Catalog: Silver

French in origin, this piece is stamped with a (miniscule) "boar's head" guarantee mark on the inside (left, with the handle facing up) edge of the bowl, with a corresponding "bigorne" counter stamp on the backside, indicating is to an 800 silver standard (something less than American coin silver).

The maker's mark is on the flanking edge of the bowl and reads "N V in a caret," with a "star" below the V and a "star and crescent" above it...

An engaging regional period piece, this mug stands 2 13/16" high to the rim, 3 1/8" to the top of the handle, has a top span of 2 1/2" (3 3/4" to the end of the handle), a bottom diameter of 2 1/8", and weighs 3.1 T. oz.

It is stamped on the underside "Currier & Trott," along with "Coin," for the Boston partnership of jewelers and watchmakers with dates from the mid 1820s to the mid 1850s.

The style of this suggests it traces to the 1840s...

Part of a large carving set, this item measures 14 1/4" long.

The handle is hollow filled and comprises 5" of the total length of the piece, and is sterling silver, while the six-sided, pointed tip, sharpener is plated steel.

This is an early production item made by Gorham in its 1895 Chantilly pattern, marked "Sterling" and with the company's "lion, anchor, G" emblem imprinted on both sides of the edge of the handle at the place where it meets the guard...

Measuring 8 3/8" long and weighing 1.1 T. oz., this relatively plain, c. 1850, serving spoon has a Fiddle handle, high, beveled and rounded, fins off the bowl, and a plain drop on the backside.

Coin silver, it is stamped C[harles]. C[arter] Coleman, for the Worcester, Massachusetts silversmith and jeweler with dates 1844-60. It has a "P (or T) W H" feathered script monogram engraved on the front of the curved handle...

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...

Tea accessories, mote spoons were popular items in early 19th century England.

Indeed, this 5 1/4" long, .32 (10 grams), sterling silver example traces to London, 1811, George III, according to the hallmarks on the reverse. No maker's stamp is present.

It is characteristic of the form, with a slender, tapered handle that ends in a triangular, pointed, pediment, for cleaning clogs...

In the realm of American silver the notion prevails that the finest and most elegant pieces were rendered in sterling, with "lesser" items produced in silverplate.

This 4 3/4" tall, 3" diameter, tea caddy marked for the outstanding 19th century Connecticut manufacturing firm of Meriden Britannia is disabusing of this idea.

Cylindrical in form, the entire body is contoured in a dense, raised respousse acanthus leaf design.

Three figures are incorporated within this matrix...

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...

An expression of Art Nouveau floral design at its finest, this bowl was made by Wallace, whose "RW deer head &S" emblem, the word "Sterling," model number "1140," and "9 in." for the top diameter are imprinted on the brushed finish underside.

It stands 2 1/4" tall and weighs a substantial 15.34 T. oz., and likely dates from the first decade of the 20th century.

It features six undulating lobes on its 1 1/2" wide rim...

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...

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.

Interestingly, and unusual for tongs which generally have plain surfaces on the insides, the pattern ...

Stephen Adams I was a well-recognized London silversmith of his period, roughly the full span of the second half of the 18th century.

Grimwade's foundational London Silversmiths notes his parentage is undiscovered, but that he entered his first mark with William Jury c. 1758, with another mark for both 29 October 1759. Although he also registered marks as a buckle maker, Grimwade states "it is clear that he was principally a spoonmaker."

This 8 3/8" long, 1.86 T. oz., table or servi...

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...

Colonial Williamsburg commissioned Baltimore's Stieff Company (later Kirk-Stieff) to produce the revivalist Queen Anne line of flatware, which was introduced in 1940 and sold through "CW."

Queen Anne is a Hanoverian design with a rounded-end, upturned handle with a midrib and a rattail bowl back.

A companion pattern, Williamsburg Shell was added in 1970.

This offering is for an original, estate set of 12 complete, 5 piece, place settings in Queen An...

Generously scaled at 9 1/2" long, and weighing 2.44 T. oz., this serving spoon has a particularly large, 4" long by 2 5/8" at the widest, bowl.

It could have been intended for berries, but the size suggests another use such as vegetables, or in Southern usage, rice.

The handle is a Pointed Antique shape and is convex.

It is extensively bright cut engraved on the obverse in a pronounced Aesthetic design that incorporates naturalistic elements such as leaves, florals and ...

Generously sized at 1 1/2" high and 1 3/4" in diameter, and weighing .74 T., the style of this napkin ring suggests an 1860s to 1880s date of manufacture.

Appealingly simple in design, it features rolled rims adjoining knurled bands top and bottom. These are separated from a central, plain, concave band by raised beading.

The central band is finished in a bright gold wash, as is the entire inside surface, which is an unusual detail for a napkin ring. The name "Jennie" is engr...

Gorham's numbered items were generally made in a limited number of pieces rather than a full line, and were often enhanced in some manner, such as incorporating unusual design and/or a higher degree of finish than regular production items.

This 4 3/8" long, .64 T. oz., pair of tongs are stamped with the number "15" on the inside arch along with Gorham's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, and "Sterling," and are, consistent with the above statement, an unusual design and particularly well-finished.

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Measuring 2" wide by 2 1/2" long, 3 1/4" inclduing the loop, and weighing 1.1 T. oz. (35 grams), this all silver pendant was produced in Taxco, Mexico, by the firm of "los Ballesteros," likely in the mid 20th century.

Hollow with a flat back, it is heart-shaped and has a ball set in the top center. This in turn is fitted with a ring with an attached looped band for accommodating a chain.

It is stamped on the backside "Los Ballesteros" along with the company emblem surrounded ...