What is the difference between weighted sterling and sterling silver?
I have a pair of silver candlesticks from my aunt marked “weighted.” A: To keep a candlestick from falling over, some modern makers “weight” it. The candlestick is made of silver-sterling or plated – and the base is filled with a heavy plasterlike material. The bottom is then covered with a thin layer of silver. The finished candlestick is heavy and might be marked “sterling silver,” “silver plate” or “weighted.” Part of the price of a silver candlestick is based on the “meltdown” value, the dollar value of the silver content. An antique candlestick will be judged primarily on its look and the fame of the maker. Damaged or insignificant candlesticks are priced primarily by meltdown value. Q: We have my husband’s grandmother’s four-piece oak bedroom set, made by the White Furniture Co. of Mebane, N.C. My husband’s grandmother was married about 1883 and died in 1944. The bedroom set is in an Early American style. Can you estimate when the set was made? A: White Furniture Co. was founded
