Buying Additional Flatware

With the exception of those who buy fully loaded flatware sets, most of us purchase our flatware by buying a basic flatware set.  This might be a four, six or eight place setting starter set.  With silver prices dipping, you might consider purchasing additional pieces as some online retailers have lowered prices.

If you purchased a basic four piece place setting with luncheon size fork and knife, you may wish to purchase the dinner size fork and knife to round out your set.  For example, in the Old Master pattern from Towle, the dinner fork (7 7/8") in recent years has been priced in the $125 range.  Mr. Bowen can find ones for $67 each from online retailers.  Luncheon forks are even cheaper.  These prices are for the gently used non monogram ones, not the new prices from the manufacturer.

The basic place setting contains a salad fork, a luncheon/dinner fork, knife and teaspoon.  For a more formal setting, you might also want to include adding any or all of the following to this basic setting: a dessert fork, a dessert spoon, soup spoon(s) (oval as well as cream soup spoon), a fish fork & knife, and/or a cocktail fork depending upon your typical menu.  Depending on the pattern, their are other varieties as well.  In many flatware patterns, the salad fork doubles as the dessert fork.  With prices depressed, this might be a good time to purchase some additional salad forks for dessert purposes.  Same thing applies for spoons.  Mr. Bowen prefers the oval soup spoon for the dessert spoon rather than a tea spoon.  Salad forks are a plentiful item as opposed to a dinner fork.  One major online dealer lists salad forks in the Old Master pattern for $45 each.  The pricing for oval soup spoons has held firmer relative to the salad forks due to their less than ubiquitous nature.  Tea spoons can be had in the $35 range.

Prices in the online auction arena are even lower.  Salad forks can be obtained in the $30 range in the Old Master pattern.  Other pieces are priced accordingly as well.  These are prices for monogram free pieces.  Unlike holloware pieces, you are not as likely to have pitting or other hidden issues.  Flatware pieces by their nature (thickness, design etc.) tend to be in better condition than holloware pieces over time.  As always with on the online auction arena, buyer beware.