A premier name from the mid 19th century well into the 20th century, Boston's Bigelow, Kennard & Co. served a market that was increasingly eager and able to procure fine goods, of which this 9" long, weighty, 2.2 T. oz., serving spoon is an example. The design is characteristic of a Boston style especially popular in the 1860's leading into the 1870's. The handle is basically "Old English" with a tipt backside. The bowl is eggplant shaped and plain...

The smaller of two fish knives Durgin offered in its "Chrysanthemum" line, this piece measures 7 1/2" long and is very heavy, weighing just under 2.0 T. oz. It is flat handled and solid sterling silver. It is inscribed "Groff" in a feathered script on the blade, and "1896" on the handle...

Bearing the maker's stamp for Joseph Haywood & Co. of Glasgow, Scotland, date letter for 1862, and a rampant lion for sterling, this pair of tongs are generously proportioned. They measure 6" long and weigh approximately 1.8 T. oz. They are otherwise plain save for their highly elaborated, cup grips. There is a script "RFG" monogram on the arch. The are in mint condition. There is no visible wear, nor bends, cracks, or scratches even. The marks are fully legible.

Later produced as a Wallace pattern, "Meadow Rose" originated with Watson in 1907. This is an early example, having the Watson crown, W, lion, hallmark, along with the W in a pennant emblem, and the word "Sterling." Older pieces that are without wear as this is, have crisper and sharper pattern detail, and tend to have finer finishes than later pieces. That is the case with this 7 3/4" long, quite heavy, 2.5 T. oz., cold meat fork...

A figural design, Gorham's "Paris" is, as would be expected from the name, French in style and highly decorative. It also one of Gorham's more robustly scaled lines, and that is the case with this 7 7/8" long, weighty, 1.7 T. oz., master butter knife. It has a script "A.T.A." monogram set on the horizontal. It is in good condition overall. The blade is free of bends, nicks, or burrs and the finish is appealing...

A 19th form, this cake knife aka cake saw (taken from the sawtooth top edge of the blade), is 9 3/8" long and weighs 2.4 T. oz. It is flat handled and solid silver. The pattern is "Domestic," by Gorham, dating from 1881. It features intricate ivy detailing, with a small bee and dragonfly beside a central rosette, and a fan end. It is a pastoral and charming design, and touches upon the aesthetic mode with the insect figures...

Marked only "Sterling," this c. 1860's pattern is a Whiting design commonly identified as "Calla Lily," taken from the three dimensional flower that adorns the end of the handle. This example is a large, 10 1/2" long, just under 2.6 T. oz., serving spoon. Described by one source as "jewelry-esque," this is assembled from a variety of parts, rather than being die struck as a unit, or a single casting...

"New King" is Dominick & Haff's version of an English origin design. It joins Tiffany's "English King" and Gorham's "King George" as the premier iterations of this motif in the American environment. This example is a 6" long, heavy, 1.5 T. oz., sugar spoon in flawless condition. The shell shaped bowl has a matte finish with a pale gold wash. There is no monogram or removal. Marks are "Sterling," the D&H emblem, and the name of the retailer, "Carter Bros" of Portland, Maine.

A 1905 pattern, Alvin "Sorrento" stands in a design category of its own. It does not follow after the Art Nouveau of the period, nor does it embody the neocolonial fashion that supplanted Nouveau. That said, it is an appealing and rather lush design that incorporates floral, leaf, and scroll elements. This example is a 9 1/2" long, predictably heavy, 3.7 T. oz., asparagus server. The blade end has four broad tines and decorated and raised shoulders...

This 8 3/4" long, nearly 2.3 T. oz., serving spoon is an old example of Gorham's "Strasbourg." It carries the early lion, anchor, G mark, along with the words "Sterling," and "Pat. 1897." In addition, it has the decorated, flanged shoulders that in later pieces was plain. The bowl has a gold wash that is substantially intact. The condition is flawless and there is no monogram or removal.

Whiting used a single bowl form for all its serving spoons in the "Imperial Queen" line, and that appears on this 7 1/2" long, 1.5 T. oz. small berry or preserve. It is in flawless condition and without a monogram or removal. The finish is lustrous. Marks are the Whiting logo, "Sterling," "Pat. 1893.," and an Old English "O."

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...