Catalog: Silver: Coin Silver: Serving Pieces

This weighty, 3.0 T. oz., 9" long, c. 1865 solid silver pie server, aka pie knife, is marked for the Brockton, Massachusetts jeweler "Gurney Brothers" ("Bro's." as stamped).

Also marked "Pure-Coin," this doubtlessly has Boston origins, likely made by Farrington and Hunnewell, based on the design.

It has an Old English, i.e. downturned, rounded end, Reverse Tipt handle...

Measuring 7" long and weighing not quite 1.0 T. oz., this preserve or jelly spoon traces to Boston, circa 1860.

It is stamped "· F&H ·" for Farrington & Hunnewell, along with "Pure-Coin," which is a characteristically New England regional term designating the silver content.

The arched handle has an anthemion-shaped end suggestive of its circa 1865 Greek Revival period, which along with the main shank, is finely engraved in an intricate leaf and scroll design...

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...

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...

Tracing to the mid 19th century, this pair of coin silver tongs are early production items made by Cincinnati's premier firm "Duhme & Co.," as indicated by the stamp on the inside of each arm.

Possibly for use with a (pickle) caster, they are large at 6 5/8" long, and heavy at 1.7 T. oz., and combine a variety of period design elements.

The arms have a twisted central section joined to a solid squared block where they meet the substantially-scaled talon grips...

Introduced in 1861, and initially made to a coin silver standard then continued in production beyond the conversion to sterling in 1868, Gorham's Grecian features a solid tubular stem capped with an elaborated anthemion or palmette.

This 7 1/2" long, 1.9 T. oz., gravy ladle is an early piece, marked "Coin," along with "Patent 1861."

The handle backside is engraved with an "H.A.B" monogram in Old English lettering...

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...

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...

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...

Matched items, each of these two master butter knives measures 6 1/4" long with the pair weighing 1.3 T. oz.

Marked "Coin," they are without a maker's identification. The style suggests an 1860s date and the work is clearly that of a capable (American) manufacturer.

They have twisted shanks leading to broad, flat, upturned handle ends that are extensively and finely bright cut engraved on the top sides. Each piece has a feathered script "AMF" monogram.

The blades are oriented at right an...

A popular motif in mid 19th century silver design, the (acanthus) Leaf design of this 6 7/8" long, 1.2 T. oz., coin silver preserve spoon was produced by a number of makers, including Albert Coles, whose "eagle, AC, bust" emblem appears on the handle backside .

Gorham was another company which produced a leaf design. That line, named Josephine, was nearly identical to Coles', and patented in 1855, which is the approximate date of this piece.

It has a shell form bowl with scal...

Established in 1867, Schohay & Ludwig (later Schohay, Ludwig & Co.) produced high quality silver, although as the company was short-lived, examples of their wares are not commonly found.

Located in Philadelphia, the firm's work followed after regional style typical of the period and that is the case with this 7 1/8" long, .9 T. oz., preserve spoon.

It has a flat, ovoid handle with a Tipt end that is joined to a twisted stem. This is engraved in a bright cut, line, and wriggle work l...

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 9 3/8" long, 2.1 T. oz., solid silver pie server, this piece is marked "Coin" along with a maker's or retailer's mark that is too faint to identify with certainty, although it is likely Boston in origin.

Dating circa 1865, the pattern is Olive, which appears on both sides of the handle. The front is engraved in an elegant, feathered script, "SLM" monogram set sideways in the reserve area.

The blade is triangular-shaped, 4 3/4" long and 2 3/4" at the widest, and has slightly raised...

While marked "Pat. Appld. For," along with maker's name "J[ohn]. Cook," New York City, later examples of this unnamed pattern indicate the patent was actually issued in 1869, dating this some time before that.

The piece is a large, 9 7/8" long, 2.4 T. oz., die struck, coin silver server, likely for ice cream.

The "rosette and bellflower" pattern is similar to A. & W. Wood's Clematis and less closely so to an unnamed one by Michael Gibney, both contemporaneous in time and place with ...

A 19th century silver manufacturer with a long history, Joseph Seymour, Syracuse, New York, entered into a number of partnerships, one of which was with Benjamin Norton and David Hotchkiss from 1854 to 1857.

The mark on this 7" long, 1.3 T. oz., flat handle, coin silver master butter knife, "bust, NS & Co.," was used during that partnership.

While Seymour produced a number of named patterns, the one on this is known but unidentified.

It is die struck and portrays a draping leaf that is ...

Measuring 6 5/8" long and weighing .9 T. oz., this item could be a preserve or large sugar spoon. It has a shovel shaped bowl which, while not unique to its mid 19th century period, is certainly less common than other forms.

The handle is fiddle shaped with a Tipt backside and rounded shoulders off the shovel. There is a script "JEH" monogram on the front.

The reverse is marked with a "bust, lion, B" pseudo hallmark that William McGrew in his Manufacturers' Marks on American Coi...

A well-regard name among mid 19th century Philadelphia silver manufacturers, James Watts produced this lengthy, 8 7/8", nearly 1.5 T. oz., berry or other serving spoon.

His readily recognizable "horse head over chevron," emblem appears on the handle backside, along with the word "Coin" and the name of the retailer, "George H. Bechtel," also Philadelphia.

The flat, shaped, handle has an upturned end and is bright cut and wriggle work engraved, all of which bespeaks the piece's Philadelphia...