One could spend a substantial number of hours searching through design patents looking for the original name of this pattern, and come up empty handed...
The three elaborately cast and chased feet, with highly carved flowers and scrolls, elevate this object into the realm of far above average.
We could only wish that it had a fine old family name but alas there is no engraving and happily no removal.
The quality of this engraving is above average, and it remains in fine condition.
Her great great great grandfather, Henry Ritch, was among the original settlers of Greenwich, CT, having received a grant of three acres there on May 19th, 1686...
On Hold
This mark is commonly given to Saunders Pitman, but we are not so certain that it is his. For example, though the Met attributes a cream jug in their collection (accession number 33.120.311) to Saunders, some might consider this attribution to be problematic, since he'd been dead for a good solid forty years when it was made.
Other reasonable possibilities would include John K...
With their short front "tip't" decoration, engine turned work and bright cut engraving trailing down to the area just above the tines (please see fourth enlargement), these are especially decorative and fine quality examples.
Finding a set of twelve coin silver dessert spoons in any pattern is rare, but I'm hard pressed to think of the last time we had the privilege to offer a group of this quality (note the "flat" at the tip of each spoon) and decorative appeal...
Maltby Pelletreau was the second generation of this illustrious silversmithing family. His partnership with Bennett and Cook lasted only three years, so the date range for this item is pleasantly narrow...
There is slight tip wear from right handed use, a few minor insults to the bowl (including a scratch, reverse), and significant wear to the monogram "B / E * E". On the whole, however, this spoon presents itself well. To quote Quimby in American Silver at Winterthur, "Stoutenburgh left a small body of high quality work"...
On Hold
Prevear was a silversmith, watchmaker, and inventor. He was born in Northampton (1818) and apprenticed to Samuel Harrington of Amherst, who later became his partner. He married Olive Hanscome in Amherst (1843), and after her death married a second time (1856) to Elizabeth Pranker, an 1853 graduate of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, now Mt. Holyoke College...
Readers of our little web page know that there's not much coin silver flatware here-- that is, pieces made between 1825 and 1868 in the good old U.S. of A. Why? Because most of it was thin, mass produced, and of inferior quality...
French silver from this period is quite scarce. Price is for the total of eight pieces.
Come ye citizens of Portsmouth and reclaim thy heritage!!
Faithful readers of our little web page know we never tire of mentioning that Burt was a substantial and by all reports jovial fellow who weighed three hundred and eighty pounds.
