Hi, Steemit friends!
I just bought this set at an e-auction at Blomqvist: Norway’s biggest auction house:
The item is Victorian antique silver made by Joseph & Albert Savory (London, 1838-39).
I bought it at about 1400 dollar. I find that a bargain considering that the items are sterling silver with total 2,25 kg of silver (1200 USD worth of silver).
Modified from different internet sources (Pushkin Antiques, Guide to Victorian antique silver:
In the Victorian Era (1837-1901) silver was much more valued than today, and large silver tables services was an essential requirement for aristocratic and emerging middle-class families.
Buying silver antiques have some interesting investment aspects. It is out of fashion (at least in Norway) so you can pick them up at a reasonable price with not that high premium above spot. Bullions have a somewhat artificial scarcity, that can easily be replicated by just change the design and make another series.
Silver antiques have a natural scarcity of being very old, that cannot be replicated.
Thus, silver antiques offer both a bet on the silver price and the antique market. As a libertarian, I find it appealing that there are not any capital gain taxes paid on antiques (as with wine and art) in Norway.
And they are nice to look at too. Tea anyone?