Old Friends  
5532f   $185.00

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This substantially sized, 10" long, weighty at 2.8 T. oz., piece has a double Philadelphia provenance in that it is marked "lion, K, crown" for maker Peter L. Krider, along with the name of retailer "Robbins, Clark, & Biddle." It is also stamped "Sterling."

These four, Krider, Robbins, Clark and Biddle, were all well-known and well-regarded names associated with the manufacturing and marketing of silver, and they had intertwining histories. This particular configuration suggests an 1875-78... Click for details

Old Friends  
5531f   $32.00

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This 8 3/8" long, .45 T. oz., item is an example of American silver design following after a much older English form, namely a mote, aka skimming, spoon.

As this does, motes spoons typically have a pierced bowl on one end and a pointed or spear tip on the other.

Most commentary about their purpose indicates mote spoons were originally tea related, used for filtering loose leaves, with the point serving to clear a spout of clogs.

This 8 3/8" example was made by FS Gilbert, North... Click for details

Old Friends  
5530f   $65.00

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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... Click for details

Old Friends  
5527f   $45.00

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At 6" long and weighing 1.0 T. oz., this example of Gorham's Versailles pattern is an early issue, old style, ice cream spoon, marked "Copyrighted," "lion, anchor, G," and "Sterling" on the backside.

Its distinguishing feature is the shell bowl with scalloped edges and a ribbed interior. This is finished in a matte gold on the front except for the heel, which along with the entire backside, has a bright gold surface.

The figure on this multi-motif line is a cherub... Click for details

Old Friends  
5526f   On Hold

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A rarely found piece in Gorham's Old Medici pattern, this sardine fork measures 5 3/4" long and weighs .8 T. oz.

It has four, relatively broad, pointed tines that are joined to a deep-shouldered, wavy-edged, heel that is engraved with an acanthus leaf design surface.

The tines retain a portion of an original gold wash on the upper sides.

Most references date the pattern to 1880, although Charles Carpenter in his benchmark Gorham Silver places it about 1883. This is... Click for details

Old Friends  
5524f   $45.00

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An original, early production, piece, this regular length, 6 3/8" long, .64 T. oz. olive spoon in the Fairfax pattern is marked with Durgin's "D" emblem, "Sterling," "Pat'd," and "A. Stowell & Co.," a once prominent Boston jeweler.

Introduced in 1910 by Durgin, this colonial revival design proved immensely popular and was continued in production by Gorham after it absorbed Durgin in the early decades of the 20th century.

The slender and relatively deep, pointed end, bowl is... Click for details

Old Friends  
5522f   $80.00

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Reed & Barton held a commanding position within the realm of Art Nouveau silver producers at the turn of the 20th century, with designs such as Love Disarmed an unexcelled figural offering and Les Six Fleurs a benchmark among florals.

La Parisenne, the pattern on this 6 3/4" long, weighty at 2.12 T. oz., gravy is another expressive Reed & Barton design from this period.

A multi-motif floral line, the image on this is a water or pond lily (whether by... Click for details

Old Friends  
5512f   $100.00

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The spoon represented in the above image is one of a set of six matched pieces that measure 4 5/16" long each and weigh 2.6 T. oz. the group.

They present with something of a mystery.

Coffee spoons, the pattern matches Whiting's Renaissance Revival Arabesque pattern in every detail, save the backside of the bowls are stamped "800," which represents a German silver standard used prior to 1886 (Arabesque was issued in 1875).

Whether these were a direct copy manufactured by a... Click for details

Old Friends  
5511f   $145.00

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A large item, this all silver ice cream knife or slice measures 10 1/4" long and weighs 4.3 T. oz.

It has a hollow (not filled) handle and a 6 1/8" by 2 1/4", roughly rectangular, solid silver, flat blade with a gold finish front and back sides.

This form is sometimes referred to as an ice cream axe or hatchet, referencing the dramatically impressive scale of the blade.

The pattern is Watteau, which was issued in 1891 and references the French painter whose name became... Click for details

Old Friends  
5509f   On Hold

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A prominent Syracuse, New York silver manufacturer with a history that spanned the second half of the 19th century and lasted until early into the 20th century, Joseph Seymour produced a number of flatware patterns in coin and sterling silver.

The Square Handled Engraved pattern on this 7 5/8" long, 1.2 T. oz., jelly knife in sterling is one that does not have a lot of design parallels, either with Seymour or other producers.

The handle is flat, and as the name implies, has straight... Click for details

Old Friends  
5508f   $135.00

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An expressive, highly detailed and high relief, design with a sculptural quality, Durgin's rarely found 1888 Heraldic incorporates imagery befitting its appellation.

The iconography includes a pair of upraised (presumably eagle) wings that appear to rise out of a crown, which itself sits over a lion rampant on a shield. Lastly, there is a rearing steed projecting out of a castle turret set below the above images.

This example is a 6 7/8"... Click for details

Old Friends  
5506f   $65.00

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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... Click for details

Old Friends  
5503f   $145.00

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An early production piece, this Lily gravy ladle is marked with Whiting's "lion" emblem, "Sterling," an Old English "O," "Pat. 1902" and "R'd 1902," all in fine lettering on the handle back.

An expressive Art Nouveau design, the pattern is expressed in intricate, high relief detail on this large scale, 7 1/4" long with a 2 1/2" by 2 1/4" bowl, very heavy, 3.37 T. oz., solid silver piece.

The bowl is shell form, with a scalloped edge and ribbed body that is finished with a satin... Click for details

Old Friends  
5499f   $195.00

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While this matched pair of large pieces, namely a 9" long, 2.73 T. oz. fork, and a 9 1/8" long, 2.67 T. oz., spoon, form a salad serving set, they could easily be adapted individually for any number of purposes.

The spoon for example would work as a casserole, rice, or fruit server, and the fork would work as a vegetable or entree server.

Made by Reed & Barton, whose "eagle, R, bird" emblem, "Sterling," and "Pat. Jan 6 1893" are stamped on the handle backs in fine lettering (see... Click for details

Old Friends  
5496f   This item is currently being auctioned

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A pattern with a history rooted in the Aesthetic movement, Tiffany's original Japanese (to be distinguished from later produced and renamed Audubon) was the first of numerous American flatware patterns to be issued in a multi-motif bird motif, as indicated by William Hood writing in Tiffany Silver Flatware.

Drawing upon research provided by Gorham scholar Sam Hough, Hood further notes, "In this same period [1869] Tiffany and Gorham started to conceive of producing... Click for details

Old Friends  
5490f   $70.00

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Outstanding among the various Medallion patterns produced during the 1860s, Gorham's version was the one chosen by Tiffany & Co. to offer under its retail banner.

This factor may explain the reason why it was more often than not made to a sterling silver standard, which Tiffany required, versus the typical coin of the period.

This 5 7/8" long, .8 T. oz., sugar spoon mirrors this practice. It is marked with a "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Pat. 1864," "Gorham & Co.," and "Sterling" on... Click for details