Catalog: Silver: Sterling

An early production example of Gorham's Strasbourg flatware, this 6" long, .8 T. oz., sugar spoon is marked with the company's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Sterling," and "Pat. 1897."

One of Gorham's enduring patterns, the design features French scroll margins with a shell detail at the handle end.

This has a shell-shaped bowl that is finished in a bright gold wash on the interior and has decorated shoulders...

A commanding piece in a dramatic pattern, this ice cream server, aka ice cream knife, measures 9 3/4" long and weighs a substantial 4.1 T. oz.

Made by Whiting, the pattern is Heraldic, issued in 1880.

Appropriate to the name, the imagery features a medieval helmet prominently set at the top of the handle. The remainder of the design incorporates a dense array of high relief, scrolling acanthus leaves...

This 6 15/16" long, 1.25 T. oz., place, aka oval soup or dessert, spoon speaks through time in multiple voices.

First, the pattern which is Ruby by John Polhamus (later Shiebler) is a superb expression of the Greek and Egyptian Revival modes popular in its 1870 period.

It features a central palmette set atop something akin to a papyrus leaf. There is a rosette flanked by ivy leaves situated on the pointed tip end...

One of Wendt's less commonly found patterns, Osiris was issued in 1870, and, as the name implies, is derivative of the Egyptian Revival mode popular in the period.

It features a lined handle with a fan, i.e. palmette, end. This in turn is framed by two acanthus leaves at the point where the handle turns tubular.

This example is 5 7/8" long, relatively substantial weight 1.0 T...

A souvenir of Baltimore, this 4 1/4" long, .3 T. oz. (9 grams), coffee spoon was made by "Dominick & Haff" and retailed by "Hennegen Bates & Co.," with confirming manufacturer's and retailer's marks on the backside, as well as the word "Sterling."

The portraiture includes a turtle, along with oyster shells and seaweed on the handle, and the North Point battle monument in the gold washed bowl...

An expressive pattern from renowned Gorham designer Antoine Heller, Old Medici features a variety of figures and imagery drawn from the Italian Renaissance period.

This example, a 7 1/4" long, 1.54 T. oz. preserve or jelly spoon portrays a matronly looking woman in festooned garb. She is carrying a tray laden with fruit with a basket or other container hanging below this.

Additional details include a gargoyle, a pair of doves with raised wings, and leafy tracery...

This solid silver bowls stands 3" high on a rimmed base that is 3 1/4" across, has a top diameter of 7 1/4", and weighs a substantial 14.18 T. oz.

It is marked on the underside with the "hammer over Stone" emblem of Arthur Stone, "Sterling," and "G" for benchman Herman Glendenning, who was with Stone from 1920 to 1936.

Glendenning seems to have been a major presence in the Stone studio. He is referenced numerous times in Elenita Chickering's foundational volume Arthur J...

A strikingly well-crafted piece, this 5 7/8" long, .8 T. oz., souvenir spoon was marketed by Bath, Maine, jeweler "A.G. Page Jr.," whose name along with the word "Sterling" is stamped on the backside.

The handle has straight, tapered sides with a curved end with angular shoulders.

The surface is diamond cut engraved in a brilliant Aesthetic design with an open area at the end that has a satin matte finished surface...

Among Gorham's oldest full line patterns, New Tipt was introduced in 1871.

Decidedly distinct from a standard Tipt design, it incorporates period Greek and/or Egyptian Revival motifs such as palmettes, reeds, and beading, set on a broad, pointed end, handle with a tubular shank...

Introduced in 1889, Coligni stands alongside other enduring Gorham patterns such as Versailles, St. Cloud, and Cluny that originated at the hand of renowned designer Antoine Heller.

Heller was a classicist much of whose work reflects the Beaux Arts style. This mode is very much evident in Coligni which is a multi-motif line that incorporates draped, romantic figures arrayed amid opulent background imagery.

This example is a very large, 9 5/8" long, 4.6 T. oz., serving ...

A 7 5/8" long, 1.7 T. oz., item, this piece is marked "W.J. Behan," along with "925 Sterling."

W.J. Behan is an elusive name to document, at least as relates to silver.

It is most associated with William J. Behan, who was mayor of New Orleans from 1882 to 1884, but there is no record that he was ever involved in the silver retail trade.

There is also a reference in an 1898 edition of the Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review to a person of this name representing the "Newark ...

Originally associated with Herman Marcus as Starr & Marcus, Theodore B. Starr established his own firm in 1880. His work as a jeweler was renowned and he also produced silver hollowware (see Old Friends item 5551f) as well as some flat ware.

This 6" long, relatively weighty at 1.2 T. oz., sturdy sauce ladle marked "Sterling" and "Theodore B. Sarr New York" dates from the early 20th century, and, although marked for Starr, may actually have been made by Marshall Field who produced a wel...

A liturgical spoon of a form that traces to the earliest centuries of the Christian church, notably the Coptic Orthodox tradition, this near miniature 3 5/8" long, .26 T. oz. (8 grams), silver piece features a long, narrow, faceted handle with a pointed tip.

This is attached to an ovoid bowl with a curved device.

Such replica pieces were inspired by items found in what is identified as the Traprain Hoard of ancient artifacts unearthed in East Lothian, Scotland.

In a description o...

Offered in both sterling silver and silver plate, Harlequin was a floral series issued by Reed & Barton circa 1890 and continued in production for nearly a century.

These eight pieces are from an original, old, set of 5 1/8" long, 4.56 T. oz. the group, 5 o'clock spoons marked with R&B's "eagle, R, lion" emblem and "Sterling."

The bowls all have the same soft satin very pale gold surface and are engraved with "HVR" monograms in flowing script lettering.

Cast rather than die struc...

This master butter knife measures 7 1/4" long and weighs 1.0 T. oz.

Straightforward in design, it has a (Fiddle) Tipt handle set at a right angle to a scalloped edge, pointed end, blade.

Architectural in manner and ruggedly plain, it has flat surfaces throughout. The handle tapers to a square, solid, block where it joins the blade (this strengthens the piece at this natural stress point).

The piece is without adornment, although its clean, serviceable, character and balanced prop...

Dating circa 1870, this jelly or small preserve spoon measures 6 5/8" long and weighs .77 T. oz.

It is marked J.C. Kelley, along with "Sterling," for the Philadelphia jeweler in business 1849-77.

The pattern is an engraved leaf and grass design presented in an Aesthetic manner on a convex Antique Tipt handle with a mid point crossed ribbon.

This is one of two similar designs produced by James Watts, also Philadelphia, and Kelley and Watts are paired on other jointly...

King(s), or English King as identified by Tiffany for its line of flatware in this style, was a pattern with English origins that was produced by numerous American manufacturers in many variants.

This example, a 6 3/16" long, .96 T. oz., serving spoon, is marked for Phildadelphia's Peter Krider and follows standard conventions for the pattern.

Catherine Hollan in Philadelphia Silver illustrates this specific design within her section on handle patterns save she identif...

George Blanchard, along with sons Porter and Richard, represent a dynasty within the realm of American Arts & Crafts silversmithing.

With family roots in Gardner, Massachusetts, George originally worked with Arthur Stone. Porter went on to establish one of the most well-known silver workshops in California, where the family also founded the California Society of Arts & Crafts.

The "B09 in an oval" that appears on this 6 3/16" long, .87 T. oz., teaspoon was an early mark of the partnership,...