Catalog: Silver: Sterling

Rooted in Moorish design and dating from the encompassing 1870s Renaissance Revival period, Whiting's Arabesque features a standing griffin with widespread wings set against a vine, leaf, and rosette background, all of which are quintessential elements of this design motif.

This ensemble is an ice cream set comprised of a server along with eleven (alas one of the no doubt once twelve has been lost to the group) individual spoons...

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...

Established in Jacksonville in 1868, Greenleaf & Crosby eventually evolved into Florida's premier fine jewelry house.

Their offerings included a variety of Florida themed souvenir items and table implements, many of them sourced from Gorham, which is the case with this early 20th century, 8 3/4" long, orange knife.

It has a filled handle in an orange blossom, bud, and leaf design...

The Baltimore Museum of Art volume Baltimore Silver notes that Andrew Ellicott Warner "is the best known of a family of silversmiths which included his father Cuthbert, brother Thomas, and son Andrew Ellicott Warner, Jr."

This example of his work is a 7" long, weighty at 1.3 T. oz., place or dessert spoon.

The marks on this, "A.E...

This all silver (not weighted, although it may have been originally) vase stands 10" tall on a 2 5/8" wide, tiered, base and weighs 7.8 T. oz.

It is hallmarked for "sterling silver," "London," "1898," and prominent English maker "William Comyns & Sons, Ltd."

Trumpet form, it has tapered sides that lead to a splayed top that measures 4 1/2" in diameter...

An early production example of Gorham's Strasbourg flatware, this 6" long, .8 T. oz., sugar spoon is marked with the company's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Sterling," and "Pat. 1897."

One of Gorham's enduring patterns, the design features French scroll margins with a shell detail at the handle end.

This has a shell-shaped bowl that is finished in a bright gold wash on the interior and has decorated shoulders...

A commanding piece in a dramatic pattern, this ice cream server, aka ice cream knife, measures 9 3/4" long and weighs a substantial 4.1 T. oz.

Made by Whiting, the pattern is Heraldic, issued in 1880.

Appropriate to the name, the imagery features a medieval helmet prominently set at the top of the handle. The remainder of the design incorporates a dense array of high relief, scrolling acanthus leaves...

This 6 15/16" long, 1.25 T. oz., place, aka oval soup or dessert, spoon speaks through time in multiple voices.

First, the pattern which is Ruby by John Polhamus (later Shiebler) is a superb expression of the Greek and Egyptian Revival modes popular in its 1870 period.

It features a central palmette set atop something akin to a papyrus leaf. There is a rosette flanked by ivy leaves situated on the pointed tip end...

A souvenir of Baltimore, this 4 1/4" long, .3 T. oz. (9 grams), coffee spoon was made by "Dominick & Haff" and retailed by "Hennegen Bates & Co.," with confirming manufacturer's and retailer's marks on the backside, as well as the word "Sterling."

The portraiture includes a turtle, along with oyster shells and seaweed on the handle, and the North Point battle monument in the gold washed bowl...

An expressive pattern from renowned Gorham designer Antoine Heller, Old Medici features a variety of figures and imagery drawn from the Italian Renaissance period.

This example, a 7 1/4" long, 1.54 T. oz. preserve or jelly spoon portrays a matronly looking woman in festooned garb. She is carrying a tray laden with fruit with a basket or other container hanging below this.

Additional details include a gargoyle, a pair of doves with raised wings, and leafy tracery...

This solid silver bowls stands 3" high on a rimmed base that is 3 1/4" across, has a top diameter of 7 1/4", and weighs a substantial 14.18 T. oz.

It is marked on the underside with the "hammer over Stone" emblem of Arthur Stone, "Sterling," and "G" for benchman Herman Glendenning, who was with Stone from 1920 to 1936.

Glendenning seems to have been a major presence in the Stone studio. He is referenced numerous times in Elenita Chickering's foundational volume Arthur J. Stone 1847-193...

A strikingly well-crafted piece, this 5 7/8" long, .8 T. oz., souvenir spoon was marketed by Bath, Maine, jeweler "A.G. Page Jr.," whose name along with the word "Sterling" is stamped on the backside.

The handle has straight, tapered sides with a curved end with angular shoulders.

The surface is diamond cut engraved in a brilliant Aesthetic design with an open area at the end that has a satin matte finished surface. This is engraved "Sam." over "July 11th" "1892." in fancy script letterin...

Among Gorham's oldest full line patterns, New Tipt was introduced in 1871.

Decidedly distinct from a standard Tipt design, it incorporates period Greek and/or Egyptian Revival motifs such as palmettes, reeds, and beading, set on a broad, pointed end, handle with a tubular shank.

This example is a 5 5/8" long, .7 T. oz., early pastry or pickle fork.

This has an Old English letter "B" monogram on the handle backside, and is in flawless estate condition, free of...

Introduced in 1889, Coligni stands alongside other enduring Gorham patterns such as Versailles, St. Cloud, and Cluny that originated at the hand of renowned designer Antoine Heller.

Heller was a classicist much of whose work reflects the Beaux Arts style. This mode is very much evident in Coligni which is a multi-motif line that incorporates draped, romantic figures arrayed amid opulent background imagery.

This example is a very large, 9 5/8" long, 4.6 T. oz., serving ...

A 7 5/8" long, 1.7 T. oz., item, this piece is marked "W.J. Behan," along with "925 Sterling."

W.J. Behan is an elusive name to document, at least as relates to silver.

It is most associated with William J. Behan, who was mayor of New Orleans from 1882 to 1884, but there is no record that he was ever involved in the silver retail trade.

There is also a reference in an 1898 edition of the Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review to a person of this name representing the "Newark ...

Originally associated with Herman Marcus as Starr & Marcus, Theodore B. Starr established his own firm in 1880. His work as a jeweler was renowned and he also produced silver hollowware (see Old Friends item 5551f) as well as some flat ware.

This 6" long, relatively weighty at 1.2 T. oz., sturdy sauce ladle marked "Sterling" and "Theodore B. Sarr New York" dates from the early 20th century, and, although marked for Starr, may actually have been made by Marshall Field who produced a wel...

A liturgical spoon of a form that traces to the earliest centuries of the Christian church, notably the Coptic Orthodox tradition, this near miniature 3 5/8" long, .26 T. oz. (8 grams), silver piece features a long, narrow, faceted handle with a pointed tip.

This is attached to an ovoid bowl with a curved device.

Such replica pieces were inspired by items found in what is identified as the Traprain Hoard of ancient artifacts unearthed in East Lothian, Scotland.

In a description o...

Offered in both sterling silver and silver plate, Harlequin was a floral series issued by Reed & Barton circa 1890 and continued in production for nearly a century.

These eight pieces are from an original, old, set of 5 1/8" long, 4.56 T. oz. the group, 5 o'clock spoons marked with R&B's "eagle, R, lion" emblem and "Sterling."

The bowls all have the same soft satin very pale gold surface and are engraved with "HVR" monograms in flowing script lettering.

Cast rather than die struc...