Ah, the good old days when it virtually rained silverplate

[kerangoumar]

November 21, 1912
"Good News for Housewives
Manager Church, of the Newcastle Roller Mills informs us that he has a pleasant surprise for the housewives who use White Satin Flour, and that is, beginning on December 1st he will include in each sack of White Satin flour, two coupons, representing a value of 50 cents, upon securing four of these coupons they will be accepted as a dollar in payment on silverware, including teaspoons, dessert spoons, table spoons, knives, forks and in fact everything in the tableware line. The silverware is the Simon L & George H. Rogers Co. A1 plate and the quality is guaranteed. Full particulars how to secure this silverware is given on each coupon. This will be an exceptionally fine opportunity to secure some elegant pieces of tableware at a price you would never dream of. Be sure your next grocery order calls for White Satin flour and watch for the coupons.
The quality of this flour is too well known to need any lauding by us, but you can rest assured that in purchasing White Satin you are guaranteed excellent bread, and besides you are given an exceptional opportunity to secure some great values in silverware."

The mill - like many others - has been converted to a restaurant.

Fifty cents would represent a value today of about $12.50. In 1999 a service of "Debonair" silver plated flatware, for eight, with extra serving pieces, all in a fitted box was sold by a Wisconsin auction house for $15.00. More recently an entire set for eight - with extra spoons and serving pieces and in a hardwood box- sold for $9.99. And the typical IS tableware price at any number of resellers is around $10.00 to $12.00 per fork, knife, spoon - not counting ornate or special items.

SO apart from being in the right place at the right time it would appear that relative value of average silverplated flatware is fairly constant. (though, with the rise of metals prices, it may go up somewhat)

Additionally: the archives of International Silver Co and all its constituent companies are enumerated at http://www.lib.uconn.edu/online/researc ... 00008.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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