Catalog

Readily identifiable from their length and round bowl spoon, chocolate muddlers are designed to reach deep inside tall chocolate pots to stir any settled powder on the bottom.

This example measuring 7 1/2" long and weighing 1.3 T. oz. was made by Dominick & Haff in the "No. 10" pattern.

A dense yet delicate multi-floral design dominated by a single chrysanthemum set at the handle end, "No. 10" was patented in 1896, as marked on backside.

Other marks include the company's three part embl...

A late 19th century pattern, Dominick & Haff's Pointed Antique was issued in a number of variations, with the one on this 7 1/8" long, heavy at 2.1 T. oz., sugar sifter being No. 2.

A strikingly clean design, D&H's interpretation of this classic design has a slightly downturned handle with chamfered edges and a midrib backside. No. 2 adds a diamond cut border to the front, which is a motif common to English Georgian period silver.

The handle front is also...

Duhme & Co. was Cincinnati's dominant silver and jewelry house during the second half of the 19th century and produced many discrete flatware designs, of which the one on this 7 5/8" long, weighty at 1.86 T. oz., solid silver dinner fork is unusual as well as uncommon.

It has a rounded end handle with a plain, concave back that is engraved in a script letter "JBS" monogram.

The front is ridged in a series of parallel swirls that overall are reminiscent of waves. The design relects a...

Tracing to the mid 19th century, this pair of coin silver tongs are early production items made by Cincinnati's premier firm "Duhme & Co.," as indicated by the stamp on the inside of each arm.

Possibly for use with a (pickle) caster, they are large at 6 5/8" long, and heavy at 1.7 T. oz., and combine a variety of period design elements.

The arms have a twisted central section joined to a solid squared block where they meet the substantially-scaled talon grips.

The upper portions are br...

Marked for the prominent Cincinnati firm of "Duhme & Co.," this 6" long fork, 6 3/8" knife, and 6" spoon set has additional provenance as each piece is engraved what appears to read, "Andrew K. Reuss" on the handle front and "Jan. 26th 1872." on the reverse.

Artfully crafted, the hollow handles have rounded ends with a "Thread" design and arum leaf detailing at the join with beaded and engraved banding.

The knife blade, fork, and spoon themselves are all solid silver, and each one is delic...

Marked "Sterling," "925/1000 in a shield," and "Duhme Co.," this 6 1/8" long, approximately 1.0 T. oz. spoon has Cincinnati origins and associations.

It has a Tipt handle with straight sides and rounded shoulders off the bowl. This departs from the pronounced Fiddle shape with angular shoulders typical of 19th century Ohio River Valley silver design.

The shell bowl is also something of its own form, with an undulating edge and a raised central vee extending from the handle ...

The long dominant 19th and 20th century Cincinnati silver and jewelry house, Duhme produced a number of flatware lines of its own design.

In addition, several patterns that are essentially identical to, or strikingly reminiscent of, other makers also appear with Duhme's name on them, and that is the case of this 7 7/8" long, weighty at just over 2.3 T. oz., serving fork that markedly resembles Durgin's 1891 Louis XV .

The two designs incorporate the same densely arrayed rococo eleme...

The dominant silver house in Cincinnati from the mid 19th century onward, Duhme's first line pattern, No. 1, followed after the broad, fiddle shaped, handle design characteristic of the Ohio River Valley of the period.

The pattern had variants or close parallels, of which this 9 1/8" long, 1.9 T. oz., coin silver table serving spoon is one.

It has a plain, chamfered edge, shank (vs. twist handle on other versions), a knob end, and very high, pointed and beveled edge, shoulder...

Stamped with Durgin's early "bird surrounded by a wreath" emblem, and the word "Sterling, this 7 3/8" long, approximately 1.0 T. oz., master butter knife dates circa 1880 and reflects the naturalistic Aesthetic (also Eastlake) design sensibilities of its period.

It has a rounded end handle that gently curves upward from the flat blade. The front is engraved in a dense leaf design.

The blade, which has notched shoulders with a scalloped upper edge, is engraved with thre...

