Catalog: Silver

Should you have the good fortune to be reading our web page sequentially, here are two twisted bits of silver in honor of April Fool's Day. These were made in different fashions by individual craftsmen operating a machine which could rotate their working stock in alternating directions, causing a "trompe l'oeil" effect. Length 5 7/8 inches, weight .70 oz. Troy, no monogram, some knife cuts on reverse of tines but otherwise in fine condition. Place pieces in this pattern are scarce.

length 7 1/4 inches, fine condition, gilt bowl, monogram "EG", weight 1.32 oz. Troy.

length five inches, excellent condition, monogrammed "MC" script reverse of bowl, weight .68 oz Troy. Items with this mark would appear to be scarce.

souvenir spoon, retailed and designed by Bailey Banks & Biddle, length 5 inches, monogrammed on reverse of bowl "B / 1892", very good condition.

lacking a catalog, we can't say for sure that it's Old English but with scrolled border and trailing floral appliqués the resemblance is quite strong, diameter 2 inches, height 1 3/4, weight a hefty 1.95 Troy ounces, some very light scratches as shown in enlargement number three but fine overall condition.

with a band of beading below each die-rolled border, monogrammed TSD (?) in period script with flourishes, one pinprick dent is visible in our first enlargement but fine overall condition, diameter and height 1 3/4 inches, weight 1.54 oz. Troy.

length 5 7/8 inches, weight .85 oz Troy, some slight wear to Sophia's nose but fine overall condition, retailed and designed by the late lamented Frank E. Davis company.

length 6 inches, some slight wear to shell (reverse) where it meets the table, see photo number four, but fine overall condition, monogram EJA (?) script obverse, weight 9.08 oz Troy the set, retailed by William Wise & Son.

Several years ago when Gorham was still in the Providence area and owned by Brown Forman, they decided to reissue some popular early patterns. We bought this piece "new and in the bag," though not directly from the factory. It has seen no use since then (1995 or so) and is in pristine condition. Length 9 inches, 3.06 oz. Troy, mark "Gorham Sterling." It is well worth a quick look at our third enlargement to see what a piece of Medallion flatware looks like, when freshly struck...

height and diameter both 1.5 inches, a few minor dents which don't show up well in the photographs but good overall condition, no monogram, marked as one may suspect with the Gorham trademark, sterling, and B4186.

die rolled border and engraved cartouche centering monogram "Des." (or perhaps it's Wes, or even Ves?) diameter 1 3/4, height 2 inches, weight a pleasantly hefty 2 oz. Troy, some light wear to engraving but fine overall condition, marked only "sterling / 11".

length 8 7/8 inches, one has a stainless blade which sadly has been set in with lead solder (the handle rattles a bit; there's a minor dent), the other an original blunt s/p blade, monogrammed "BHS".

yes, just one lonesome pastry fork and monogrammed ("G" script, obverse) at that, length six inches, fine condition, weight .91 Troy ounces.

in the form of miniature 18th century porringers, length across handles 3 1/4; diameter of opening 1 3/4 inches, some minor etching of interior (see third photo) as is often seen in salt cellars but fine overall condition, no monogram, weight 3.31 oz. Troy the pair.

engraved in bowl, whether it was a souvenir from that leafy suburb of Northampton or a gift to some long ago Florence we'll never know, length 7 1/8 inches, slight wear to crown (reverse) but fine overall condition, weight 1.68 oz Troy.

length 6 1/4 inches, excellent condition, no monogram.

height 6 inches, widest section of base 5 1/8 inches, superb color and condition, monogram "GVL" (?) script obverse. We've bought and sold many Gorham novelty items, but this is certainly among the best of its class...

with die rolled border and embossed foliage, diameter 1 3/4; height 1 1/4 inches, weight 1.0 oz. Troy, a bit bright and lacking in contrast (we suspect that it's been dipped) but time will cure this sin and otherwise in excellent condition.