Catalog: Silver: Coin Silver: Flatware

This 8" long, 2.3 T. oz., solid silver sugar sifter is high Victorian in style. It is also a study in the silversmithing art.

Hallmarked for London, 1875-76, sterling, with a Queen's duty head, and "HH" for maker Henry Holland (later Holland, Aldwinckle & Slater), it carries considerable provenance. Holland and the subsequent firm were recognized as one of the most significant English silver manufacturers of their time.

This is artful in multiple ways...

These six, matched, coin silver, spoons are marked "Gorham & Webster," for a partnership that traces to 1831-37.

This period demarcated a turning point in the history of Gorham, defining the pivotal time when the company began its ascendency as a premier silver manufacturing firm...

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...

Taking its name from the novel by Sir Walter Scott, "Kenilworth" originated with Albert Coles in the 1860s and was later continued in production by George Shiebler.

This 7 1/2" long, 1.2 T. oz., tea aka breakfast aka dessert knife is an early solid coin silver example marked with Coles' three part "eagle," "A/C," "bust" emblem.

Classified as a "Medallion" pattern by D...

An original knife, fork and spoon youth grouping, each of these pieces is stamped "C.A.W. Crosby" for the Boston jeweler, 1855 onward, and "Pure-Coin," which is a characteristic New England term indicating the silver content.

A double die struck (meaning the design appears on both sides) Olive pattern popular in the mid 19th century, each handle is inscribed in script lettering set sideways, "C.J.A. to C.A.P."

The blunt end, solid, knife measures 7 3/8" long and weighs 1.1 T...

This intact youth set is comprised of a 7 3/8" long, 1.1 T. oz., solid silver flat handle knife, a 6 3/8" long, .9 T. oz., fork, and a 5 7/8" long, .64 T. oz., spoon.

In an Olive pattern, these are all original to one another with each engraved in script lettering, "C.J.A." to "C.A.P."

The commonality of the "C.A." letters prompts speculation about whether two generations shared names.

All pieces are stamped "C.A.W...

A matched set, this c. 1835, coin silver, 6 5/8" long, likely pickle, fork and 7 1/2" knife, 2.8 T. oz. combined weight, are marked "S. Richard" for the New York City silversmith Stephen Richard.

The handles are filled (which is included in the total weight above), and feature a complex, double-sided, pattern that incorporates leaves, scrolls, flowerets, and two kinds of shells, one that is spiraled and one that appears to be a nautilus...

As was a practice with many American silver manufacturers working in coin, even more so did Canadian silversmiths employ pseudo hallmarks imitative of English silver to identify their work.

This 8 5/8" long, weighty at 2.1 T. oz., circa 1840, coin silver table serving spoon is a case in point. It is stamped with a "crown, bust, lion" along with "IM" for John Munro, and "NB" for the province of New Brunswick, the city of St. John in this case, for the this maker...

A matching group in a Tipt aka Fiddle Tipt pattern, three of these four (two shown) teaspoons measure 5 1/2" long and one measures 5 3/4". The three collectively weigh 1.6 T...

Measuring 8 1/8" long and weighing 1.8 T. oz., this coin silver item has a generously sized, 2 1/2" diameter, shell-shaped, pierced, bowl and "Reverse Tipt" handle.

Generally identified as a large sugar sifter, there is some argument to be made that pieces this scale from this period were actually early ice spoons.

In either case, it is a fine representation of what it is.

It is stamped "R. Fisher, Jr." and "331 Broad Way, N.Y." on the reverse, for Richard Fisher, working 1846-50, also ...

Relatively lengthy at 6", with slender, Fiddle Tipt handles in a style that is particular to Baltimore where they were made, this group of four, matching, teaspoons weigh 2.3 T. oz.

Each one is stamped "S. Kirk & Son" along with the standard mark "10.15," which is roughly equivalent to coin silver. This specific combination of marks was used 1846-61.

Each piece has a feathered script "EVE" monogram engraved on the front and an exposed thumb drop on the bowl reverse.

In very fine ...

A matched pair, each of these forks measures 7" long, while the two combined weigh 2.35 T. oz.

They are marked "I. Speer" and "Chicago" on the handle reverses.

Isaac Speer began work as a jeweler and watchmaker in Chicago in 1840, engaged in a partnership with Edward Cosper, 1852-53 (see Old Friends item 5463f for a Speer & Cosper ladle), and continued alone thereafter until 1870.

Coin silver, these date from the 1860s and are in a period pattern similar to Gibney's Tuscan and Po...

Josephine was one of the earliest line patterns produced by Gorham, as indicated by the "Patent 1855" and "Coin" that appear on the backside of this example, which is a full-size, 7 1/2" long, just over 1.5 T. oz., dinner fork.

The design is characterized by a die struck leaf, scroll, and anthemion that appear on the handle obverse, minus the leaf on the backside, and an expanded leaf on the reverse heel.

This has a fancy, feathered script, "AP Borden" en...

Each of these six matching spoons measures 5 7/8" long and is engraved with the same fancy, feathered line script, "AI" monogram. They weigh 2.35 T. oz. the group.

They are stamped "E.E. & S.C. Bailey," for brothers Ebenezer and Samuel, who established a partnership in Claremont, New Hampshire, circa 1825.

Particularly well-crafted and elegantly formed, they have slender, elongated, Fiddle Tipt handles with markedly upturned ends.

The bowls are relatively narrow and long, and ha...

A large table or serving spoon, this piece measures 9" long and weighs 1.8 T. oz.

Coin silver, it is stamped "J. Guthre" for James Guthre, who worked in Wilmington, Delaware in the second quarter of the 19th century. References record him in partnership with Emmor Jefferis c. 1840.

Well-crafted, this has an exceptionally wide, flat with a slight downward arc, front with a subtle Tipt back, Fiddle handle.

This is engraved with a feathered, line script, "CP" monogram on the ...

This 7" long place or dessert spoon stands apart on several counts, the first of which is its exceptionally heavy weight at marginally over 2.0 T. oz.

Secondly, marked "Tiffany & Co.," it traces to the early years of the firm when it operated solely as a retailer.

In this case the maker was Henry Hebbard, whose three part "star, H, anchor" pseudo hallmark appears on the handle backside.

Thirdly, it is to a coin silver standard, so stamped, which is unusual for Tiffany which prompted, in...

Singular in form, this place fork measures 7" long and weighs a heavy 1.9 T. oz.

Visually it is divided into two sections. The upper part is flat, thick, and set in a "French Thread" pattern on both sides.

The lower part of the shank is also flat, and has a splayed end where it joins the handle.

The tines are broad and relatively blunt.

It was made by William Gale of New York who operated in numerous partnerships, this one is denoted "WG&S," for William Gale and Son, which spanned th...

Measuring 5 5/8" long and weighing .8 T. oz., this sugar spoon was produced by Unger Brothers, Newark, New Jersey, whose entwined "UB" surrounded by "Sterling" and "925 Fine" mark appears on the backside.

The pattern is Douvaine, issued in 1904. Douvaine may be the most recognizable of the numerous early 20th century Art Nouveau flatware patterns Unger generated and for which the firm is renowned.

An expressive design, it features a dolphin or fish image at the tip of the han...