Bright cut patterns were highly popular in American silver of the late 19th century, and no firm was more successful with this style than Towle. The quality of that company's work is fully evident in this 7 1/8" long, substantial weight, 1.5 T. oz., preserve or jelly spoon in the "Gladys" design. The stylized engraving on the handle is set against a matte finish ground and companioned with a delicately elegant "AR" monogram...

Adapted from a 5 5/8" long, .7 T. oz. Durgin "Fairfax" teaspoon, this piece is a commemorative item for one of the United States' highest profile, independent boarding schools, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. It has an applied silver and enamel facsimile of the school seal on the end of the handle...

The maker of this 7 5/8" long, nearly 1.4 T. oz., flat-bladed, perhaps tomato, server was Porter Blanchard whose name appears on the backside, along with the word "Sterling." He had a bi-coastal career, beginning in Gardner, Massachusetts where Arthur Stone was located, and living in southern California beginning in 1923 where he established himself as a prominent silversmith. This example is fully in the Arts & Crafts mode, having a reverse tipt pointed antique handle...

An early line pattern in the history of Gorham, "Palm" dates from 1871 and is illustrative of the quality of design and production for which that company became renowned. This example is a mint condition, 7 3/8" long, weighty, nearly 1.4 T. oz., preserve or jelly spoon. Nestled in a period that generated numerous Egyptian Revival and Moresque designs, "Palm" evokes those sensibilities...

"Wild Rose" is one of several successful Art Nouveau floral designs that Watson produced at the beginning of the 20th century. It offers intricate, high relief, design detail, clearly evidencing, for example, the texture of the petals and the stamen of the central blossom that dominates the end of the handle. This original, 5 1/2" long, approximately 1.0 T. oz., sugar spoon is a superb example of the pattern...

Engraving was brought to a high art form in the late 19th century and these four teaspoons exemplify the technique at its highest level. Made by Durgin, each measures 5 3/4" long, while the group weighs 2.4 T. oz. These illustrate bright cut work, which is a subset of engraving employs deep cuts that create a faceted edge with a highly reflective, diamond like quality. The background around the cutting has a satin matte finish which further emphasizes the glimmer created by the cutting...

Whiting produced a series of floral serving pieces in the late 19th that are little documented, but likely intended to compete with Gorham's impressive "H" series of similar designs and large scale. The portraiture on this is a "Rose" or specifically a "Cabbage Rose." Whiting's items have cast handles and applied serving ends, and that is the case with this 8 3/4" long, massive weight, nearly 5.4 T. oz., spoon...

The last and most successful Kings iteration, Gorham's "King George" was patented in 1894, with pieces so marked. Other identifiers on these three 4 3/4" long bouillon spoons, and two individual 5 3/4" long, solid silver individual butter spreaders include lion, anchor, G, and "Sterling." Relatively heavy, each item weighs .9 T. oz. and has the same flowing script "McL" monogram. All the pieces are in excellent estate condition, evidencing no polishing wear and having good finishes.

Measuring 5 5/8" long and weighing just over .5 T. oz., this silver olive spoon was made by Gorham, whose lion, anchor, G mark appears on the backside, along with the words "Sterling" and "Pat. 1903." The pattern is "Norfolk," aka "Villa Norfolk." The retailer's stamp is "Lux, Bond & Lux" for the West Hartford, Connecticut firm which is now "Lux, Bond & Green." In immaculate condition, and without a monogram or removal, the reticulated bowl has a bright gold wash on both front and back sides.

At 6 1/4" long, this piece is the next size up from a sugar spoon, with an large, 2 1/2" by 1 3/4" bowl, that suggests it is for jelly or preserves. It is moderately heavy at 1.2 T. oz. The pattern is "Diana" by International, which is a turn of the 20th century design. The scroll motif is late Victorian in style, with a suggestion of Art Nouveau, both of which fit its date. The bowl is especially appealing with its scalloped and patterned edge that repeats the design of the handle...

Dating from 1855, "Beaded" is one of Gorham's earliest line patterns and was produced for a considerable period of time. As such, it was made in both coin and sterling silver. This example is the latter. It is an exceptionally large, 12" long, and heavy, nearly 4.5 T. oz., fish slice. At this scale, the shank is thick and the beading high relief and tactile...

Not formally named, the pattern on these three pieces is an "Oak and Acorn" motif that was produced by Boston's Farrington & Hunnewell. It dates c. 1865. It is an engaging, double die struck (meaning it appears on both sides of the handle) design, singular for its time, and considerably more detailed (and less common) than the common patterns of the period, such as "Olive" and its variants. It was produced over a period of time that straddled the switch from a coin to a sterling silver standa...