Sterling Silver Menu Clips
These sterling silver menu clips bring charm to the dining table, combining practical function with delightful miniature sculpture.
Sterling Silver Menu Clips
Sterling silver menu clips are small table accessories designed to hold dining menus and place cards upright during formal meals. The selection here spans the Edwardian era through to the nineteen thirties, encompassing both simple forms and elaborate novelties.
Novelty pieces dominate the available range, depicting animals, birds, and literary characters such as owls, swans, monkeys, and figures from Alice in Wonderland and Robin Hood. Buyers will also encounter military interest items, including Royal Air Force pieces alongside general tableware accessories.
What varies in quality
The reputation of the silversmith and the completeness of matching sets or original boxed presentations elevate certain examples above standard utilitarian pieces. Enamel work, where present, requires smooth application and intact surfaces to maintain visual appeal.
Sterling Silver Menu Clips Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for sterling silver menu clips among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Several silver monkeys and owls stand ready to guard the evening dining choices from curious guests.
Levi & Salaman·A. Wilcox·Grey & Co.·Sampson Mordan·Asprey
The Sterling Silver Menu Clips Glossary
- Hallmark
- Official marks stamped into precious metals to indicate the standard of silver, the assay office, and the date of manufacture. These small stamps are essential for dating and attributing pieces correctly.
- Guilloche enamel
- A decorative technique where transparent enamel is layered over engine-turned metalwork to create geometric patterns with depth. It appears on select colourful pieces.
- Novelty piece
- An object made in an amusing or unusual shape, departing from standard utilitarian design. In this category, novelty clips take the form of animals and fictional characters.
Sterling Silver Menu Clips: Frequently Asked Questions
What are sterling silver menu clips used for?
These pieces hold paper menus and place cards upright on dining tables during formal dinners and banquets.
They allow guests to easily view the courses while adding a decorative sculptural element to the table setting.
How do I date an antique menu clip?
Dating relies on reading the assay office hallmarks stamped directly onto the silver surface.
These marks include specific date letters that correspond to the active registration years of the silversmith or maker.
Are these menu clips sold as pairs or sets?
The pieces appear both as individual items and as matched pairs or larger sets of four.
Larger sets, particularly those in fitted presentation boxes, were typically produced for grander dining occasions.
How should I clean silver menu clips?
Careful maintenance involves using a soft cloth and a gentle silver polish to remove tarnish without wearing down fine details.
Enamelled or fitted pieces require extra caution to keep cleaning agents away from delicate surfaces and historical linings.