Catalog: Silver: Coin Silver: Serving Pieces

A well-regard name among mid 19th century Philadelphia silver manufacturers, James Watts produced this lengthy, 8 7/8", nearly 1.5 T. oz., berry or other serving spoon.

His readily recognizable "horse head over chevron," emblem appears on the handle backside, along with the word "Coin" and the name of the retailer, "George H. Bechtel," also Philadelphia...

Having a double Philadelphia provenance, this coin silver spoon is marked with James Watts' horse head emblem, and "George M. Bechtel" for the well-known retailer, 1850-60, later in partnership with George Eno.

It is a substantially sized piece at 9" long and weighing just under 1.5 T. oz.

Having a scalloped handle with an engraved surface, it reads as both characteristic for the period and for Philadelphia. The backside is plain save for the marks...

A typical design of its mid 1860s period, this 7 3/16" long, 1.0 T. oz., jelly or preserve spoon has a plum-shaped bowl with a twisted shank that leads to a disk-shaped, pointed end, handle with a slightly tipt backside.

The handle obverse is extensively engraved in a fine, dense, bright cut and wriggle work, pattern that includes a fancy, feathered script, "MCO" monogram in the open reserve area.

It is stamped "James E...

This large, 9 1/8" long, just over 3.0 T. oz. (95 grams), berry scoop or shovel (sometimes identified as a cracker scoop) is a mid 19th century item with Philadelphia provenance. It is marked "J.E. Caldwell & Co." for the renowned manufacturer turned jeweler from that city.

Other marks include "coin" for the silver standard, and very small cartouche with the letters "ET," for which there is not an immediate explanation.

The form is very much of its period and place...

Dating from the mid 19th century, this preserve or jelly spoon measures 7 1/4" long and weighs 1.0 T. oz.

It is stamped on the backside of the handle "J.E. Caldwell & Co." for the renowned Philadelphia jeweler and retailer of fine goods, and "Pure Coin," suggesting this piece may have been sourced from a New England manufacturer, given this term was typically used in that area...

While marked "Pat. Appld. For," along with maker's name "J[ohn]. Cook," New York City, later examples of this unnamed pattern indicate the patent was actually issued in 1869, dating this some time before that.

The piece is a large, 9 7/8" long, 2.4 T. oz., die struck, coin silver server, likely for ice cream.

The "rosette and bellflower" pattern is similar to A. & W...

One of numerous mid 19th century silver manufacturers situated in cities along the Hudson River, John L. Westervelt of Newburgh was a major producer in his 1840s to 1880s period.

This lengthy at 7 1/2" and weighty at 1.3 T. oz., master butter knife is stamped with his "star, lion, D" emblem along with "Sterling" on the blade backside.

The pattern is Ivy, which was one of Westervelt's full line designs...

Catherine Hollan in Philadelphia Silversmiths offers dates of 1876-87 for the firm of "McCarty & Hurlbert," which is the name that is imprinted on the backside of this 9 1/4" long, 2.4 T. oz., berry spoon...

A 9 3/8" long, 2.1 T. oz., solid silver pie server, this piece is marked "Coin" along with a maker's or retailer's mark that is too faint to identify with certainty, although it is likely Boston in origin.

Dating circa 1865, the pattern is Olive, which appears on both sides of the handle. The front is engraved in an elegant, feathered script, "SLM" monogram set sideways in the reserve area.

The blade is triangular-shaped, 4 3/4" long and 2 3/4" at the widest, and has slightly raised...

Measuring 6 5/8" long and weighing .9 T. oz., this item could be a preserve or large sugar spoon. It has a shovel shaped bowl which, while not unique to its mid 19th century period, is certainly less common than other forms.

The handle is fiddle shaped with a Tipt backside and rounded shoulders off the shovel. There is a script "JEH" monogram on the front.

The reverse is marked with a "bust, lion, B" pseudo hallmark that William McGrew in his Manufacturers' Marks on American Coi...

Measuring 6 7/8" long, and weighing 1.16 T. oz., this piece is stamped "N. Harding & Co." for the mid 19th century Boston firm established by Newell Harding. It is also marked "Pure Coin," which was a standard designation largely used in the New England.

It is a double die struck Olive pattern, meaning the design appears on both sides of the arched and upturned handle.

A jelly or preserve spoon, it has a generously sized, 2 1/4" by 1 1/2" at the widest, shell bowl with scallo...

A pattern that originated with Albert Coles, Jenny Lind established itself as a popular mid 19th century design and was adopted by numerous manufacturers.

This example, a 6 7/8" long, 1.25 T. oz., coin silver jelly or preserve spoon bears the four part pseudo hallmark that John McGrew in his benchmark work Manufacturers' Marks on American Coin Silver attributes to the "Gilbert, Cunningham, Cooper" complex of New York City.

This has a shell form bowl and is engraved "M....

Matched items, each of these two master butter knives measures 6 1/4" long with the pair weighing 1.3 T. oz.

Marked "Coin," they are without a maker's identification. The style suggests an 1860s date and the work is clearly that of a capable (American) manufacturer.

They have twisted shanks leading to broad, flat, upturned handle ends that are extensively and finely bright cut engraved on the top sides. Each piece has a feathered script "AMF" monogram.

The blades are oriented at right an...

Writing in Silver Medallion Flatware, D. Albert Soeffing comments that "[Philo B.] Gilbert was a prominent New York City manufacturer, working for about thirty years. Although not well know today, he was one of the leading producers of his day."

This 6" long, .8 T. oz., coin silver sugar spoon is an early example of his "Medallion" pattern, marked only "Patent 1867."

Relatively rare, the line is multi-motif, featuring a variety of different helmeted knight's heads facing left. This ...

This mid 1850s piece is stamped with a three part, "bust, letter, lion" pseudo hallmark and the name "E. Benjamin," for the New Haven, Connecticut jeweler, Everard Benjamin, son of well-known silversmith Barzilli Benjamin.

An olive variant which incorporates what may more accurately be interpreted as anthemion or honeysuckle portraiture, this design is attributed in Silver in the Golden State to the San Francisco firm of Frederick R. Reichel, and identified by the name Olive.

Measuring 8 1/8" long and weighing 1.8 T. oz., this coin silver item has a generously sized, 2 1/2" diameter, shell-shaped, pierced, bowl and "Reverse Tipt" handle.

Generally identified as a large sugar sifter, there is some argument to be made that pieces this scale from this period were actually early ice spoons.

In either case, it is a fine representation of what it is.

It is stamped "R. Fisher, Jr." and "331 Broad Way, N.Y." on the reverse, for Richard Fisher, working 1846-50, also ...

The pattern on this 9" long, weighty at 2.8 T. oz., pie server is a "Leaf & Scroll" design that is indigenous to Philadelphia.

It is illustrated in a "handle patterns" unit of Catherine Hollan's Philadelphia Silversmiths, where it is attributed to Robert and William Wilson, a partnership that dates from the second quarter of the 19th century, and their "R.&W. Wilson" mark does appear on the backside of this coin silver piece.

The handle is flat and double die struck, meaning the pat...

Established in 1867, Schohay & Ludwig (later Schohay, Ludwig & Co.) produced high quality silver, although as the company was short-lived, examples of their wares are not commonly found.

Located in Philadelphia, the firm's work followed after regional style typical of the period and that is the case with this 7 1/8" long, .9 T. oz., preserve spoon.

It has a flat, ovoid handle with a Tipt end that is joined to a twisted stem. This is engraved in a bright cut, line, and wriggle work l...