Catalog: Silver: Sterling: Flatware

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...

As noted in a catalogue listing for a spoon held by the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, "Horace E. Potter, a native of Cleveland, was one of the city’s most accomplished and long-lived artists of the Arts and Crafts era.""

He produced jewelry and flat and hollow ware. In addition to the piece noted above, the Rhode Island School of Design Museum has a leaf form spoon of his that is listed on its online catalogue...

Reed & Barton held a commanding position within the realm of Art Nouveau silver producers at the turn of the 20th century, with designs such as Love Disarmed an unexcelled figural offering and Les Six Fleurs a benchmark among florals.

La Parisenne, the pattern on this 6 3/4" long, weighty at 2.12 T. oz., gravy is another expressive Reed & Barton design from this period...

Not a standard full line pattern, the Daisy pattern on this pair of 4 1/8" long, .68 T. oz., tongs made by Reed & Barton are from the company's early 20th century Harlequin floral series, which was made in a limited number of pieces.

Toward the Art Nouveau in manner, the design features a single full blossom at the top of each arm, with a bud and abundance of leaves below it...

Measuring 6 1/8" long, this relatively heavy at approximately 1.3 T. oz. sugar spoon is an early production example of Reed & Barton's Art Nouveau Intaglio pattern issued in 1905.

It is marked with R&B's "eagle, R, lion" emblem, "Sterling," and "Pat. Appl'd For," all in fine, precise lettering as would be expected on an old piece...

While this matched pair of large pieces, namely a 9" long, 2.73 T. oz. fork, and a 9 1/8" long, 2.67 T. oz., spoon, form a salad serving set, they could easily be adapted individually for any number of purposes.

The spoon for example would work as a casserole, rice, or fruit server, and the fork would work as a vegetable or entree server.

Made by Reed & Barton, whose "eagle, R, bird" emblem, "Sterling," and "Pat...

A late 19th century scroll pattern with a French flair as is appropriate to its name, La Reine was made by Reed & Barton.

As with much of R&B's work, the line was heavy, and that is so for this 6" long sugar spoon which weighs nearly 1.2 T. oz.

This has a generously sized, three lobe, bowl with embossed scrolling on the heel and shoulders. It is finished in a deep, matte, gold wash front and backsides...

A very early example of Reed & Barton's "Les Cinq Fleurs," this berry spoon is large at 9" long and weighty at 3.5 T. oz.

A multi-motif, Art Nouveau, design that features orchids, narcissus, and possibly poppy on this piece, the portraiture is set in high relief and is particularly expressive.

This item is laden with provenance, reflected in the various inscriptions that appear in the gold washed bowl and handle front and backsides...

The larger of two sizes of sugar tongs that Reed & Barton produced in one of its flagship Art Nouveau designs, Les Cinq Fleurs, this item measures 4 5/8" long and weighs a relatively heavy 1.2 T. oz.

Issued at the turn of the 20th century, the pattern features a variety of deeply textured and highly detailed flowers, each one specific to the particular item.

The portraiture on this is poppy.

It has talon grips and a wide arch with raised edges on either side...

This 7 7/8" long and weighty at 2.3 T. oz., small berry or jelly serving spoon is an original example of Reed & Barton's "Les Six Fleurs," a pattern issued in 1901.

It is marked with the company's "eagle, R in a shield, lion" emblem, "Pat. Appl'd For," and "Sterling" on the reverse, all in precise, fine lettering as would be expected of an original piece.

In addition, it is engraved on the backside in an Old English letter "C" monogram.

An extravagant design, the multi-floral portraitur...

Made by Reed & Barton and akin to the company's Harelquin line of flower designs, this orange or grapefruit spoon has a cast handle with a narrow, branch-like stem.

An older piece, it is marked with R&B's "eagle, R, lion" emblem and the word "Sterling."

Measuring 5 3/8" long and weighing .6 T. oz., the pattern is an Orange or Orange Blossom, interpreted in something of an Art Nouveau manner.

Strongly naturalistic and intricately detailed, the fruit is round and full...

Very much a period table piece, this 8 1/4" long, 1.5 T. oz., spoon has a rounded end with a tipt backside, and an exposed drop on the bowl.

The handle front is diamond cut and wriggle work engraved, and has a block letter "E S" monogram, in a manner that bespeaks its age.

The handle reverse is fully hallmarked with a castle assay mark for Exeter, England, 1799-1800 date letter (George III), duty bust, lion for sterling silver, and "RJ" for silversmith Richard Jenkins (d. 1807).

The bow...

Exceptionally weighty at 3.6 T. oz., this 8 3/4" long berry or other serving spoon is marked with the three part emblem of the "Schofield Co." founded in 1903 in Baltimore, and "Sterling."

The pattern is "Lorraine" and has antecedents that predate the company itself.

The handle is a "Pointed Antique" with a slightly "Tipt" backside. The front is engraved in a "Mayflower" design that has its origins in Baltimore and which evolved into a full line of flatware produced by Kirk under this name...

A firm with a long chronology in Albany, New York, the origins of Hall, Hewson & Brower traced to 1810, with the last configuration of the firm ending in 1898.

The company operated under several names in the above span of years, two of which, the three part "HH & B with an eagle" emblem of Hall, Hewson & Brower, and "S.D. Brower & Son," are present on this 8 1/2" long, 1.35 T. oz., serving spoon.

It is also marked "Sterling 925," which would be unexpected in the circa 1850 period of this w...

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...

Each of these six matching 5 5/8" long, 4.0 T. oz. the group, teaspoons is marked with a first standard Minerva head for 950 silver (vs. sterling at 925) with a requisite bigorne counterstamp on the corresponding opposite side of the handle, along with a maker's "LL with a cross between the letters and stars above and below" emblem.

Finely made, showing a level of elegance and refinement that are peculiarly French, the pattern is a "Thread" aka "French Thread" aka "Fiddle Thread."

The hand...

A prominent Syracuse, New York silver manufacturer with a history that spanned the second half of the 19th century and lasted until early into the 20th century, Joseph Seymour produced a number of flatware patterns in coin and sterling silver.

The Square Handled Engraved pattern on these two matching 5 5/8" long, 1.13 T. oz. combined, forks is one that does not have clear design parallels, either with Seymour or other firms.

The handle is flat, and as the name implies, has straight ...

A prominent Syracuse, New York silver manufacturer with a history that spanned the second half of the 19th century and lasted until early into the 20th century, Joseph Seymour produced a number of flatware patterns in coin and sterling silver.

The Square Handled Engraved pattern on this 7 5/8" long, 1.2 T. oz., jelly knife in sterling is one that does not have a lot of design parallels, either with Seymour or other producers.

The handle is flat, and as the name implies, has straight...