Paul Revere Silver with Documented Provenance

Quick Value Summary

Form	Condition	Estimated Value
Tablespoon	Good provenance, typical wear	$7,000 - $15,000
Tablespoon	Exceptional provenance, fine condition	$15,000 - $32,500
Cann (small cup)	Good condition, documented history	$40,000 - $100,000
Teapot or coffee pot	With provenance	$100,000 - $500,000+
Pitcher	Documented family descent	$80,000 - $130,000+
Sugar tongs	Typical condition	$5,000 - $12,000

Values based on Heritage Auctions, Weiss Auctions, Doyle, and other major auction house results (2021-2024). Provenance can double or triple these figures.

A National Treasure in Silver

When a piece of Paul Revere silver comes to auction with a clean chain of ownership stretching back to colonial Boston, it represents something rare in the antiques world: a direct, physical connection to the founding of the United States. These are not reproductions or later tributes. They are objects made by the hands of a man who organized the intelligence network that warned of British troop movements, who participated in the Boston Tea Party, and who rode through the Massachusetts countryside on the night of April 18, 1775. That personal history is baked into every piece of silver that bears his mark, and it is the single biggest reason why his work commands prices that other colonial silversmiths can only dream of.

The Man Behind the Mark

Before Paul Revere became synonymous with a midnight horse ride, he was one of colonial Boston's finest silversmiths. Born in 1735, Revere learned the trade from his father, Apollos Rivoire (who anglicized his name to Revere after emigrating from France). By the early 1760s, the younger Revere had taken over the family shop and was producing everything from teaspoons to elaborate teapots for Boston's wealthiest families.

What makes Revere silver so compelling to collectors today is that we know an extraordinary amount about what he made. Revere kept detailed daybooks from 1761 to 1797, recording nearly every commission. According to the Paul Revere Memorial Association, those books document roughly 5,000 silver objects: 2,479 pieces of flatware (mostly spoons), 64 teapots, 60 creamers, 89 canns (a type of handled drinking cup), 50 sugar tongs, 400 buckles, 30 porringers, and 30 ladles, among other forms. Not every piece he made ended up in the books, though. His most famous creation, the Sons of Liberty Bowl (now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), does not appear in the daybooks at all.

Revere's silver career spanned decades and bridged the colonial and Federal periods of American history. Before the Revolution, his output was relatively modest (about 410 flatware pieces from 1761 to 1783). After the war, business boomed, and he produced over 2,000 flatware pieces between 1783 and 1797. The styles shifted too, from the robust Georgian forms of his early work to the lighter neoclassical designs that became fashionable in the new republic.

Why Provenance Changes Everything

In the world of Paul Revere silver, provenance is not just a nice bonus. It is often the single biggest factor determining value. A Revere tablespoon with a clear chain of ownership tracing back to a known Boston family can sell for two or three times what a comparable but undocumented spoon would bring.

Consider a few examples. In June 2021, Heritage Auctions sold a Paul Revere Jr. tablespoon for $32,500, setting a new world record for a spoon at auction. What made this particular spoon so valuable? Strong provenance. The collection of well-provenanced Revere silver in that same sale brought a combined $336,250, well above pre-sale estimates.

In January 2023, a silver pitcher made by Revere sold for $129,875 at Weiss Auctions in Lynbrook, New York, setting a new auction record for a Revere pitcher. The piece was engraved with the initials of Benjamin Russell, the journalist who founded the Columbian Centinel newspaper. Russell's father had participated in the Boston Tea Party, and both Russell and Revere were founding members of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association. The pitcher had remained in Russell's family for generations. That kind of continuous, documented family descent is what collectors dream about.

At Doyle auction house, a Revere silver cup (a small cylindrical cann) came to market with provenance tracing to Benjamin Henderson, a documented Revere client whose name appears in the silversmith's daybooks for silver orders and repairs from 1788 to 1792. The cup was engraved "BH to BHG," connecting it to Henderson and his nephew Benjamin Henderson Greene, and had previously been offered at Sotheby's Parke Bernet in 1973.

How to Identify Genuine Paul Revere Silver

Revere used several distinct maker's marks throughout his career, and understanding them is essential for authentication.

The "REVERE" surname mark. This rectangular mark, approximately 7/16 inch wide and 1/16 to 3/16 inch high, was used on larger items like canns, teapots, and bowls. The lettering appears slightly raised because the mark was struck into the metal with a hammer and die.

The "P.REVERE" mark. Used early in his career, this mark is found on pieces from the 1760s and 1770s. Some versions include a pellet (small dot) before the name.

The "PR" initials mark. Found in italic or block letters, this mark was typically used on smaller items like teaspoons and sugar tongs.

Marks Revere did NOT use. According to the Paul Revere Memorial Association, Revere never marked his work with his signature, random numbers or letters, a picture of a horse and rider, or a patriot's head. Any silver bearing those marks was not made in his shop.

Revere also used some of his father's marks on occasion, which adds another layer of complexity for authenticators.

