**With Frontispiece And Ninety-Nine Full-Page Illustrations

Together With Illustrated Tables Of Marks**

The study of old silver usually begins when the inquiring possessor of family plate sets himself the task of ascertaining the date and the probable value of some piece long in his family and possibly lately bequeathed to him.

In dealing with the subject of old silver in a volume of this size sufficient details have been given to enable the collector to identify his silver if it be in the main stream of silversmiths’ work. On the whole, except where it is necessary in certain fields to illustrate the only examples, sumptuous specimens have been avoided in the illustrations as being outside the scope of this volume and the public to whom it is intended to appeal.

The excellence of a piece of plate is governed by the same laws which control all other branches of decorative art.

It is, therefore, my hope that this volume will stand as an authoritative outline history of the subject of which it treats, that it may point the way to possessors of old silver to arrive at sound conclusions as to their heirlooms, and that it may indicate to collectors the salient features of their hobby.