Catalog: Silver: Sterling: Flatware

Marked "Sterling," "925/1000 in a shield," and "Duhme Co.," this 6 1/8" long, approximately 1.0 T. oz. spoon has Cincinnati origins and associations.

It has a Tipt handle with straight sides and rounded shoulders off the bowl. This departs from the pronounced Fiddle shape with angular shoulders typical of 19th century Ohio River Valley silver design...

Marked with Watson's Mechanics division pennant emblem and the word "Sterling," this teaspoon measures 5 7/8" long and weighs a substantial 1.1 T. oz.

The pattern is a Daisy and appears to be a variant from Watson's Floral Series No. 2 issued in 1903.

As was characteristic of the company's products, the die work is intricately detailed, presented in high relief, and struck with precision.

The finish is a soft, satin gray...

Made by Reed & Barton and akin to the company's Harelquin line of flower designs, this orange or grapefruit spoon has a cast handle with a narrow, branch-like stem.

An older piece, it is marked with R&B's "eagle, R, lion" emblem and the word "Sterling."

Measuring 5 3/8" long and weighing .6 T. oz., the pattern is an Orange or Orange Blossom, interpreted in something of an Art Nouveau manner...

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...

Durgin introduced its Old Standish pattern in 1901 followed by New Standish in 1905. Both designs feature weighty, rounded end handles with multi-lined edges front and back sides.

New Standish adds a raised, rolled leaf detail at the handle end on the obverse.

This example is a 5 3/8" long, 1.06 T. oz., sugar sifter with an essentially hemispherical, 1 7/8" by 1 3/4" diameter by 1/2" deep, bowl.

The bowl has a raised vee on the heel where the handle joins...

Little reference material is available about the Boston firm "N.G. Wood & Son" founded in the late 19th century, although based on the inventory of their goods still available, they were a major operation.

This item, a 5 3/4" long, .7 T...

Stamped with Durgin's early "bird surrounded by a wreath" emblem, and the word "Sterling, this 7 3/8" long, approximately 1.0 T. oz., master butter knife dates circa 1880 and reflects the naturalistic Aesthetic (also Eastlake) design sensibilities of its period.

It has a rounded end handle that gently curves upward from the flat blade. The front is engraved in a dense leaf design...

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...

Gorham's numbered items were generally made in a limited number of pieces rather than a full line, and were often enhanced in some manner, such as incorporating unusual design and/or a higher degree of finish than regular production items.

This 4 3/8" long, .64 T. oz., pair of tongs are stamped with the number "15" on the inside arch along with Gorham's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, and "Sterling," and are, consistent with the above statement, an unusual design and particularly well-finished...

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...

Among Gorham's oldest full line patterns, New Tipt was introduced in 1871. This 5 5/8" long, .6 T. oz., sugar spoon is an early example, monogrammed on the handle front "C.E.F." in script and with the date "1872" on the reverse.

More detailed than a standard Tipt design, this version incorporates Greek and/or Egyptian Revival features set on a broad end, tubular shank, handle. These features carry onto the backside heel of the plum shaped with central vee, gold washed, bowl.

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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.

This example is a 5 5/8" long, .7 T. oz., early pastry or pickle fork.

This has an Old English letter "B" monogram on the handle backside, and is in flawless estate condition, free of...

Not a standard full line pattern, the Daisy pattern on this pair of 4 1/8" long, .68 T. oz., tongs made by Reed & Barton are from the company's early 20th century Harlequin floral series, which was made in a limited number of pieces.

Toward the Art Nouveau in manner, the design features a single full blossom at the top of each arm, with a bud and abundance of leaves below it.

Interestingly, and unusual for tongs which generally have plain surfaces on the insides, the pattern ...

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 Attlebor...

Produced by the Chicago silver firm of Wendell Manufacturing Company, Ariel is a highly expressive pattern.

Sculptural in manner, the central design element is a cherubic figure set against a dense, decorative background.

It is strongly reminiscent of Dominick & Haff's Labors of Cupid, which it predates by five years, introduced in 1895 vs. 1900.

It is a multi-motif line, meaning the figural representation varies between different pieces.

This example is a 5 5/8...

The first full line flatware pattern produced by Rogers, Lunt, & Bollen, later simply Lunt, Dorothy Q was carried forward from antecedent firm "A.F. Towle & Son Co." which introduced it in 1883.

This example is a 6" long, .77 T. oz., early production sugar spoon, marked with the R L & B three part emblem and the word "Sterling."

The handle is Old English in style with a plain Tipt backside and a front that is extensively and engagingly engraved in a star shaped flower ...

Gorham produced a range of specialty pieces circa 1900 designated by numbers beginning with an "H," of which this 4 5/8" long, relatively heavy at .5 T. oz., lemon fork is one.

It is stamped on the backside with the word "Gorham" over "H 824," and "Sterling."

The solid handle is tubular with a cross-hatched or knurled upper portion surmounted by a "dome and ball" detail.

The tines are relatively thick, with the outer two splayed, as is characteristic of lemon forks.

Never monogrammed...

Around the turn of the 20th century, Gorham produced an array of specialty silver stand alone items grouped together in what is known as H series pieces.

This 5 1/8" long, .45 T. oz., is model number "H239" from that series.

A lemon fork, it has the requisite three, narrow and splayed, tines that define its function.

Evidencing the precision of finish and substance of H series items, it has an open work handle that is reminiscent of the Chippendale style, rendered i...