BALTIMORE — Thieves stole more than $100,000 in fine silver from the Imperial Half Bushel antique shop.

The theft, which happened between Saturday at 5 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, “cleaned out” the fine silver shop, according to owner Nancy Duggan. The shop specializes in silver. 

“When we came in here Tuesday, many of the cases were just bare,” Duggan said. “They just cleaned it out. They knew what they were doing. I’d say they were professionals. They were after the silver. They took all the flatware, just cleaning out the cases; but, left the knives. They weren’t interested in anything but the silver.”

The thieves, according to Duggan, entered the building through a basement window, came up inside the shop and cut the telephone line. She said the alarm system was also disabled.

Although gold prices have consistently been in the news, it’s silver - although not as valuable - which has increased the most over the past year. In fact, between Jan. 4, 2010 and June 30, 2011, the price of gold increased approximately 34 percent, while the price of silver increased more than 100 percent, according to analysts at Monex Precious Metal. The price, flirting around the $30 level at press time, has been on a continual rise. Some analysts are even predicting that silver may meet or exceed the $50 an ounce it commanded in the 1970s.

“I imagine most of our silver has gone to a smelter now,” Duggan said. 

Among the very fine pieces of silver stolen was a late 18th century piece made by silversmith Saunders Pitman, a particularly skilled artist who produced some of the finest work of the century. The water pitcher and six tumblers were priced at $25,000.

Other work included an antique American silver card case, embossed with an eagle on one side and floral and scroll decoration on the reverse. It was marked “L&W” for Leonard and Wilson of Philadelphia, made between 1850 and 1860. The front of the case was engraved “Katherine” in script.

Another distinguishing-looking piece was an antique American silver cream pot, with covered sugar bowl, of oblong form on pedestal foot, marked by John Crawford of New York, circa 1815-1835. Engraved on the inside foot rim was an engraving: “The Gift of Geo. Brinckerhoff to M.A. Woodhull.”

Also stolen were six antique George III silver tablespoons in the “Old English Gadroon Edge” pattern with engraved ridge-back bowls; struck with an un-registered mark of William & Thomas Chawner of London in 1770-1771. The spoons were engraved with a feline head crest.

Along the same lines, was an antique George III silver gravy spoon in the Onslow pattern marked by Hester Bateman at London in 1778-1779, engraved with a double-headed eagle crest.

Duggan and her family are also displaying other stolen pieces on their website at www.imperialhalf bushel.com. Anyone having any information about the theft is encouraged to contact Detective Sam Shipley of the Baltimore Police Department at 443-986-8487, and the Imperial Half Bushel at 410-462-1192.