Red Flags for Fakes

Fakes are, unfortunately, rampant in the Revere silver market. As one Reddit historian noted, "Fakes are rampant and sometimes very difficult to identify." The Winterthur Museum's "Treasures on Trial" exhibit has examined Revere forgeries and notes that experts look for uniformity of small details in the mark to determine authenticity. Because Revere used several marks during his long career, attribution is particularly challenging.

Key warning signs include:

• Marks that look too crisp or too uniform. Genuine 18th-century marks show slight irregularities from hand-striking.

• Wrong mark for the form. A teaspoon should bear the "PR" initials, not the "REVERE" surname mark.

• Inconsistent style for the period. Revere's early work (pre-Revolution) has distinct stylistic differences from his later Federal-period pieces.

• Missing or suspicious provenance. If a major piece of Revere hollowware appears with no history, that is a significant red flag.

• Silver composition issues. Colonial American silver was typically coin silver (approximately .900 fine), not sterling (.925 fine).

The only reliable way to authenticate a suspected Revere piece is to have it examined in person by a specialist in American colonial silver. Photos alone are insufficient, as the forum experts at 925-1000.com have noted.

Value by Form and Condition

Revere's output breaks down into two broad categories: flatware (spoons, ladles, tongs) and hollowware (teapots, canns, creamers, porringers, bowls). Hollowware is dramatically more expensive because far fewer pieces survive.

Flatware:

• Tablespoons: $7,000 to $32,500, depending on condition and provenance (Antiques Roadshow appraised a ca. 1780 tablespoon at $7,000 to $10,000 at auction in 2019; Heritage set the record at $32,500 in 2021)

• Teaspoons: $3,000 to $8,000

• Sugar tongs: $5,000 to $12,000

• Ladles: $8,000 to $20,000

Hollowware:

• Canns (small cups): $40,000 to $100,000+

• Creamers: $30,000 to $80,000

• Porringers: $50,000 to $150,000

• Teapots: $100,000 to $500,000+

• Coffee pots: $150,000 to $500,000+ (M.S. Rau has offered a Revere coffee pot with Sawyer family provenance at high-end dealer prices)

• Pitchers: $80,000 to $130,000+ (based on the 2023 Weiss auction record)

These ranges assume authentic, marked pieces. The presence of strong provenance (documented family history, appearance in Revere's daybooks, prior auction records) can push values well above these ranges. Conversely, pieces with questionable marks or no provenance will trade at the lower end or may be unsaleable at major auction houses.

Where to Buy and Sell

Major auction houses are the primary market for Revere silver. Heritage Auctions, Christie's, Sotheby's, Doyle, and Bonhams/Skinner all handle Revere pieces regularly. Bonhams/Skinner (formerly Skinner Auctioneers in Boston) has historically been a strong venue, handling more Revere lots than any other house according to LotSearch data (294 of 1,020 tracked lots).

Selling costs at auction:

• Buyer's premium: 20-28% (paid by the buyer, but it affects what buyers are willing to bid)

• Seller's commission: 10-15% for pieces in the $10,000-$50,000 range; negotiable for higher-value consignments

• Insurance and photography: typically included for significant pieces

• Reserve fees may apply if the piece does not sell

High-end dealers like M.S. Rau in New Orleans and S.J. Shrubsole (now closed, but formerly a major source) have traditionally handled Revere silver. Dealer markups typically run 30-60% above auction prices, but you get immediate payment and avoid auction risk.

Authentication before sale is essential. Have any suspected Revere piece examined by a specialist. The Paul Revere Memorial Association in Boston can sometimes provide guidance, though they do not formally authenticate pieces. Major auction houses have in-house silver specialists who will evaluate consignments.

Condition Considerations

Silver, unlike many collectible materials, can be polished and restored. But in the Revere market, this cuts both ways.

Original patina is valued by serious collectors. A spoon with a warm, even gray tone from two centuries of handling tells a story. Aggressive polishing that strips away that patina reduces desirability, even if the piece looks "shinier."

Engraving is almost always a positive for Revere silver. Period engravings (initials, monograms, family crests from the 18th or early 19th century) are part of the provenance story. Later engravings, added in the 19th or 20th century, are less desirable but not necessarily a dealbreaker.

Repairs and alterations significantly reduce value. A teapot with a replaced handle or a cann with a resoldered base will sell for 30-50% less than an unaltered example. That said, period repairs (done in Revere's own lifetime or shortly after) are more acceptable than modern repairs.

Dents and dings are expected on 200+ year old silver. Minor surface wear is normal. Major dents on hollowware forms are problematic because they affect the structural integrity and visual appeal of the piece.

Weight matters. Revere's daybooks often record the weight of pieces he produced. A piece that matches or is close to its documented original weight is more convincing than one that has lost significant material through heavy polishing over the centuries.

Pieces in Museum Collections

Many of Revere's finest surviving works are in institutional collections and will never come to market. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston holds the Sons of Liberty Bowl and numerous other pieces. The Worcester Art Museum has an important collection of Revere silver including coffee pots and creamers. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University Art Gallery, and Winterthur Museum also hold significant examples.

This matters for collectors because it means the pool of available Revere silver is gradually shrinking. Every year, a few more pieces move from private hands into museums, making the remaining privately held examples incrementally more valuable.

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