Vintage Napkin Clips
These vintage napkin clips combine practical dining table utility with the enduring shine of sterling silver from periods spanning the Victorian era to the Art Deco decades.
Vintage Napkin Clips
Vintage napkin clips are functional table accessories designed to secure napkins during meals, appearing in forms such as individual clips, boxed sets of rings, and novelty shapes.
The versions most likely to be met on this page range from Victorian and Edwardian silver clips to George V and Art Deco sterling silver rings and novelty designs.
Makers and designers from these eras produced both simple utilitarian pieces and more elaborate decorated examples featuring gemstones or specific equestrian motifs.
How they were made
Pieces on this page are made predominantly from solid sterling silver or silver gilt, often combined with natural stones like citrine and agate, or paired with enamel work.
Presentation sets frequently involved fitted cases lined with materials such as velvet, satin, silk, and leatherette to protect the polished metal surfaces.
Vintage Napkin Clips Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for vintage napkin 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.
Listings feature sterling silver napkin items from the Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco periods, incorporating citrine, agate, and enamel.
What varies in quality
The standard of a piece depends on the weight and thickness of the silver used, alongside the precision of any decorative engraving or specialised guilloche enamel work.
Detailing in novelty forms, such as realistic horseshoe or stirrup shapes, separates standard production from finer craftsmanship, while original fitted presentation cases add notable context.
David Andersen
The Vintage Napkin Clips Glossary
- Sterling silver
- A silver alloy containing 92.5 percent pure silver and 7.5 percent other metals, usually copper, chosen for durability in tableware.
- Guilloche enamel
- A decorative technique where intricate geometric patterns are mechanically engraved beneath translucent enamel layers.
- Silver gilt
- Silver objects that have been coated with a thin layer of gold over the exterior surface.
- Equestrian novelty
- Tableware shaped to mimic riding equipment such as horseshoes and stirrups, popular during the early twentieth century.
Vintage Napkin Clips: Frequently Asked Questions
What are vintage napkin clips used for?
These clips secure dining napkins in place during meals, keeping them neatly attached to clothing or table linens.
They serve both a practical function at the dining table and act as decorative silver accessories from the early twentieth century and earlier.
How do I date a silver napkin clip?
Dating relies on identifying official silver hallmarks, assay office marks, and date letters stamped directly onto the metal.
Stylistic cues such as Victorian ornamentation, Edwardian shield shapes, or geometric Art Deco lines also indicate the period of manufacture.
Are napkin clips different from napkin rings?
Napkin clips typically feature a spring-loaded mechanism or specific clasp designed to grip a fabric napkin directly.
Napkin rings form a solid loop or band through which the folded napkin is simply slid for storage at the table.
How should I clean sterling silver napkin clips?
Regular polishing with a soft microfiber cloth and a mild, non-abrasive silver cleaner helps maintain the bright finish of the metal.
Special care must be taken around inset stones like citrine and agate, or delicate guilloche enamel, to avoid harsh chemicals.