This set of sterling silver salt cellar and pepper shaker were made by Graff, Washbourne, and Dunn of New York City, NY. They were likely made between 1900 and 1930. Salt shakers became popular after 1911, when anti caking agents allowed salt to flow freely. By 1930, salt cellars were rarely made. They are clean and have a beautiful mirror finish and patina. These are very well made and are likely hand chased and decorated. They appear to have been used only rarely through the years and stored well. These are quite rare and a beautiful addition to your holiday table, display cabinet, or collection. They have some very minor dents and scratches expected with age. Please view all pictures for size, weight, and condition.
I have noticed that some people confuse tarnish with patina. The patina is the deep polish created by the silversmith/jeweler. Historically, this was done by first polishing to a mirror finish. Then, the piece was dipped in a solution of "Liver of Sulfur" to darken the finish. A final polish resulted in the recessed areas and edges being darkened and the smooth surfaces to have a deep mirror finish. An aged patina is created by consistent cleaning and hand polishing over the years to remove and prevent tarnish from forming. An aged patina will be darker in the depths of any decorations and still have a mirror finish. Tarnish is the enemy of a nice patina. If tarnish is allowed to remain on the surface, over time, it will etch and pit the surface. Once this occurs, it is nearly impossible to return the mirror finish by hand polishing. Most jewelers will not restore a proper patina. It takes knowledge, experience, proper equipment and significant time to restore the finish without damaging the decorations and hallmarks. Most jewelers have only polished silver rings and they usually use polishing compounds that are too aggressive. They have to charge high fees to cover the time it takes and customers still are not happy. This is where I come in.
I have been polishing large sterling silver objects for over 12 years. I purchased a sterling silver tea set that was heavily tarnished. I took it to a jeweler friend who told me he could not polish it. It was too far gone. After researching and reading several old books on the art of silversmithing, I bought the equipment and supplies I would need to give it a try. After all, the set was only worth scrap prices as it was. I could not really hurt it further. I was able to improve the finish enough that it made me want to try other objects. I kept working on that tea set over the years as my skills improved. Now, it looks almost like the day it was made. I make no attempt to remove deep scratches as this would degrade the piece. I do not aggressively polish decorations. I do my best to return each piece to its original jewelry store beauty and hope to honor the original silversmith in the process.
Sterling silver is a minimum of 92.5% silver mixed usually with copper to create the sterling alloy. The weight is provided to allow the value of silver to be calculated. Even if crushed beyond usability, they are still worth their “melt value”.