Silverware and antique tableware: how to recognise them before a house clearance
Silver hallmarks, solid silver versus silver plate, manufactured porcelain, crystal: what you need to know before clearing a house or settling an inheritance.
Finding a relative's silverware and antique tableware while clearing a house is a common situation, especially during an inheritance. Canteens of cutlery kept in a case, serving dishes, christening cups, porcelain coffee services, crystal glasses and decanters: these pieces have often passed through several generations without ever being properly identified. Before they're cleared out with the rest of the furniture, it's worth knowing what you're actually looking at.
Not all silverware is the same. There's a fundamental difference between solid silver, identifiable by an official hallmark, and silver plate (sometimes called EPNS or "ruolz"), which is only a thin layer of silver deposited over a base metal. A solid piece and a plated piece can look identical, but their value has nothing in common. That's why a simple check before any clearance prevents you from accidentally throwing out a genuine silver service — or, just as easily, having a batch of plated items valued when they carry no real resale worth.
Antique tableware follows the same logic. A plate, a tureen or a serving dish almost always carries a mark on the underside: the manufacturer's name, a monogram, sometimes a model number or a coloured rim. These marks reveal whether a service comes from a recognised manufacturer or a more ordinary production run. Crystal works the same way: identifiable makers engrave or label their pieces, while unmarked pressed glass remains a simple everyday object.
During an inheritance, it's tempting to pack everything into boxes without distinction, for lack of time or knowledge. Yet this is exactly the moment when interesting pieces can be lost, chipped, or scattered across several boxes bound for a flea market. An incomplete set, a partial canteen or a single standalone piece often still carries interest, provided it's identified before the clearance team arrives.
This guide explains how to recognise a silver hallmark, tell solid silver apart from silver plate, identify a porcelain or crystal manufacturer, and prepare a clear sort before a house clearance in Brussels, Walloon Brabant or Flemish Brabant.
The habit to build before any sorting: check the hallmarks and the marks
A silver hallmark, a manufacturer's mark under a plate or an engraved signature on a crystal glass completely change how a batch should be handled. This check takes only a few minutes and stops you losing what genuinely has value.
Identification
How do you recognise silverware and tableware that has value?
Some things can be checked without any expertise and already give a first impression before calling in a professional. Here's what to look for on silverware, silver hollowware and antique tableware.
The standard mark
In France, the Minerva hallmark (a helmeted head) indicates solid silver: the first standard corresponds to 950‰, the second to 800‰. In Belgium and the Netherlands, antique silver carries other official hallmarks (lion, leopard or date letters) depending on the period and country of manufacture. A complete absence of any hallmark, or a simple inscription such as "silver plate", "EPNS" or "ruolz", signals plated ware rather than solid silver.
The maker's mark
Alongside the standard mark, a small mark (initials, a symbol, a lozenge) identifies the silversmith or workshop that made the piece. Certain French, Belgian or English workshops are sought after by collectors and dealers; others are far more common. This mark, often tiny, is found on the back of cutlery, underneath dishes or inside the feet of mounted pieces.
The weight and magnet test
Solid silver is heavier than silver plate for the same volume, and it isn't magnetic. A magnet that grips a piece almost always points to a base metal underneath the silver layer. This quick test doesn't replace an expert opinion, but it lets you rule out obviously plated items straight away.
Porcelain marks
A plate, cup or tureen generally carries a mark on the underside or the base: a stamp, a monogram, a crown, an anchor or the manufacturer's name. These marks help identify a service's origin and assess whether it comes from a recognised manufacturer or a more common mass-produced range.
Crystal and glassware
Genuine crystal stands out through its weight, the sound it makes when tapped, and sometimes a discreet diamond-point engraved signature on the foot or base. A decanter, glass or vase with no visible mark isn't necessarily worthless, but identification stays far less certain without a visible signature.
The condition and completeness of a service
A complete service, including its serving pieces (tureen, sauce boat, oval platter, vegetable dish), holds more interest than a broken-up set. Cracks, chips, worn gilding or bent cutlery should be flagged: they don't always rule out a resale, but they directly affect how the whole set is valued.
This first visual sort doesn't require any particular skill: it's mainly about observing, turning pieces over and spotting the marks before packing everything away. A complete canteen kept in its original case, with its certificate or purchase receipt, is far easier to identify than a drawer of mixed cutlery from several different services.
