What is a "Custom Made" piece?

Custom made pieces are made from an original piece in your pattern that are not otherwise available or difficult to find on the market, especially in discontinued patterns. Hollow handle items are made from an original handle in your pattern with a new stainless implement. Then the piece is hand-finished by a highly skilled silversmith in the USA. All custom orders are made-to-order and usually ship within 5-7 business days. Now that many sterling patterns have been discontinued, custom pieces have become a staple in the sterling silver industry and are widely offered by mainstream sterling flatware dealers.

Why isn't a Hollow Handle piece marked/stamped in any way?  Is it sterling?

Yes, the hollow handle is sterling and a genuine handle in your pattern, even though it is not usually stamped. Hollow handle items were usually not stamped due to their hollow construction. All of our hollow handle pieces are thoroughly inspected and tested prior to shipping and are guaranteed sterling.