For a lot of us, silver is simply a space-taker that you’re likely to find in your grandmother’s display cupboard. The image of silver being a dated luxury that serves no use today couldn’t be further from the truth, however. Today, we’ll take a look at 5 pieces of silver that have a modern use; you might be surprised by how practical silver can be in the modern world.
Tea Sets for Modern Day Use
The silver tea set is a great example because it’s one of the ones you’re most likely to inherit from a family member at some point in time. It is a well-established fact in the world of antique silverware that the purity of silver makes things taste better.
Silver teapots might be the ultimate game-changer when it comes to have that much-loved cup of tea. A silver tea set can make for a nice piece of kitchen décor when not in use as well. The various paraphernalia involved in a tea set also retain a fair amount of use.
Tea caddies, for example, had the original purpose of holding tea. This was in a time where tea was very expensive in the Western world, and so many tea caddies have working locks – protecting your tea was essential. Tea caddies can be used to day for teabag storage just as much as they could be used for keeping secret treasures safe.
Photo Frames for Modern Day Use
Keeping pictures of our loved ones close has been human practise for as long as we’ve been creating images of one another. As photography developed and the middle classes grew, it became commonplace for many people to have pictures of their families in sterling silver frames.
You might even have some family members who still keep the very important pictures in a silver frame. One of the most popular modern uses of the silver photo frame today is for keeping baby pictures in. Babies and silver have been linked in the West for several centuries, most likely because both are regarded as being very pure.
There are some particularly practical silver photo frames for the modern world like travel frames. These are frames that fold up, making it easy to keep your loved ones close. Some of these travel frames have four or more panels for keeping pictures that all fold in on one another to create a neat square.
Candlesticks for Modern Day Use
This is easily one of the best types of antique silver with a modern use that you could hope to find. Candlelight was obviously once the norm – to the extent that more well-off families would have a full-time staff member whose job was purely to manage and maintain the candles in the house.
Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about this level of up-keep anymore and candles are more of a decorative choice than a necessity. That being said, silver candlesticks are a fantastic decorative choice for you. Because candlelight was such an essential, there’s a stunning range of styles and sizes when it comes to candlesticks.
Chamber candles – designed for the bedroom – tend to be smaller and more delicate in their appearance. Today, they’d be the perfect candlestick for your own romantic bedroom setting, or a nice addition to the living room. For the dining room, a pair of candlesticks are one way to dress up the room. Again, the number of styles available for candlesticks of this size is somewhat staggering, so no matter what your taste, you’re sure to find something you like.
Jewellery Boxes for Modern Day Use
There are a lot of different kinds of antique silver box, but the jewellery box is quite possibly the one with the most practical modern use. Jewellery styles may change, but the common use of jewellery has been the same for as long as humans have existed.
Even if you have no intention to use it for storing jewellery, a silver jewellery box is practical decoration that can serve a purpose all over the home. Similar to the candlesticks, jewellery boxes are made in a huge range of styles, from the typically Victorian aesthetics with highly ornate decoration to the more stripped-back styles found in the Art Deco period.
A silver jewellery box makes for an excellent gift, too. People of all ages can appreciate the beauty of the piece itself, and can store all manner of precious keepsakes inside. If you want to make a silver jewellery box an extra special gift, you can put a selection of goodies inside that remind you of the recipient.
Jugs for Modern Day Use
Throughout time, jugs have been a useful tool to humanity. Silver jugs are no different. During the Victorian era in particular, there were jugs created for myriad purposes. Today, they’re just as useful as they were then.
Claret jugs are beautiful decorative pieces that can be used to hold water, wine, or any kind of cold beverage. Equally, they are beautiful when left empty, and can command attention in any space.
Another type of jug that should be welcome in anyone’s home is the cream jug. There are a lot of playful interpretations of the cream jug that can be appreciated by anyone today. Cow-shaped cream jugs, where the user lifts the cow by the tail and cream pours out of its mouth, are an enduringly popular design style. Antique silver examples of this style take the quaintness to a much higher level.
The days of silver being ‘old-fashioned’ are over, and it’s time to embrace the fact that silver still serves a modern purpose today. Which type of silver can you see yourself making use of these days?
