These Nostalgic Utensils Were Everywhere In The '80s — Now They're Worth Hundreds

Vintage flatware is sometimes passed down through families or purchased secondhand, but there's a particular set you should keep an eye out for because it may be very valuable. In the 1980s, Lunt Silversmiths produced a pattern called Hillsborough that features a scallop shell flanked by scrolling motifs and leaves. You'll find it stamped with the manufacturer name "Lunt Stainless 18/8 Japan," and it's highly sought after today.

Lunt Hillsborough flatware pairs perfectly with the charming thrifted servingware, whether you're hosting a dinner party or just prefer to display your stylish kitchen elements. The company was established in Greenfield, Massachusetts, under the name Rogers, Lunt & Bowlen Co. in 1901 but later became Lunt Silversmiths. It had a reputation for producing high-quality silver products for companies like Tiffany and Neiman Marcus, was known for partnering with chefs like Jacques Pepin, and was even designated the official silver in American embassies around the world.

Lunt Silversmiths was family-owned until 2009, when its brand and inventory were sold to Reed & Barton. Lunt then filed for bankruptcy and liquidated all of its assets at auction the following year. Reed & Barton was acquired by Lenox in 2015, and the Lunt brand came along with it. In 2016, Lenox decided to discontinue the brand altogether, making anything made by the silversmith even more collectible.

Lunt produced flatware, holloware, and giftware for more than 100 years, making it the oldest continuously operating family-owned silversmith in the country before it closed. The Hillsborough pattern was produced from 1980 to 1985, but because the company is no longer operating, it's impossible to know how many sets of Hillsborough flatware were manufactured.

That fact might be what makes this sterling silver flatware special and worth so much today. Flatware replacement sites charge almost $250 for a single place setting of Lunt's Hillsborough pattern that includes a teaspoon, soup spoon, salad fork, fork, and knife, so it's easy to see that up to 12 place settings would really add up. Individual utensils can be more than $60 each, but some pieces can be sourced on sites like eBay for much less. You might even get lucky and find them while scouring thrift stores.

While in the 1980s most Americans still followed the dining etiquette that dictated silver flatware be used for more formal dining events, it turns out the best time to use your fancy dinnerware isn't a special occasion after all. These days, not only do we not follow the same rules when dining, but vintage style and maximalism are trending right now, making Lunt's Hillsborough pattern on point.