Catalog: Silver: Coin Silver: Serving Pieces

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, where he worked as a silversmith in the 1820s, and apparently with a short-lived presence on Nantucket Island, Masschusetts, William P. Stanton established himself in business in 1829 with his brother, Henry, in Rochester, New York.

This pair of 5 3/4" long, .9 T. oz., coin silver tongs are marked "W.P. & H. Perry" for that partnership.

Their plain, angular, fiddle shaped arms date them from early in the partnership, c. 1830...

A typical design of its mid 1860s period, this 7 3/16" long, 1.0 T. oz., jelly or preserve spoon has a plum-shaped bowl with a twisted shank that leads to a disk-shaped, pointed end, handle with a slightly tipt backside.

The handle obverse is extensively engraved in a fine, dense, bright cut and wriggle work, pattern that includes a fancy, feathered script, "MCO" monogram in the open reserve area.

It is stamped "James E...

This 8 1/8" long, 1.67 T. oz., spoon is marked with an "animal head over shield" emblem attributed to James P. Butler, Philadelphia.

It is also stamped with the words "Coin" and "Patent" and the name of the retailer, Philadelphia jeweler "J. Einstein."

Catherine Hollan notes in Philadelphia Silver that Butler was "a member of the extended Butler-Peters-McCarty families" and that he worked as a partner with James Watts for one year, 1867...

An early line pattern first issued in 1861 to a coin silver standard, "Cottage" continued in production for many years, through Gorham's transition to sterling in 1868.

This 7" long, T. oz., preserve spoon is an early example marked "Patent 1861" and "Coin."

The bowl is shell form with a scalloped and dotted edge...

This mid 1850s piece is stamped with a three part, "bust, letter, lion" pseudo hallmark and the name "E. Benjamin," for the New Haven, Connecticut jeweler, Everard Benjamin, son of well-known silversmith Barzilli Benjamin.

An olive variant which incorporates what may more accurately be interpreted as anthemion or honeysuckle portraiture, this design is attributed in Silver in the Golden State to the San Francisco firm of Frederick R. Reichel, and identified by the name Olive...

A major mid 19th century silver manufacturer, Boston's Farrington & Hunnewell produced a number of die cut patterns as well as an extensive array of engraved designs.

This 6" long, 1.3 T. oz., shell bowl, sauce or cream ladle, is an especially fine example of the later form.

It has a gracefully arched, broad, "Reverse Tipt" handle that is bright and diamond cut on the front in a floral, leaf, and swag design.

There is a central reserve area that is engraved in a leaf script "W" monogram...

A popular mid 19th century motif, the (acanthus) Leaf pattern of this c. 1865, 7 1/4" long, 1.3 T. oz., coin silver master butter knife was produced by a number of makers, including Albert Coles, whose "eagle, AC, bust" emblem appears on the handle backside.

It is of additional interest given it was marketed by Joseph Werne of Louisville, Kentucky, whose name is also stamped on the blade back, alongside Coles' hallmark. Werne was a one time partner of John Kitts (also with S.W...

A mid 19th century piece, this 6 3/8" long, .9 T. oz., jelly or large sugar spoon is marked with Albert Coles', New York City, "eagle, AC, bust" emblem.

Coin silver, it is a decorative item, with several design details typical of its period.

It has a twisted stem that leads to a broad, shaped end that is bright cut engraved in a design reminiscent of leaves, bellflowers, and fruit, with a diamond border on the front and wriggle work edging on the back...

Measuring 7" long and weighing not quite 1.0 T...

A piece attached to the early history of Chicago, this coin silver sauce or small gravy ladle is marked "Speer & Cosper" "Chicago," for a partnership of only two years duration, 1852-53, although Isaac Speer had been in business as a jeweler and watchmaker since 1840, and continued on after the pairing dissolved.

This is an unusually proportioned piece. It measures 7" long, with a handle that is lengthy in comparison to the 2" by 1 1/2" by 1/2" deep oval bowl. It weighs 1.1 T. oz.

The patt...

One of William B. Durgin's earliest patterns, dating circa 1870, and commonly identified as Spray, this design features a bouquet of woodland flowers and grasses tied by a bow.

This motif appears in the top center of the handle, and is repeated on the lower front and backside heel of the join with the blade of this 6 3/4" long, 1.0 T. oz., master butter knife.

There is a script letter "R" monogram on the handle front.

The blade has a scalloped upper edge, upswept and pointed tip,...

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...

One of numerous mid 19th century silver manufacturers situated in cities along the Hudson River, John L. Westervelt of Newburgh was a major producer in his 1840s to 1880s period.

This lengthy at 7 1/2" and weighty at 1.3 T. oz., master butter knife is stamped with his "star, lion, D" emblem along with "Sterling" on the blade backside.

The pattern is Ivy, which was one of Westervelt's full line designs. Naturalistic in manner, Ivy faithfully represents this vine which served ...

A major name in mid 19th century Boston silver production and retailing, Farrington & Hunnewell was the maker of this 6 7/8" long, .9 T. oz., coin silver preserve spoon marked "< F & H >."

F&H were masters of bright cut and fine engraving, which this piece illustrates. The work on the front of this portrays anthemion and leaf detailing against a fine line background that mimics engine turning.

The handle has a rounded end with a slight "Tipt" backside, and a shield form reserve, whi...

A pattern that originated with Albert Coles, Jenny Lind established itself as a popular mid 19th century design and was adopted by numerous manufacturers.

This example, a 6 7/8" long, 1.25 T. oz., coin silver jelly or preserve spoon bears the four part pseudo hallmark that John McGrew in his benchmark work Manufacturers' Marks on American Coin Silver attributes to the "Gilbert, Cunningham, Cooper" complex of New York City.

This has a shell form bowl and is engraved "M....

Zebulon (alternatively Zachariah as noted by Belden in Marks of American Silversmiths) was listed in New York City directories 1815-20 and from 1822-70 in Sag Harbor, on Long Island. He spent 1821-22 in Salisbury, North Carolina as a partner with Edmund Burnham.

The plain, rounded and downturned end with a smooth back, style of this 9 1/4", 1.4 T. oz., coin silver serving spoon dates circa 1820, tracing to his NYC years or even his short period in NC.

The handle has a slight fidd...

Featuring a raised ram's head at the handle end, a satyr's face and ivy leaf and berry set midway on the shank, and an expanded ivy motif on the backside heel of the bowl, Grecian originated with Henry Hebbard, New York City, and was subsequently produced by Whiting.

This is an early, coin silver, example of the line marked "H.H. Patent 1862," and with the name of the retailer, "[E.S. & J.] Ettenheimer," Rochester, NY.

A sugar spoon, it measures 6 1/8" long and weighs .8 T. oz.

I...

This 7" long, .9 T. oz., solid silver preserve spoon has a downturned, rounded end, handle with a plain, Tipt, backside. The front is extensively bright cut engraved and engine turned in a manner that is strongly suggestive of mid 19th century Philadelphia design.

Indeed, it is marked "T.C. Garrett," who was an established jeweler and merchant in that city.

In her biographical entry about him in Philadelphia Silversmiths, Catherine Hollan illustrates his mark alongside Watts ...