Nelson & Nelson Antiques

Storage Tips To Extend the Life of Your Tiffany Antiques

February 27, 2023 10:59 am

Since 1851, Tiffany and Co. has been a silver industry paragon. Their high-quality pieces and standard .925 sterling silver are well deserving of their illustrious reputation. You may instantly think of Tiffany jewelry when you hear the brand’s name, but they continue to produce many silver pieces as the years progress, from dinnerware to tea sets to candlesticks.

If you’re a collector of stunning antique pieces, you can’t go wrong with adding a few Tiffany silver pieces to your collection. They truly do age beautifully. Follow these storage tips to extend the life of your Tiffany antiques and keep them in excellent condition.

Make Sure It’s Dry

Your storage container or unit and the silver itself must be completely dry before you pack it away. If you live in a humid climate, place a package of desiccant crystals in storage with your silver. These packets will remove excess moisture from the air and effectively protect your silver.

Use Proper Storage Solutions

It’s best to store your Tiffany antiques properly to extend their lives. Avoid excessive exposure to air, and store your silver in silver cloth bags, pouches, or storage boxes to prevent tarnishing. A quality silver storage box has tarnish-proof cloth lining to keep your silver in the best possible condition.

Avoid Rubber

Many don’t know that rubber contains sulfur—a type of oxygen chemical—meaning that an item as incongruous as a rubber band could cause corrosion and tarnishing. With that said, make sure there are no rubber items coming in contact with your silver while in storage.

Store your Antique Tiffany silver properly to retain its value and help it stay in high-quality condition. Following these helpful tips will keep your silver looking beautiful and make it less likely to tarnish.

4 Tips To Help You Estimate the Value of Your Antiques

February 27, 2023 10:58 am

Antiques

Selling antiques can be a lucrative hobby—if you know how much to ask for. Here are four tips to help you estimate the value of your antiques.

Research What You Own

Before you can price it, you’ll need to know exactly what you own. Any heirlooms or handed-down items from older relatives are good places to start. Antiques can take many forms, such as silver, glassware, furniture, and clothing. First, you will need to inventory the items you think might be antiques. Then, do some research to learn what these items are made of and when they were manufactured.

Learn About Origins

Learning about where an item was originally purchased is another tip to help you estimate the value of your antiques, as it can help date and value a piece. How long has the item been in your family? Did your great-grandmother purchase it from a shop, or did a family member craft it generations ago? This information will be incredibly useful to help a professional value your item correctly.

Be Cautious With Restorations

Only professionals should restore your antiques, and they should only do so when absolutely necessary. Although you may think that restoring the item would make it more valuable, the truth can be the opposite. A poorly done restoration can destroy the quality of an item, and with it, all monetary and historical value.

Because of this, you should only trust expert restorers who have extensive knowledge and mastery of traditional materials and methods. Furthermore, you should only get these restorations if your antique’s damage is beyond minor. Many antique collectors prefer items as close to the original condition as possible and are willing to pay more for an authentic piece.

Work With a Professional Appraiser

All the information you have gathered will help a professional appraiser accurately value your item. This is an essential step—do not register your item with insurance or attempt to sell it without first consulting a reputable professional. Otherwise, you risk severely undervaluing your item. Tell an appraiser everything you know about the antique’s composition, origin, and restoration status, and they will be able to accurately value your item.

If you have followed all these steps and are interested in selling your antiques, choose a reputable antique dealer to sell to. If you are in the market to sell sterling silver, Nelson and Nelson Antiques is proud to offer fair prices and great service to all our customers.

Three Ways the Cold Can Affect Your Antiques

February 1, 2023 9:43 am

Antiques

Part of caring for your antiques properly includes storing them in a safe environment. This ensures they will not be damaged by sun, water, or temperature changes. If you store antique items in a non-temperature-controlled storage space, they can become damaged. Here are three ways that the cold can affect your antiques.

Warped or Cracked Wood

Wood contains a certain amount of water molecules that remain from the wood’s time as a living organism. Now, that water remains within your beautiful antique furniture.

This means leaving wood furniture in extremely cold environments can cause the wood to expand and contract with fluctuations in temperature. This can result in cracks or warps in the wood. It is best to keep your wood furniture in a temperature-controlled environment to avoid the unfortunate circumstance of opening your storage unit to find it damaged.

Damaged Clocks

If you own antique watches or clocks, you need to be aware of yet another way the cold can affect your antiques. Most watches will keep running smoothly so long as they operate within an ideal range of temperatures. Temperatures outside of this ideal range can cause the watch to display an improper time and can damage the watch’s mechanisms.