Marked with Durgin's "D" emblem along with "Sterling" and the number "2," this 7 3/4", approximately 1.0 T. oz., long handle olive spoon is not immediately identifiable as a regular line pattern.

The open work at the end of the handle, in company with the design details, evoke the Durgin's rarely found 1887 Alcazar pattern, although this is not an exact match. Other aspects of the pattern resemble Durgin's (French) rococo 1891 Louis XV.

Whether a variant of one of these patte...

Measuring a lengthy 5 3/4" and weighing a robust 1.7 T. oz., this pair of tongs are marked on the inside of each leg, respectively, with Durgin's "D" emblem and "Sterling," and "B.K. & Co.," for Boston's Bigelow, Kennard & Company.

The pattern is "Bead," issued in 1893. It features a "Tipt" end with a beaded margin handle, joined in this instance to heavy, detailed, talon grips.

The plain arch is engraved with an Old English "T" monogram.

In superb condition, these are without wear or d...

One of William B. Durgin's earliest designs, the pattern on this 5 7/8" long, .64 T. oz., sugar spoon goes by the name Bridal, although it is also referred to as Bow, (Crossed) Ribbon or Knot, taken from the bow and knotted ribbon that appear on the handle front and back sides.

Introduced in the 1860s, it was initially made in coin silver and continued in production long enough to arc the transition to sterling, as examples in both standards exist (se...

A large piece measuring 8 1/2" long and weighing 1.8 T. oz., this table serving spoon bears one of the earliest marks, a "bird surrounded by a wreath," that the William B. Durgin Company used on its flatware.

It is also stamped "M.F. Robinson" for the Springfield, Massachusetts jeweler with dates of operation 1860-99, and "Sterling."

A non-line pattern, its relatively plain style with a broad, fanned, handle end with bright cut diamond and bellflower components, suggests a date circa 1880....

Issued in 1895, Durgin's Empire draws from classic French design sensibilities. It incorporates a crown, cornucopia, torches, a crossed ribbon wreath, and other festooning on the handle front and back on this server, although place pieces have simpler laurel and acanthus leaf and ribbon detailing on the reverses.

This item is a quite remarkable ice cream knife. It measures 10 1/8" long, has a hollow handle, and a solid silver, flat, blade that can only be described as a cleaver. It mea...

An expressive, highly detailed and high relief, design with a sculptural quality, Durgin's rarely found 1888 Heraldic incorporates imagery befitting its appellation.

The iconography includes a pair of upraised (presumably eagle) wings that appear to rise out of a crown, which itself sits over a lion rampant on a shield. Lastly, there is a rearing steed projecting out of a castle turret set below the above images.

This example is a 6 7/8" lon...

The smaller of two sizes of lettuce forks that Durgin produced in its Louis XV pattern, this piece measures 7 7/8" long and weighs approximately 1.0 T. oz.

It has three tines joined to a plain, cupped, heel. The outer two are splayed.

Issued in 1891, the design is French Rococo in manner with rocaille embellishments set in high relief.

This was originally finished with an overall gold wash, i.e. vermeil, but much of that has been polished away.

Never monogrammed, it is ...

Durgin introduced its Old Standish pattern in 1901 followed by New Standish in 1905. Both designs feature weighty, rounded end handles with multi-lined edges front and back sides.

New Standish adds a raised, rolled leaf detail at the handle end on the obverse.

This example is a 5 3/8" long, 1.06 T. oz., sugar sifter with an essentially hemispherical, 1 7/8" by 1 3/4" diameter by 1/2" deep, bowl.

The bowl has a raised vee on the heel where the handle joins. This prod...

Large for a sardine fork, this piece measures 6 3/8" long and weighs 1.17 T. oz.

Made by Durgin, whose "D" emblem and the word "Sterling," appear on the backside, the pattern is Old Standish, issued in 1901, to be distinguished from New Standish introduced in 1905.

It is a clean pattern with a double lined border and tipt end set on a rounded handle.

There is a script "M" monogram engraved on the front.

The gold wash server follows after a style favored by Durgin...