What if the piece in your collection is silver and: 1) has fake master marks
and/or hallmarks or; 2) is composed of pieces from originally disparate
objects or; 3) has modern sections added (for example, the figure of a man
replaces the stem of a goblet, or is inserted in the middle of the stem) or;
4) a "medieval" piece was created using 20th century techniques or; 5) an
inscription was added to a medieval piece in a 20th century hand, etc.?
Does one keep the piece in the "study" collection?  Does one melt it and
sell it for the value of the silver or, in the case of the later
inscription, merely remove the inscription and then consign the piece to an
auction house?  Would you select a different option if you have 10 pieces
rather than one?  What if you have 50 such items?

Bonni-Dara Michaels
Collections Curator
Yeshiva University Museum
15 West 16th Street
New York, New York 10011
Tel: 212-294-8330 x 8815

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