Catalog: Silver: Sterling: Flatware

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...

Established in Jacksonville in 1868, Greenleaf & Crosby eventually evolved into Florida's premier fine jewelry house.

Their offerings included a variety of Florida themed souvenir items and table implements, many of them sourced from Gorham, which is the case with this early 20th century, 8 3/4" long, orange knife.

It has a filled handle in an orange blossom, bud, and leaf design...

The Baltimore Museum of Art volume Baltimore Silver notes that Andrew Ellicott Warner "is the best known of a family of silversmiths which included his father Cuthbert, brother Thomas, and son Andrew Ellicott Warner, Jr."

This example of his work is a 7" long, weighty at 1.3 T. oz., place or dessert spoon.

The marks on this, "A.E...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

These six, matching, 19th century, coffee spoons are a statement in design and technique.

Made by Gorham, whose "lion, anchor, G" emblem and the word "Sterling" are imprinted on the reverses, they are 4 7/8" long, and relatively very heavy at 4.37 the group.

Finished in a satin matte gold on all surfaces, they have blue (it may read black in the above composites, but it is a deep blue), yellow, and white enameled handles, executed in an Arabesque with rosettes design.

They...

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...