Measuring 5 3/8" wide, standing 1" high, and weighing 2.5 T. oz., this sterling silver piece is item number "121" made by Gorham, as indicated by the marks on the underside. It is highly decorative, portraying in a naturalistic manner slanted toward Art Nouveau, a variety of fruit arrayed on the undulating rim. These include alternating clusters of cherries, strawberries, and blackberries with their respective leaves and stems...

Wendell's late 19th century "Ariel" features a cherubic-looking figure set against a dense, decorative background. It is highly reminiscent of Dominick & Haff's "Labors of Cupid," which it predates by five years, 1895 vs. 1900. This example is a 6 1/4" long, heavy, 1.7 T. oz. sauce ladle. The 1 3/4" diameter, 5/8" deep, bowl has flanged shoulders and a scalloped and patterned outer border. This is in immaculate condition and without a monogram or removal...

J.W. Tucker was a noted and successful San Francisco retailer with dates from the 1850's to the 1880's. It is an ongoing matter of how much silver was made by the prominent California houses, and how much was simply retailed by those firms, but Tucker seems largely to have been a marketeer. This 12 1/2" long, heavy, 6.7 T...

A known but unnamed pattern by Durgin, this design is French Rococo in manner. It is highly detailed, featuring scrolls, acanthus leaves, florettes, and beading arranged asymmetrically on the handle. The pattern repeats with slight variation on the backside. This example is a 9 1/4" long, 3.8 T. oz., asparagus server. The shoulders of the serving end follow after the overall design with an added floral swag with bow. The crossbars joining the five tines are leafy scrolls...

Gorham's Byzantine was an early, mid 1860's, pattern that had a double life. The pattern is as illustrated and has vaguely Moorish elements of tracery, scrolling, and even stylized papyrus. It was later appropriated to serve as the ground for Gorham's "Hound," which was this pattern with an applied cast hound literally screwed to the handle. This example is a large, 8 7/8" long, heavy, 3.0 T. oz., berry spoon. It has a ribbed bowl with notched edges and flanged shoulders...

Reed & Barton produced a number of decorative and heavy patterns late in the 19th century that, based on their names, were inspired by French design motifs. "La Marquise" is one in this family. It incorporates intricate scroll and bead detailing, with floral elements employed on the backside heel of the bowl. This example is a 5 11/16" long, .9 T. oz., grapefruit or citrus spoon. It is charmingly engraved "Elizabeth" in an elegant script on the front, and has the date "1898." on the backside...

Measuring 2 1/2" long by 1/8" wide, this bar pin is item "3752" made by a noted name in jewelry and silver items, William Kerr of Newark, New Jersey. It has a lined surface reminiscent of engine turning. This in turn has a run of rosettes. There is a border with a pattern that looks like stitchery. It is in flawless condition and is fully marked on the backside with the maker's name and model number, along with the word "Sterling."

Measuring 6 1/4" long and weighing 1.0 T...

Measuring a full 12" long, with a blade that is 2 3/4" wide, this crumber aka crumb knife is a robust 5.6 T. oz. of solid sterling silver. The handle is flat, not hollow, and thick, 1/8" at the widest. The blade likewise is all silver, not stainless steel which later examples might have been. The pattern is Dominick & Haff's No. 10, which is a late 19th century floral design styled toward the Art Nouveau. The blade has a scalloped and flanged back with the pattern carried onto the heel. The...

It is a logical that a West Coast firm would turn its eye toward Hawaii for souvenir spoon themes, and that is the case with this piece produced by Joseph Mayer & Brothers of Seattle, Washington. It features a full-body, frontal portraiture of "Kamehameha," the legendary king who consolidated the kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. It measures 4 1/4" long and is relatively heavy, weighing nearly .5 T. oz. The backside is plain save for the maker's crossed pick and shovel mark, and the word "Sterling."...

There was a time when even prominent large houses like Gorham and Tiffany understood silver plating to be another option to sterling, and not as perceived today, as something lesser. It might have been that plate better served the design process or the metals involved were more easily manipulated than sterling, or myriad other reasons it was employed. Thus there are extant examples of plated wares that are the equal of their sterling counterparts, and that is the case with this sugar and cream...

An early 20th century design, Whiting's Madam Jumel features a raised wreath with a trailing ribbon and leaf drop on a plain ground with square shoulders. This example is a 5 1/2" long, just over 1.0 T. oz., sauce ladle with a satin matte gold wash, front and back sides, bowl. The front of the handle also has a satin finish. It is in close to unused condition, having no damage and showing no evident wear. Marks are the Whiting emblem and the word "Sterling."