Catalog: Silver: Coin Silver

Measuring 6 5/8" long and weighing just over .5 T. oz., this mid 19th century spoon is marked "Coin" without any other identifiers. Given the style, it is likely New England or New York in origin.

A jelly or large sugar spoon, it has an engagingly naive quality about it.

The handle has a narrow stem, and flat, shaped, round, upturned end with a slight knob tip. The surface is engraved in a simple, but endearing, leaf and flower design. The flower appears to be a narcissus...

Dating from the mid 19th century, these two matching master salt spoons each measure 3 3/4" long and weigh .6 T. oz. combined.

An Oval Thread pattern, they are stamped "Squire & Lander" for the New York City jeweler, along with the "star, lion, D" manufacturing mark of John L. Westervelt, Newburgh, New York.

The rounded bowls measure 1" by 3/4" and are moderately deep at 1/4".

They are engraved "Thorpe." in script set sideways on the handle fronts...

Measuring 6 1/4" long and weighing .64 T. oz., this sugar spoon is a charming period piece.

The Reverse Tipt handle is bright cut engraved in a wispy leaf design with training stems that encircle a script letter "LHN" monogram.

It also has an usual form bowl with scalloped ends and interior paneling, all finished in a pale gold wash...

Measuring 5 5/8" long and weighing .5 T. oz., this circa 1840 teaspoon has a double provenance.

It is marked "S. Ayers Elmira" for Socrates Ayers born in 1814. He worked in Elmira as a silversmith, watchmaker and jeweler until about 1877.

It is also stamped with a "star D star," which mark John McGrew in his Manufacturer's Marks on American Coin Silver attributes to an "Unidentified - Up-State New York" maker...

This 5 7/8" long, .48 T. oz., teaspoon is marked "H. Hastings" with an "eagle."

While most sources place H. Hastings in Cleveland, Ohio, circa 1820, William McGrew in Manufacturers' Marks on American Coin Silver introduces the possibility of a Connecticut location...

This 5 1/2" long, approximately .4 T. oz., teaspoon is one of three matching, exquisitely made, New England origin, pieces dating from the 1850s.

It has a Fiddle Tipt handle that is engraved "S M R" in fine script lettering set sideways on the front.

The bowl is well-formed, proportionate, has a pointed end, and rounded, tapered fins at the join with the handle.

Coin silver, it is marked "R.R. Conn" for the Fitchburg, Massachusetts jeweler...

Very early examples of San Francisco marked flatware, this set of six, matched, 8 3/8" long, 10.9 T. oz. the lot, coin silver spoons date circa 1860.

They are stamped on backsides "G.C. Shreve & Co., which firm according to an entry in Dorothy Rainwater's Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers, was established in 1852.

It eventually became the West Coast's premier jeweler and silver manufacturer...

Although primarily a New York City Silversmith, Louise Belden in Marks of American Silversmiths and other sources note that William Grigg spent some years in other locations, namely Albany 1770-78, and Halifax, Canada, 1782-89...

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.

The 4 1/2" long by 2 3/4" at the widest, blade is unusually shaped, with a double scalloped edge, a raise...

A matched set, each of these four place, aka dessert or soup, spoons measures 7 1/8" long, with the group weighing 5.0 T. oz.

They are all stamped "Duhme & Co.," for the Cincinnati manufacturer and jeweler, and all have the same feathered "TGM" monogram inscribed sideways on their handle.

The pattern is "No. 1," introduced in 1869.

These have twisted stems with flat, oval, ends, which are engraved with wriggle work borders as well as leaf and other period detailing."

An online commen...

This 8 1/8" long, 1.77 T. oz., coin silver piece stands apart for several reasons.

One distinguishing aspect is the combination of maker and retailer.

It is stamped with the "eagle, thistle, harp" mark of Philadelphia's Taylor & Lawrie." Catherine Hollan in Philadelphia Silver notes "they [T&L] advertised they had manufactured for Bailey & Kitchen then for Bailey & Co. for twenty years . . . (1857 adv)."

This is stamped "M.W. Galt & Bro.," for the Washington, D.C. firm establishe...

This set of six, 6" long, 3.0 T. oz. the group, coin silver spoons are all marked "Root & Chaffee" along with a right facing "eagle" emblem.

William Root and Frederick Chaffee were located in Pittsfield, in the Berkshires region of Western Massachusetts, and were in partnership 1830-1849.

These have Fiddle handles with Tipt backs and are all engraved in fancy, feathered script, lettering, "E T Boyd" on the fronts.

In very good condition, they are free of wear or damage suc...

Writing in Silver Medallion Flatware, D. Albert Soeffing comments that "[Philo B.] Gilbert was a prominent New York City manufacturer, working for about thirty years. Although not well know today, he was one of the leading producers of his day."

This 6" long, .8 T. oz., coin silver sugar spoon is an early example of his "Medallion" pattern, marked only "Patent 1867."

Relatively rare, the line is multi-motif, featuring a variety of different helmeted knight's heads facing left. This ...

Relative large, this coin silver master butter knife measures 7 3/4" long and weighs a commensurately heavy 1.3 T. oz.

Elegantly designed, it has a lengthy, slender, handle that has high, double swell, chamfered fins off the blade. The end is fiddle shaped and features a raised shell motif.

The blade is somewhat short at 2 7/8" long and wide at 1 1/8". It has a blunt end and curved upper edge with a notch toward the tip.

It has an implied provenance in that the front of t...

The name Gorham immediately evokes Jabez Gorham of Providence, Rhode Island, and the legendary firm he founded.

The same surname, however, appears in the history of 18th and 19th century silversmithing in New Haven, Connecticut.

This minor dynasty included Miles Gorham, his son by the same name, and his nephew John, whose "J. Gorham" mark is imprinted on this lengthy, 8 7/8", 1.5 T. oz. coin silver spoon.

Born in 1789, Flynt & Fales Heritage Foundation Collection of Silver notes ...

Born in 1802, Albert Comstock Benedict was a prominent New York City silversmith during the first half of the 19th century and beyond. He worked in partnership with Egbert Scudder from 1828-36.

His mark, which appears on all four of these lengthy, 6 1/4", 2.3 T. oz. the group, matching teaspoons is distinct. It reads, "A.C. Benedict" over "28 Bowery, N.Y."

The handles are Fiddle shaped with Tipt backsides. There are high, rounded, fins off the bowls, and plain drops on the ba...

Born in 1785 in Albany, New York, sources indicate that Thomas H. Carson was working as a silversmith in that city in 1810 and in partnership there with Green Hall 1814-19.

This lengthy, 8 7/8" long, 1.9 T. oz., serving spoon is stamped with the "C&H" mark indicating that partnership.

The form is consistent with the period. The handle is plain front with a rounded end and a midrib on the backside and a plain drop on the heel of the bowl.

There is a large, double lined, feathered script ...

A substantially sized item that measures 7 1/2" long and weighs just under 1.4 T. oz., this master butter knife traces to mid 19th century Boston.

It is stamped "Shreve, Brown & Co.," which was an 1857-60 partnership in the chain of evolution for the firm that eventually became Boston's carriage trade "Shreve, Crump & Low."

It is also marked "Sterling," which is early for this period when coin silver was the prevailing silver standard.

The handle is an upturned "Oval Thread," plain on t...