Downton Abbey Inspired: Sterling Silver

I have been watching "Downton Abbey", and  am in love with the era, the decor, the fashion, the characters and of course "tea time" with the Sterling  Silver serving pieces.

Why can't we bring some of that into our homes?

We can!  Especially when we know where to look...



First of all, what is"sterling silver"?

 

By definition and international agreement "sterling" silver is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% some other material - usually copper. The 92.5% is why jewelry is often stamped with the numbers 925 or .925.
Pure silver is a very soft metal. It can bend or break easily. Adding another, more durable, metal to the mix ensures that your silver jewelry will last a lot longer, and look a lot nicer down the road. So really, sterling silver - although not pure - is usually the better option when choosing jewelry.

It is quite a process to test for real silver, if the "925" is not engraved on the object.  One easy way to tell, is by using a magnet.  Silver is NOT magnetic.  There are also silver polish testing kits. Whether you purchase real silver, silver plated or fake silver, it is all very pretty!

Where to buy sterling silver at prices you can afford?

I found all of the above pieces at Goodwill and second hand stores.

(All but one of my pieces is sterling silver plated)

The highest I paid for an item was $5 (the platter) and the cheapest - $2 (for the goblet).

I can't promise that you'll find items at those prices....but it is amazing what people will get rid of. "One man's trash is another man's treasure." - in this case "woman".

I seem to find a piece every few months for sell.  I just keep going back to the stores until I find a piece I like.  I am still on the look-out for a sterling silver tea pot. 

 

 

I prefer to leave my silver tarnished for an antiqued look.  But if you would like to polish your silver, like on Downton Abbey, there are several products for sell, as well as information on the web.

 



Now, I don't have a fancy house, in fact, I try to keep it simple.  But I believe in decorating and using  items you love, and I love the silver.  Therefore my house represents who I am.  So don't worry that the silver looks too fancy or out of date, it will work.

I am using my silver sterling dishes on my coffee/tea bar.  I display them with my green milk glass and my green depression glass.  I use my little serving spoons in the "Treble Clef" pattern that I bought recently from Amazon.  An "ecclectic" display...but it works.

Don't worry about having the perfect place to display your silver, if you love it, use it! 

It will make you feel special....and you can day dream of tea with the Crawley's!

Keep Calm and Kerri On!