Silver Plate & Pewter: Old World Serving Elegance

The Understudy That Deserves the Spotlight

Silver plate and pewter often get treated as the budget-friendly cousins of sterling and brass. But the best vintage examples have a soft, warm glow that solid silver rarely achieves, and they come with a lot less worry about tarnish and upkeep.

Formal Serving Pieces

Our WM. Rogers Victorian Style Oval Silver Plated Serving Tray is a genuine showpiece, with intricate engravings and a generous 23-by-15-inch surface that's equally at home serving a holiday spread or leaning decoratively against a dining room wall.

Pewter's Softer Shine

Pewter has its own distinct character, a slightly darker, more matte finish than silver plate. Our Antique Art Nouveau Pewter Tulip Basket is an early 20th-century piece with floral embossing and a sculpted handle, the kind of detail work that's become increasingly rare as hand-finishing has given way to mass production.

Brass Serving Pieces, Too

Our Vintage Brass Hand-Engraved Oval Serving Platter brings a warmer metal tone into the mix, with a grape and floral motif and a scalloped border. It comes with a wall hook, so it works equally well as a serving piece or hung as art when not in use.

Caring for Silver Plate and Pewter

• Both tarnish more slowly than sterling silver, so upkeep is minimal.
• A soft polishing cloth is usually all that's needed. Avoid abrasive cleaners, which can wear through plating.
• Light surface tarnish actually enhances the engraved details on most vintage pieces, so don't over-polish.