1945 is hardly antique. Polishing silver correctly certainly does not affect the value. Polishing silver incorrectly could have tremendous impact on value. The Waldorf Astoria pattern was produced by International Silver Co and is usually silverplate. Sterling would be rare. If the 1945 is on the bottom of the tray, it is probably a design number and not a date.

Wow! 1949, boy am glad I wasn’t around those [URL removed] Thats a long time [URL removed]

There are several dip methods of polishing silver which will maintain its value. The best people to ask about that is an antique restoration and cleaning company.

No! I heard this somewhere, that you shouldn’t polish them. However, I know that polished they looked more appealing. I would contact an local antique dealer and ask.

Thank you

I would think you could call it “vintage”. “collectible” is used so much these days, for antiques, vintage and modern stuff.

For eg, Budweiser steins made a couple decades ago are vintage, but one made last year is a collectible, I presume because folks collect them and it’ll be worth something some day….okay, that could be true for many things, but you get my drift?

I’d like to know what makes an ‘antique’? Is there an age cutoff? Good ? for a different thread, but while we’re on the subject…

For a lot of things that I have seen, the cut off for being called antique seems to be at about 30 years old. Luckily, this applies to products and not people (unless you ask a teenager or someone younger). Personally, I think that is something of a technicality and a better definition is anything 30 years older than you are. Otherwise the toys I got as a young child would be antique and that’s just a little too depressing to think about.

As for the original question about polishing the silver, I’ve seen that go either way frankly. If it was furniture, that would be easy. Don’t touch it. Unless it is about to collapse under its own weight, don’t touch it. With silver, it would be probably safer not to polish it. While it will present better polished, if someone cares about the original patina, you will loose the sale. If it is not polished, the buyer can always acquire a $3 polishing cloth.

I wouldn’t touch it. Explain in your listing that you don’t want to polish it because you want to sell it in it’s present condition. If they would like to polish it, it’s their call.