Newburyport and Amesbury, Mass., silversmith made these near-mint spoons around 1800. They have the classic cut-cornered handle end with a straight tapering line to the bowl, and an unusual incised pointed drop. Mono S M in in block lettering on the front. The spoons are 5-1/4" in length, and are in excellent condition, bowl tips unworn.

Unknown floral-and-shell pattern, similar to Gorham Queen -- shaped blade, hollow handle (mercifully wholly intact -- no splits, no dings -- marvellous) -- feathered script mono SCD on blade, later script engraving on handle: Helen April 1894. Length is 7-1/4". Condition is excellent.

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.

Downturned fiddle handles, tiny pointed shoulders, reverse tipt, feathered script mono F C G on front; 5-3/8" long. Tiny bit of tipwear, otherwise fine.

Mustard ladle, c1860 - pinched-waist fiddle handle, no shoulders, feathered script mono M S A S on reverse; 5-3/4" long. Condition is excellent.

Joseph W. Cary is cited in new book by Norman Mack--"Missouri's Silver Age." Mack says that Cary moved his jewelry store from Alton, Ill., to St. Louis ca 1870-75. These spoons have pinched-waist fiddle handles, pointed shoulders with feathered script mono E C S; length is 6-1/8", and condition is near mint, extended tips unworn.

Oval-end handle, drop, feathered script mono J R L on front; 14" long, 3-3/8" round bowl. Bowl has a few shallow bumps, otherwise condition is fine.

Pointed-end handles, pointed drops, ornate feathered script mono E G on front; 6" long. Excellent condition, extended bowl tips unworn.

6 knives and 6 forks, Dominick & Haff pattern patented in 1895 -- retailed by Bigelow, Kennard and Co. (see pic) -- feathered script mono F C on each piece -- forks 7-1/4" long, knives 7-3/4" long, total weight 21+ T oz. Condition throughout is near mint.

Coffin-end serving spoon, c1810-15 -- no shoulders, no drop, light reverse rib, feathered script mono G on front; 8-7/8" long. Condition is excellent, near mint. We bought this piece several months ago: Warner, should be a snap to find him; probably Delaware, right? Maybe Philadelphia -- maybe a stray southern maker. Well, maybe, but we haven't located him yet. Will keep looking.

Set of 3 teaspoons marked Tryner in arc cartouche -- pinched-waist fiddle handle, pointed shoulders, feathered script L H on front, 5-3/4" long. The pinched-waist style is, of course, typical of the midwest. The name Cornelius Tryner was found in a search of Ancestry.com. He is listed as a 23-year-old jeweler in Maroa, Macon County, Illinois. All 3 spoons are in excellent condition, extended bowl tips unworn.

Mustard ladle, c1810-20 -- This is a 4-3/4"-long piece with an extraordinarily long (2-1/2") fiddle; it has square shoulders and a tiny (3/4") oval bowl. Mono, as shown, is T E C in feathered script. One would think that a smith, or a partnership of smithies, with a 3-letter mark would be easy to find. Not so. We went thru the B's in Kovel and other silver books to no avail. Then we did the same with the A's, thinking it might be a 3-person partnership. Still no luck. Shame, that...