Alright, let’s talk about this here International Silver Company tea set thing. I ain’t no fancy expert, ya know, just tellin’ ya what I know from seein’ things and hearin’ folks talk.

Now, these tea sets, they been around for a good while, I reckon. Some folks say they’s real old, like from way back when. They got all sorts of different pieces, like them pots for the tea and coffee, and little sugar bowls and creamers. Some even got fancy trays to carry it all on. I seen pictures, they look real nice, all shiny and whatnot.

You wanna know how much they worth, huh? Well, that’s a whole ‘nother story. It ain’t just one price fits all, ya see. It’s like them cows, some’s worth more than others. Depends on how old it is, what it’s made of, and if it’s all beat up or still lookin’ pretty. If it’s real silver, not just that plated stuff, then it’s gonna be worth more, that’s for sure. I heard tell there’s ways to tell the difference, lookin’ for little marks and stamps. But I ain’t never paid too much attention to that, too much trouble for this old gal.

I heard some folks call ’em “vintage” or “antique.” Fancy words, if you ask me. Means they’re old, basically. And sometimes, old things is worth somethin’. Especially if they’s in good shape, like they ain’t been used much. Or if they got some special design, like them daffodil ones I seen a picture of once, them was real pretty.

You can find these tea sets in all sorts of places, I reckon. Antique stores, maybe even them online places like eBay. I heard they got a whole bunch of stuff on there. Just gotta be careful, ya know, make sure you ain’t gettin’ ripped off. Some folks try to sell ya somethin’ for more than it’s worth, that’s the way of the world.

Now, some of these sets, they got names, like “Modernist Orchid.” Sounds fancy, don’t it? And they got numbers on ’em too, like C322 or somethin’. I guess that helps folks know what they’re gettin’. But me, I just like lookin’ at the pictures. They sure are somethin’ to see.

• How to tell if it’s real silver? Well, like I said, there’s marks and stamps, but you gotta know what you’re lookin’ for. Maybe ask someone who knows more than me. I just know what shines and what don’t.
• Can you drink hot tea from it? Sure you can. Why not? It’s a tea set, ain’t it? Just be careful, it might get hot. Silver, it gets hot fast, I hear.

So, if you’re lookin’ to buy or sell one of these International Silver Company tea sets, you gotta do your homework. Figure out what you got, how old it is, and what it’s worth. And don’t let nobody fool ya. There’s plenty of folks out there who know more about this stuff than me. I just know what I see and what I hear. And I’ve seen enough to know these tea sets can be real pretty, and sometimes real valuable.

And let me tell you somethin’ else, there are folks who spend their days lookin’ at these things, fixin’ ’em up, figurin’ out where they came from. There’s even whole groups of ’em online, talkin’ about silver and hallmarks and all that. They got forums, I heard, where they share what they know. So if you really wanna learn, maybe go find one of them groups. They’ll set you straight.

But remember, at the end of the day, it’s just a tea set. Pretty to look at, maybe, useful for drinkin’ tea, sure. But don’t let it run your life. There’s more important things, like family and friends and a good cup of tea. Even if it ain’t from no fancy silver set.

Now if you’ll excuse me I gotta go chase these chickens out of my garden, they’re always gettin’ into trouble.

Tags: [International Silver Company, Tea Set, Vintage, Antique, Silver Plated, Sterling Silver, Coffee Pot, Teapot, Sugar Bowl, Creamer, Tray, Hallmark, Value, Price, eBay, Collectible]