It's worth physically separating three categories: the silverware and cutlery carrying an identifiable hallmark, the tableware and crystal bearing a manufacturer's mark, and everything else — common silver plate, everyday tableware, unmarked glassware — which can be cleared without further checking.
Doing this separation ahead of time lets the clearance team work efficiently on the day, while still leaving time to have the pieces flagged as potentially interesting valued separately, before they leave with the rest of the furniture. Our guide on recognising a resellable item covers other useful criteria for this kind of sort.
How do you prepare the sorting of silverware and tableware?
Preparing doesn't mean knowing the exact value of every piece — it mainly means gathering and protecting what deserves checking before the rest of the property is cleared.
Gather every canteen, cutlery case and standalone piece of silverware in one place, even incomplete ones.
Photograph the back of the cutlery and the underside of dishes to capture the hallmarks and maker's marks.
Turn over every piece of tableware and porcelain to spot the manufacturer's mark under the base.
Don't clean silverware with abrasive products before checking it: aggressive polishing can wear away a hallmark that's already faint.
Wrap crystal and fragile porcelain separately, piece by piece, to avoid impacts during sorting and transport.
Keep any cases, boxes, certificates, receipts or original labels still present alongside the matching pieces.
Don't discard mismatched or incomplete pieces before checking: a single piece of cutlery from a recognised silversmith can be worth more than a complete unmarked service.
Group items suspected of having value in a single clearly labelled crate, kept apart from the rest of the clearance.
The best habit is still to photograph every hallmark, mark and signature before the intervention. A sharp close-up photo, taken in daylight, is often enough to tell an official hallmark apart from a simple commercial inscription.
Don't overlook standalone pieces: a single serving dish, an engraved christening cup or a mismatched pair of candlesticks sometimes hold more value than you'd expect, particularly when the silversmith can be identified.
Finally, it pays to stay realistic: most of the silverware and antique tableware kept in households is silver plate or mass-produced porcelain with little market value, even though its sentimental value remains real. Checking is exactly what lets you tell these two categories apart before deciding what goes and what stays. For a wider view, our article on valuable items to spot in a house clearance also covers jewellery, watches and paintings.
What affects the value of silverware and antique tableware
The nature of the metal remains the main factor: solid silver is weighed and valued according to its weight and standard, while silver plate only carries a usage or decorative value. A complete solid silver service, with its serving pieces, holds a very different interest from a batch of plated cutlery, even when the two look alike.
For porcelain and crystal, the original manufacturer, the rarity of the pattern and the completeness of the service matter more than age alone. An old but common service is often worth less than a more recent one from a recognised manufacturer, in good condition and complete.
Overall condition remains decisive: cracks, chips, worn gilding, bent cutlery or repaired pieces sharply reduce the interest, even for an otherwise well-identified piece. Conversely, an original case, a receipt or a manufacturing certificate reinforce confidence and, with it, the perceived value.
As with the rest of the furniture, a reliable clearance quote takes these elements into account once they're flagged: showing hallmarks and marks in photos, rather than a general view of the sideboard, allows for a fairer assessment before the intervention. If the sideboard or dresser holding these pieces is itself an antique, our guide on valuing antique furniture may also help.
See our pricesAn intervention that respects fragile silverware and tableware
Macha Vide Maison takes the time to spot silverware, silver hollowware and porcelain before clearing a property: identified pieces are set aside, carefully wrapped, and never mixed in with the rest of the clearance.
Common mistakes with silverware and antique tableware
These objects are often misjudged, in both directions. Here are the most common mistakes during a clearance or an inheritance.
Confusing solid silver with silver plate simply because both shine the same way once polished.
Cleaning silverware with an abrasive product or a metal brush before checking the hallmark, risking wearing it away.
Throwing out an incomplete or mismatched canteen on the assumption that a partial service no longer has any interest.
Splitting the cutlery from a single service across several boxes without grouping it, which makes later identification much harder.
Ignoring a standalone piece — a cup, a tray, a sugar caster, a condiment set — simply because it's on its own and not part of a complete service.
Assuming all antique tableware has value purely because of its age, without checking the manufacturer or the condition.
