Miss Manners: Auction ‘junkie’ wonders about complete sets of sterling silver flatware

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have become something of an auction junkie, and I am surprised at how often I see incomplete sets of sterling flatware for sale. Often, the “set” is just dinner forks and several sizes of spoons; sometimes it’s only knives, or only coffee spoons, etc.

I’m confused by the incompleteness of place settings and the fact that this was apparently how they were collected. Did people entertaining with “the good silver” mix utensil designs freely?

Odd! I see it too often for it not to be “a thing”!

GENTLE READER: You probably have a garbage disposal. You may or may not have children. But those are the two most likely places where missing pieces go.

True, the garbage disposal doesn’t actually eat silver, but it can mangle anything it catches. And the original silver owners' descendants may not actually use silver, but sets are often split up when they inherit it.

The possessors of incomplete sets might have supplemented them with pieces from other incomplete sets, perhaps inherited from another side of the family. Or like you, maybe they went scavenging at auctions and other venues selling odd pieces.

Miss Manners feels obliged to point out that you, as an auction junkie, benefit from this chaos. Buying a complete set would be a one-time pleasure, but if you buy an incomplete one, you can have a lifetime of sport in tracking down the missing items.

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)