Catalog

George Sharp's Ball pattern is arguably the most well known of any number of 1860s designs that incorporated a sphere, cube, orb, or other similar form, usually surmounting a tubular or faceted shank.

It was produced in a wide variety of pieces, from large servers to items as small as a master salt spoon or this, a 5" long, .3 T. oz., nut pick.

It is an early piece, marked "Patent 1863 Pending" and "Bailey & Co.," for the Philadelphia retailer with whom Sharp was closely asso...

A generally heavy line of flatware, this 7 1/8" long dessert, aka oval soup or place, spoon in Durgin's Chrysanthemum is especially so. It weighs a full 2.0 T. oz.

In immaculate condition, appearing never to have been used, it was a presentation piece, engraved "Kathryn" in embellished script lettering on the handle front and "1905" on the reverse.

Given the design was introduced in 1893, this is perforce an early production piece, which is manifest in the clarity and sharpness of t...

An Indo-Persian pattern, Gorham's Hindostanee was issued in 1878, as indicated by the "Pat. 78" along with Gorham's "lion, anchor, G" emblem and "Sterling" stamped on the backside of this 5 1/2" long, 1.1 T. oz. cream ladle.

The finely rendered design incorporates a series of repetitive scrolls and palmettes on a slightly upturned, rounded end, handle, and includes a shield reserve, which in this instance has never been monogrammed.

As a line, Hindostanee had an individualist...

Established in Jacksonville in 1868, Greenleaf & Crosby eventually evolved into Florida's premier fine jewelry house.

Their offerings included a variety of Florida themed souvenir items and table implements, many of them sourced from Gorham, which is the case with this early 20th century, 8 3/4" long, orange knife.

It has a filled handle in an orange blossom, bud, and leaf design. This is stamped "Sterling" and with Gorham's "lion, anchor, G" emblem on the ferrule at the join with t...

A typical design of its mid 1860s period, this 7 3/16" long, 1.0 T. oz., jelly or preserve spoon has a plum-shaped bowl with a twisted shank that leads to a disk-shaped, pointed end, handle with a slightly tipt backside.

The handle obverse is extensively engraved in a fine, dense, bright cut and wriggle work, pattern that includes a fancy, feathered script, "MCO" monogram in the open reserve area.

It is stamped "James E. Caldwell & Co." on the backside for the renowned Philadelphia ...

This 8 1/8" long, 1.67 T. oz., spoon is marked with an "animal head over shield" emblem attributed to James P. Butler, Philadelphia.

It is also stamped with the words "Coin" and "Patent" and the name of the retailer, Philadelphia jeweler "J. Einstein."

Catherine Hollan notes in Philadelphia Silver that Butler was "a member of the extended Butler-Peters-McCarty families" and that he worked as a partner with James Watts for one year, 1867.

The leaf and rosette with an ant...

Gorham's numbered items were non full line specialty pieces sometimes produced in variety of forms and sometimes offered only as a single piece.

This example, a tea caddy spoon with a likely late 19th century date, is stamped with the number 406 on the reverse, along with Gorham's "lion, anchor, G" emblem and the word "Sterling."

It measures 3 5/8" long and weighs just over .5 T. oz.

Comprising slightly more than half the length of the piece, i.e. 2", the handle is shaped somethi...

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.

A tea caddy spoon, this measures 4 7/16" long and w...

An early 20th century pattern, Wallace's "Violet" is an expressive Art Nouveau floral design.

This example is a 7 1/4" long, 1.3 T. oz., preserve or jelly spoon.

A large blossom occupies the central portion of the handle and is surrounded by additional blossoms, buds, and leaves the full length of the handle and on the backside.

The pattern also extends onto the scalloped edge, rounded end, bowl.

Never monogrammed, this is a fine example, with clear pattern detail. The only signs of ...

The 1880s generated innumerable engraved floral flatware patterns from various manufacturers, with Gorham's 1885 "Jac Rose" one of the most well-received. Its appeal continues to the present day.

This example is a large, 5 1/4" long, 1.0 T. oz., pair of sugar tongs.

The basic pattern is an "Old English," i.e. "Antique Tipt," with an open blossom, bud, and leaves engraved on a matte finish ground at the top and midpoint of the arms.

The grips are highly detailed talon or claw form, with ...

Made by International, whose Simpson, Hall, Miller division "helmut" emblem, "Sterling," and model number "C 1960" appear on the backside of the handle, this tea strainer is in the Arts & Crafts mode and likely dates from the first quarter of the twentieth century.

It is over-the-cup style, with a round, 2 1/8" diameter by 3/4" deep, pierced, bowl. This has a narrow rim with a rolled edge.

The bowl is joined to a 2 13/16" long Pointed Antique slightly upturned, handle and a correspo...

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.

The arms s...

A long handled version, this olive spoons measures 7" as against a regular length 5 1/2" or so for this form. It weighs .7 T. oz.

Made by Watson, the pattern is Bridal Flower, introduced in 1910.

Although dating from late in the Art Nouveau period, this follows fully after that style, with a very fluid interpretation of the lily blossoms that form the centerpiece of the design.

The gold finish bowl (front and back sides) is shell form, with scalloped edges and a ribbed and...

Measuring 4 7/8" long and weighing just under 1.0 T. oz., this sardine fork has a 2 1/2" by 1 1/2", seven tine serving end with a pierced heel.

The pattern is Nuremburg, issued by Alvin in 1903.

The design incorporates the face of a horned, devil-like, figure masked in the detail of the overall pattern. This image is presumably meant to suggest the grotesque medieval gargoyles for which the German city of Nuremberg in known.

The handle front is engraved in script with an "O'L" mo...

An American variant upon the English Kings pattern, Dominick & Haff's Charles II features a convex shell on the handle front with a honeysuckle ornament and a heavily beaded border. The backside has a concave shell on the end with the same beaded border as the front, and is otherwise plain.

There is a lined script "R" monogram engraved in the area between the shell and honeysuckle.

This example is a 6 1/8" long, 1.1 T. oz., sol...

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. These elements are surrounded by addition...

A strikingly well-crafted piece, this 5 7/8" long, .8 T. oz., souvenir spoon was marketed by Bath, Maine, jeweler "A.G. Page Jr.," whose name along with the word "Sterling" is stamped on the backside.

The handle has straight, tapered sides with a curved end with angular shoulders.

The surface is diamond cut engraved in a brilliant Aesthetic design with an open area at the end that has a satin matte finished surface. This is engraved "Sam." over "July 11th" "1892." in fancy script letterin...

Each of these two spoons measures 5 1/4" long with the pair weighing 1.2 T. oz. combined.

Ice cream spoons, they have twisted stems with rounded ends that are engraved in a floral and leaf design with faux engine turning.

Each one is also inscribed in the frontside reserve area with an Old English "M.E.S." monogram. The backsides are plain save for the word "Sterling."

The bowls have notched shoulders and slightly pointed tips.

The overall form and design suggests a date circa 1870. ...