Packing fragile crystal and porcelain loose among furniture boxes, risking breakage of pieces that were never valued.
Relying only on a piece's visual appearance without ever turning it over to check for a mark or hallmark.
Having a plated piece valued in the hope of a solid-silver price, or conversely overlooking a solid piece for lack of checking.
Emptying a sideboard or dresser entirely into the same boxes as the rest of the clearance, without any prior sorting step.
Checklist before having silverware and tableware valued
This checklist helps prepare a clear sort before the intervention and stops an interesting piece leaving with the rest of the clearance.
Every canteen, case and standalone piece of cutlery gathered in one place.
Sharp photos of the back of the cutlery and the underside of dishes, taken in daylight.
Tableware and porcelain turned over to check the manufacturer's mark under the base.
Glasses, decanters and crystal items examined for a possible engraved signature.
Cracked, chipped or repaired pieces flagged separately.
Cases, certificates, receipts or original labels kept with the matching pieces.
Silverware not cleaned with an abrasive product before the hallmark has been checked.
Crystal and fragile porcelain wrapped piece by piece, kept apart from the rest of the furniture.
Standalone or mismatched pieces identified rather than cleared out on reflex.
A single clearly labelled crate or box grouping the items suspected of having value.
Photos sent before the team's visit for a first opinion.
Contact details of the person approving what goes and what stays.
What photos should you send for silverware and tableware?
Send an overall photo of each service or canteen, followed by sharp close-ups of the hallmark on the back of the cutlery, the mark underneath dishes and plates, and any engraved signature on crystal. A photo taken in natural light, without direct flash, makes it easier to make out the details of a hallmark that's often tiny.
Also note the general condition: missing pieces, cracks, worn gilding or bent cutlery. This information, together with photos of the marks, allows for a more reliable first impression before the team's visit.
Send photosFAQ
Frequently asked questions about silverware and antique tableware
How do you know if cutlery is solid silver or silver plate?
Look for an official hallmark on the back of the handle: a helmeted head (Minerva) in France, or other official hallmarks depending on the country and period. The absence of a hallmark, or a mention of "silver plate", "EPNS" or "ruolz", points to plated ware. The magnet test and the weight of the piece give a first indication, but they don't replace reading the hallmark.
Does a mismatched dinner service still have value?
Yes, in some cases. A standalone piece from a recognised manufacturer can hold more interest than a complete unmarked service. Value mainly depends on origin, condition and actual demand for that specific pattern, not just how complete the set is.
Should you clean silverware before having it valued?
No, it's better to avoid abrasive cleaning before checking it: this can wear away a hallmark that's already faint. A simple wipe is enough to allow a first reading of the marks.
How do you recognise a porcelain manufacturer under a plate?
Most pieces carry a mark on the underside or the base: a stamp, a crown, an anchor, a monogram or the manufacturer's name. This mark, sometimes together with a model number, helps identify the origin of the service.
Is crystal easy to recognise?
Genuine crystal is generally heavier and rings more clearly than ordinary glass when tapped, and sometimes carries a discreet diamond-point engraved signature on the foot or base. Without a signature, identification stays less certain without an expert opinion.
What should you do with a standalone cup or piece of silverware, without a complete service?
Don't clear it out on reflex. A standalone piece that's engraved, old, or signed by an identifiable silversmith can hold interest in its own right, regardless of whether a complete service exists.
Can cracked or incomplete pieces still be taken?
It depends on the nature of the piece. Solid silverware keeps a value tied to the metal even when damaged, whereas cracked porcelain or chipped crystal loses most of its resale interest, except for a rare piece.
Can you get a first opinion using only photos?
Yes, as long as the photos clearly show the hallmarks, the manufacturer's marks and the general condition of the pieces. This allows for a first opinion before deciding what's cleared out with the rest of the property.
Areas we serve
Working in Brussels, Walloon Brabant and Flemish Brabant
Macha Vide Maison works in and around Brussels for house clearances, general clearance work, inheritances, and sorting items such as silverware, antique tableware, porcelain and crystal before removal.
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Do you have silverware or antique tableware to sort before a house clearance?
Send photos of the hallmarks, the marks and any complete services. We'll give you a first opinion before clearing the rest of the property.