Catalog: Souvenirs

References locate Samuel S. Newton in the neighboring northwest Connecticut towns of Cornwall and Winchester, with active dates c. 1845-1880.

This 6 1/4" long, relatively light, .6 T. oz., tipt end with shell bowl, coin silver spoon bears Newton's mark along with the interesting second identifier "AG. SOCT...

Known for its exceptional series of fruit, flower, and vegetable themed flatware produced around the turn of the 20th century, this 6" long, heavy, 1.1 T. oz., teaspoon is evidence that Watson ventured into the realm of animal life and American history as well.

The handle portrays a galloping bison, i.e. American buffalo. This is set in three dimensional, raised relief, imbuing the imagery with a sculptural quality...

One of a limited, numbered series, Gorham's "H 409" portrays what appears to be a thistle midway on the stem, with a second flower on the terminus.

This line was made to an elevated standard of die work and finish. The portraiture is highly textured, the detail is precise, and the finishing is exemplary.

The piece measures 5 5/8" long and weighs a substantial 1.0 T. oz.

There is no monogram or removal and the condition is outstanding...

Dating from 1880, Whiting's "Heraldic" is an emblematic pattern.

It features a well-constructed, high relief, "sculptured" in effect, portraiture of a knight's helmet surrounded by leafy scroll detailing. Double die struck, the pattern appears on both sides of the handle, which in this instance is engraved "Evelyn" in script.

This example is a 6" long tea or youth spoon. The line is heavy and that is case with this which weighs 1.0 T. oz...

Measuring 5 13/16" long and weighing just under 1.1 T. oz., this teaspoon is marked with an "H" in a diamond, which is a Gorham designation for "heavy." Other marks are the company "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Sterling," and "Pat. Mar. 20. 1894."

It is a Zodiac spoon for the month of December. The sign is "Capricornus," the sea-goat, more commonly identified as "Capricorn," whose image appears on the handle. Other decorative elements include holly leaves and berries tumbling into the handle...

Tiffany produced a line of at least twelve "Floral" designs in the late 19th century that were offered in a wide array of pieces.

These two examples are demitasse spoons. The flowers are, left to right in the images, "Dandelion" and "Daisy."

They are respectively 4 1/4" and 3 7/8" long, and weigh just over .6 T. oz. combined. The handles are cast, which provides for more detail and relief than could be achieved using the usual drop strike method...

More characteristically thought of as citrus or grapefruit spoons, catalogs of a century or more ago commonly identified this form as an orange spoon.

These two examples were produced by Watson and may be one each, orange and grapefruit spoon. They vary in size, the larger measuring 6" long and weighing just under 1.0 T. oz., while the smaller one is 5 5/8" long and weighs just under .7 T. oz. The variance may be an indicator of use...

Made by Watson, whose pennant emblem and the word "Sterling" appears on the backside, this spoon measures 5 13/16" long and is weighty at just over 1.0 T. oz.

A "Mississippi" souvenir piece, it is replete with iconography. Images include an eagle with shield, "Jeff Davis/Old Home," the "State Capitol," "Shirley House," and the "Surrender Monument," and corn stalks.

It also has an unusual bowl surface. In addition to a gold wash surface front and back, it shows a colored portraiture of ...

The early 20th century witnessed a burst of interest in zodiac signs among silver manufacturers. Gorham is the firm that seemed to have capitalized most fully in this trend, but other producers offered entries as well.

Watson was among them and this 5 7/8" long, just under 1.0 T. oz. teaspoon is an example of that company's output.

The sign is "Gemini," as identified in the upper right hand edge of the front. The twins are portrayed as a pair of cherubs, one standing and one sitting in...

Measuring 5 1/4" long and weighty at just over .9 T. oz., this souvenir spoon was made by the Mechanics division of Watson. The company's pennant emblem appears on the backside, along with the word "Sterling."

The handle portrays a full-sized, standing American indian holding a bow, while the reverse shows his shield. The detail is exceptional, exhibiting precise die work and articulate portraiture. Curiously the figure is resting atop a classical, pedimented column wrapped in oak leaves,...

This 5 5/8" long, weighty, 1.1 T. oz., sterling silver souvenir spoon portrays a number of images connected with the Civil War "Battle of Lookout Mountain."

The center of the handle features a number of soldiers climbing a hillside slope. The end of the handle shows a bust of "Joseph Hooker," the general in command of the operation. The lower portion of the handle reads, "Lookout Mt., Battle Above the Clouds, Nov. 24, 1863." The bowl shows a panorama of the mountain "from the Tennessee Ri...

Portraying a bust on the handle and a mounted image for the French King and Roman Catholic Saint for whom the City of Saint Louis was named, this spoon was retailed by that city's premier jeweler, "Mermod-Jaccard & King Co." (1905 forward), as marked on the reverse, along with the word "Sterling."

This is a superbly crafted item. The imagery portrays a youthful king wearing a crown and with his shoulders draped in a clasped cloak. His look is wistful, suggesting his eyes are set on a futur...

The genre is known as "souvenir spoons," but occasionally such commemorative items were produced in other forms. That is the case with this 6 3/8" long, probably youth, fork made by Watson. It is a heavy item, weighing 1.3 T. oz., and reflecting exceptional die work and finish. The word "Missouri" appears on a banner draped across the end of the handle. There are a remarkably high number of additional images portrayed on both sides of the remainder of the handle. These include the state se...