ELEGANT GORHAM FAIRFAX STERLING TEA SET ~ 5 pc + TRAY CLASSIC ELEGANCE w/matching TRAY ~ EXC. COND. ~ NO MONO Start Price USD 6,500.00 Current Price USD 6,500.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, August 13, 2008 End Time Saturday, August 23, 2008 Location Greater Midwest See more about 'ELEGANT GORHAM FAIRFAX STERLING TEA SET ~ 5 pc + TRAY' Description     AN ELEGANT OFFERING!  A BEAUTIFUL FIVE (5) PIECE STERLING SILVER TEA SET BY GORHAM IN THE FAIRFAX PATTERN, COMPLETE WITH MATCHING STERLING SILVER TRAY ~   How rare it is to find a tea set with matching tray ~ one of the same pattern that accentuates the elegance and beauty of the whole set!  But that is exactly what is being offered here. This lovely Tea Set has always been in my family.  When this set was brand new, it was a wedding gift to my Grandmother.  She never had it monogrammed, and she used it only for special occasions for a few years.  After that it was carefully packed away and lovingly stored by the family for almost 70 years, and never used again. In those 70 years it tarnished very little, and was easily cleaned for this auction.  The patina of the exterior surfaces is still lovely, and the smaller pieces retain their original lustrous gold interior.  The interior surfaces of all the serving pieces are undamaged, clean and ready for use.  All the lids and handles are tight and the insulators are in like new condition.  There are some minor scratches on the tray from having the serving pieces set on top, but otherwise this magnificent tray is gorgeous! In describing the  individual pieces below, here is what the descriptions of condition mean: Excellent Condition ~ showing very light signs of wear.  A very few light scratches, if present at all, are barely noticeable. Very Fine Condition ~ These items are in "Excellent Condition" as described above, with the exception that they may have one or two insignificant tiny dings.  A "ding" in this description means a tiny dent that is rarely noticeable unless placed at a certain angle to the light, and then can only be seen on the exterior, but not seen or felt on the interior. The following is what you will have: Tipping Kettle with Tipping Stand and sterno type warmer, Excellent Condition:  8 3/4 inches including spout and 10 1/2 inches tall ~ Weight 44.7 oz. Tea Pot, Very Fine Condition:  10 5/8 inches including handle and spout and 4 3/4 inches tall ~ 20.3 oz. Covered Sugar Bowl, Excellent Condition:  7 5/8 inches including handles and 4 inches tall ~ Weight 12.3 oz. Creamer, Excellent Condition:  6 1/2 inches including handle and spout and 3 1/2 inches tall ~ Weight 7.6  oz. Waste Bowl, Excellent Condition:  5 1/4 by 3 7/8 inches and 2 7/8 inches tall ~ Weight 8.1 oz. Tray, Very Fine Condition:  25 3/4 inches long including both handles by 16 1/2 inches wide by 3/4 inch high along sides and 1 1/4 inches high at handles ~ Weight 113.2 oz. TOTAL WEIGHT 206.2 oz.   This 6 piece Sterling Silver Tea Set was made in the Fairfax pattern by Durgin/Gorham.  The Fairfax pattern was originally patented by Durgin in 1910.  In the 1920's the Durgin Company was taken over by Gorham, and then they used the two company names on pieces that were in the Traditional Durgin patterns.  They only did this for a few years, and after that used the Durgin hallmark on the Durgin patterns. Each piece of this set is marked with the name Gorham, Sterling, a date symbol and the Durgin hallmark (except the Tipping Stand which has the Gorham hallmark).  The Tipping Kettle and Tipping Stand, the Tea Pot, the Covered Sugar Bowl and the Creamer have the zeppelin date symbol for 1929.  The Waste Bowl and the Tray have a mushroom looking date symbol for 1928.  The Tipping Kettle, the Tea Pot and the Covered Sugar Bowl are also marked with the name Fairfax. This elegant Tea Set, in this beautiful condition, complete with its matching Tray, is a rare offering the likes of which surely will not be seen any time soon. I have done my best to describe and photograph these items as accurately as possible in order to avoid any problems.  So please examine the photos and read the description carefully.  But remember, these items have been used so they will have some little signs of use.  If you have any questions, I  hope you won't hesitate to ask. Please examine my feedback and buy with confidence. ~~~~~~~~~~~~   For the American Buyer Parcel Post shipping, including regisration and full value insurance will be $39.99.  If you wish to ship by a faster method it may cost extra. Payments accepted:  PayPal from buyers with PayPal confirmed shipping addresses only, Money Orders and Personal Checks.  Will wait for personal checks & money orders to clear. For the Canadian Buyer For shipping to Canada, please contact us for shipping charges . Payments accepted:  PayPal from buyers with PayPal confirmed shipping addresses only, International Money Orders and Personal Checks in US Dollars.  Will wait for personal checks and money orders to clear. The buyer is fully responsible to pay all customs duties and/or taxes that may be assessed as a result of this transaction. Payments Payments must be received within 7 days after Date of Sale, unless buyer has contacted us and other arrangements have been made. Items will not be shipped until our bank informs us that personal checks and money orders have cleared, usually 7 to 10 days. Shipping Buyer is normally always responsible for all shipping expense.  But PLEASE NOTE:  In this case, for US shipping, we are sharing part of the shipping cost and are not charging for shipping box or materials.  For Canadian shipping we would expect to do the same. Our policy is to ship items within 3 business days after funds have cleared. Buyer will not be charged for shipping box or materials. These items will be wrapped, padded, double boxed or whatever else is necessary to make sure the buyer receives them in the same beautiful condition in which they were shipped. Returns and Refunds Please read the descriptions and view the photographs carefully, so that you are able to understand the condition, size, pattern, etc. of each piece ~ so there would be no unpleasant surprises.  This shipment will be registered and fully insured for shipping within the US, and if shipped to Canada will at least  be fully insured.  In the event there is shipping damage buyer may claim on the insurance. Returns will be accepted and refunds given if the items are not, in significant fact, as described or pictured.  But please remember, these items have been used and will show little signs of wear. In order to qualify for a refund, these items must be returned undamaged in the same beautiful condition they were shipped, and we must receive them back within 14 days from the date of sale, unless other arrangements have been made. If you are contemplating a return for a refund, please contact us with your concerns and complaints, and to get detailed instructions before returning the items.  This is absolutely mandatory. Any items returned without contacting us before returning will not be accepted for refund. Shipping will not be refunded. Contact Us In order to avoid any mistakes or misunderstandings, we would much rather hear from you.  So if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.   Thank you and the very best of luck! ~~~~~~~~~~~   Place a Bid!