Lower temperatures can result in watches gaining time due to a shift in the watch’s mechanics. Many of the oils used to keep a watch running smoothly are also affected by cold weather. In extreme cases, the oil can freeze, stopping the clock and possibly damaging the gears in the process.

Brittle Artwork

Antique fine art is very temperature sensitive. While many people know that heat can fade ink, they may not be aware that cold can also damage artwork. Frigid weather can cause canvas to become brittle and can solidify ink. Damage to the artwork’s materials can result in damage to the piece itself in the form of flaking or warping.

It’s best not to keep any antiques in unprotected environments, even items that may seem more durable, such as antique sterling silver. Even packing one temperature-sensitive item into a box with other antiques could cause irreparable damage. It’s best to simply choose a temperature-controlled storage option for all your antiques.

What Is the Difference Between Vintage and Antique Items?

January 13, 2023 10:39 am

Antiques

While some people use the terms “vintage” and “antique” interchangeably, the two have distinct definitions. People often confuse the two—after all, both terms describe an item based on its age. They are easy to mix up.

Read on to learn the difference between antique and vintage items and keep yourself from making this common mistake.

What Are Antiques?

In short, antiques are items that are 100 years old or older. Even fragile items like glassware must hit the 100-year mark to count as antiques. However, if an item is older than 300 years, it is antiquity.

What Are Vintage Items?

The term “vintage” means “of age.” Because of this, the age range of what we deem vintage is a bit less strict. Most commonly, however, vintage items are at least 40 years old or older.

Other Commonly Confused Terms

Collectors use many other terms to date items commonly confused by individuals who are not collectors. Here are a few and their definitions:

Classic: “Classic” often describes items that are 20 years old or older. This terminology is common in conversations regarding cars or music rather than furniture. For example, many people are familiar with “classic rock” or “classic sports cars.”

Retro: “Retro” is common in the fashion industry, though the term also describes furniture, decor items, and even toys. “Retro” describes items not old enough to have the term “vintage” or even to describe newer items. Retro can also describe new items inspired by old trends.

For example, we call a new pair of pants manufactured to emulate 90’s fashion “retro.”

So, now you know the difference between vintage and antique items. Collecting antique and vintage goods is a great hobby for anyone, no matter their age or antiquing knowledge. If you’re looking for a good place to start, check out Nelson and Nelson Antiques. We are reputable antique silver dealers who offer one-of-a-kind pieces and other great vintage options.

What Makes Tiffany Silver Antiques Different?

December 20, 2022 11:37 am

Antiques : Decorative Art : Metals : Silver

When I say the word Tiffany, what comes to mind? Teal boxes, sterling silver, and gorgeous jewelry? These things are all synonymous with the incredible store in New York City.

Antique collectors have been in love with Tiffany pieces for decades. These pieces stand the test of time, but what makes Tiffany silver antiques different from the others? Continue reading to find out.

A Little About Tiffany & Co

Charles Lewis Tiffany and his partner J.B. Young founded Tiffany & Young in 1838. It was a fancy goods store located on Broadway in Manhattan, New York City. The store was quickly successful, and in 1841, Ellis, another partner, joined.

Charles Lewis Tiffany gained sole control in 1853 and renamed the company Tiffany & Co, a name it’s kept ever since. Mr. Tiffany began to develop the identity of Tiffany & Co and soon became the King of Diamonds. The purchase of the Tiffany diamond came in 1878, which was a canary yellow diamond weighing in at a whopping 128.54 carats.

The store stayed relevant and popular throughout the 1900s. It moved to its current location on Fifth Avenue in 1940.

The Tiffany & Co Legacy

Tiffany & Co has always been the undoubted leader in sterling silver. They’ve set the standard for American silver, only offering the finest products, including accessories and home objects. People know they’re receiving a quality piece when they purchase a Tiffany antique.

So, what makes Tiffany silver antiques different? Tiffany & Co silver represents the highest standard of craftsmanship and quality. Top silversmiths crafted these antique pieces, which feature beautiful, intricate designs. Tiffany & Co’s antique sterling silver defines the art of contemporary decorating and entertaining.

Collecting Tiffany & Co Sterling Silver

Collectors love adding sterling silver Tiffany antiques to their collections. For some, these are the only products they want. To ensure you get an authentic Tiffany & Co silver piece, look for the AG925 stamp. This mark symbolizes the silver’s .925 purity.

When you purchase an authentic Tiffany antique, you invest in the highest quality antiques possible. These are the pieces you pass on for generations. They’ll last for decades and continue beautifully decorating dining room tables, entryways, and kitchens, never going out of style.

Nelson & Nelson has a wonderful collection of Tiffany & Co silver. Feel free to stop by our store or shop online to view our selection. When you purchase from Nelson & Nelson, you can trust your antique items are authentic.

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