Hartford, Connecticut Memorial Arch Engraved Spoon

This 6 1/8" long, relatively light weight, sterling silver souvenir spoon is unusual on at least two counts. First, it was made by "Wm. Rogers Mfg. Co." (with a star emblem and the word Sterling) of Hartford, Connecticut. This was one of myriad companies that carried the Rogers name. It was known largely for silver-plate, but this example is sterling. Second, the subject is the "Memorial Arch" in Bushnell Park in Hartford, Connecticut. Given this was dedicated in 1886, and this piece was likely made near that time, it is a very early example of a souvenir spoon. The engraving is exquisitely rendered on both the handle and the bowl. The bowl has a gold wash, so the precise bright cutting is all the more dramatic. The condition is flawless. The following information is from one of several online websites that have information about this monument: "The arch was dedicated on September 17, 1886 – the anniversary of the Battle of Antietam – to honor the 4,000 Hartford citizens who served in the Civil War, and the 400 who died for the Union. It is the first permanent triumphal arch, as well as the first permanent war memorial, constructed in the U.S. The memorial features terra cotta friezes – on the north side, New York sculptor Samuel Kitson showed the story of the Civil War; on the south side, the City of Hartford, represented by a female figure, welcomes the soldier's home in a scene sculpted by Casper Buberl. Albert W. Entress sculpted the life-size figures at the base of each tower."