Even without the exquisitely engraved blade this would have been a rare find, so we're doubly pleased. Note: although this server is hollow handled, we do not believe it to be weighted.
These come and go, but I don't think we've ever owned one where the chasing is so crisp and the original oxidation hasn't been at least partially removed by some overzealous owner...
There is slight tip wear from right handed use, a few minor insults to the bowl (including a scratch, reverse), and significant wear to the monogram "B / E * E". On the whole, however, this spoon presents itself well. To quote Quimby in American Silver at Winterthur, "Stoutenburgh left a small body of high quality work"...
Most American silver manufacturers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries offered some variant of the Chrysanthemum pattern. As faithful readers of our little web page will know, here is my favorite one of them all...
For those who favor comparison shopping, a similar though inferior pair by this same maker weighing only 5.7 oz. Troy sold at Julien's for 875.00 (See catalogue of the Ronnie & Jo Wood collection, 10/26/2012, lot 308).
Though his work is ardently sought by collectors, Porter's output was not always of consistent quality. His soldering was occasionally sloppy, and his hammer marks were at times random. Here, the seams are nearly invisible, and the art peen hammering (please see third enlargement) is laid out masterfully along the vertical axis...
We suspect that not many of these spoons were produced, and many of those that survive are looking tired and worn. These will do your collection proud, and also enable you to take a very generous mouthful of soup!
Maltby Pelletreau was the second generation of this illustrious silversmithing family. His partnership with Bennett and Cook lasted only three years, so the date range for this item is pleasantly narrow...
Finding a set of twelve coin silver dessert spoons in any pattern is rare, but I'm hard pressed to think of the last time we had the privilege to offer a group of this quality (note the "flat" at the tip of each spoon) and decorative appeal...
Though the gilding was probably a bit brighter in 1902, this is still an especially impressive example. For those of you who are not familiar with weights, 5.9 Troy ounces will feel wonderfully heavy in the hand!
Compare on ebay (item 175280479685) at 799.00
This was probably a custom made item.
We've examined both doggies carefully with a high power loupe, and they appear to be 14k. No, we're not going to test them...
These are benchmark examples, looking today just as they did upon leaving the factory on Elmwood Avenue some hundred and fifty years ago. They are engraved (slightly differently) in an exceptionally well designed and well executed manner upon all three sides...
Other web pages which will remain nameless are still hoping to get the big bucks for these, but we are eminently realistic.