Marked S.C. SPAULDING; also marked JANESVILL (no E) WIS, and also COIN. Spaulding was the retailer of this piece. It's also struck with 3 pseudos, the marks of the maker, Hall, Hewson in Albany. Description as follows: forward-tipt fiddle handle, flared shoulders, script mono Gray on front of handle, 8-5/8" long. It is in excellent condition, bowl unworn...

Brightcut and roulette work on upper arms, lower portion twisted; unique (?) pointed-end acorn nips decorated with roulette work (see pic); block mono S over D S in cartouche on bend; only 5-1/4" in length. Condition is mint throughout. Marked W (pellet) R on both arms.

A rare form for sugar tongs, the arms at a 90-degree angle with the bend. Dual wrigglework decorative lines on both sides of arms and around bend, the decorative work carried through on the spoon nips. Never engraved, 5-1/2" long. Excellent condition. Until recently, Merchant was said to have worked in NYC, c1795. Now, Hollan's tome on VA silversmiths clearly identifies him as working in Dumfries...

Peabody's spoons are distinctive in design --slim oval-end downturned fiddle handles -- nothing quite like them by other makers. This piece has flared shoulders and a short reverse rib. The mono is EB in a feathered script. Length is 5-3/8". Condition is near-mint. This is probably the same John Peabody who worked earlier in Fayetteville, NC. The spoons pictured on p. 125 of "Silversmiths of NC" are not at all similar in design to this piece.

Pinched-waist fiddle handle, pointed shoulders, script mono M L J on front; 5-7/8" in length. Condition is excellent, extended bowl tip unworn. Pinched-waist fiddles are not common in VA; Wright's proximity to TN & KY, where the style is quite common, probably had an influence here. See Hollan's "Virginia Silversmiths" for a full discussion of Wright and his work.

Oval-end handle, drop, feathered script A on front; 5-3/8" long. Neat little spoon and in fine condition.

Forward-tipt fiddle handle, flared shoulders, feathered script mono T C D E on front; 6" long. Condition is excellent. This is probably a rare mark - i.e., not often seen. Shmedtie is listed in the Sept.-Oct., 1989, issue of Silver magazine as having a shop at 445 7th St.

Vase-shaped body with domed lid, applied band at shoulder, applied gothic mono E H on side; 4-1/2" high. Condition is near-mint.

Downturned fiddle handle, pointed shoulders, reverse tipt, feathered script mono O B on front; 8-1/2" long, weight at 38 grams. Overall condition is fine, mark is excellent.

Pinched-waist fiddle handle, pointed shoulders, script mono M A on front; 8-1/2" long, a bit over 1 T oz. Condition is excellent. Marked with Whiting lion, COIN and by the retailer, Bassett & Elliott. The pinched-wast fiddle originated in the Midwest, probably with the Kinsey boys or Duhme, yet examples by Whiting are fairly common. Why? One suggestion is that Whiting's manufacturing and sales organization could out-compete the local companies.

Downturned fiddle handle, square shoulders, feathered script mono A C on front. Length is 8-1/2". Weight is a solid 38 grams. Condition is minty. Seller pays freight.

Forward-tipt fiddle handle, flared shoulders, old English mono M.M. on front; 8-1/2" in length. Condition is excellent. Cutten & Peacock, in their book, "Silversmiths of North Carolina," assumed that the N-C included in the maker's mark meant that Hanna was from NC. Not so, as it turns out.