Catalog: Silver: Sterling: Flatware

Offered in both sterling silver and silver plate, Harlequin was a floral series issued by Reed & Barton and generally made in a variety of generally smaller items.

These seven, 4" long, 2.35 T. oz. the group, coffee or demitasse spoons are early pieces marked with the company's "eagle, R, lion" (later items are stamped "Reed & Barton") along with "Sterling."

Cast rather than die struck, they are highly textured, possess intricate detail, and show a soft gray finish on the silver...

One of William B. Durgin's earliest designs, the pattern on this pair of matching 6" long, relatively heavy at 1.9 T. oz. combined, teaspoons goes by the name Bridal, although it is also referred to as Bow, (Crossed) Ribbon or Knot, taken from the bow and knotted ribbon that appear on the handle front and back sides...

Each of these two spoons measures 5 1/4" long with the pair weighing 1.2 T. oz. combined.

Ice cream spoons, they have twisted stems with rounded ends that are engraved in a floral and leaf design with faux engine turning.

Each one is also inscribed in the frontside reserve area with an Old English "M.E.S." monogram. The backsides are plain save for the word "Sterling."

The bowls have notched shoulders and slightly pointed tips.

The overall form and design suggests a date circa 1870...

To a European scale, each of these two, matching, forks measures 8" long. They are very heavy at 5.2 T. oz. the pair.

The pattern is a (Fiddle) Tipt, with beveled edges along the margins of the handles. The ends are slightly upturned, and the tines are long and tapered.

Each piece is fully marked with a "lion" for sterling, a "leopard's face" for London, a date letter "e" for 1834-35, a duty mark, and "WJ" for maker William Johnson...

The "Aesthetic" motifs empolyed on this finely engraved, 8 5/8" long, approximately 1.7 T. oz., berry or other serving spoon reflect the same design sensibilities that informed the Eastlake style of its c. 1870 period.

The handle is "Old English" with a rounded end and "Tipt" backside.

It is diamond cut engraved in a motif that incorporates grasses, a fern leaf, and a central floral rosette.

The bowl has a pointed tip, notched edges, and five raised vees extending toward the center...

Paye & Baker produced two female nude designs in silver flatware around the turn of the 20th century, that while lesser known than such similar patterns as Reed & Barton's Love Disarmed and Alvin's Raphael, were of equal stature.

Psyche, which came in a solid and a pierced version, is the more commonly known of the Paye & Baker renderings, while Mermaid, which is the pattern on this 5 3/8" long, relatively heavy at .93 T...

An oval soup or dessert spoon in American usage, this English place piece measures 6 5/8" long and weighs 1.1 T. oz.

It is fully hallmarked for London, 1796-97, sterling silver, and makers Peter and Ann Bateman, who were members of the renowned Bateman dynasty.

It has a rounded end with tipt back, Old English, handle, narrow shank and thumb drop on the bowl reverse.

The bowl is well-shaped, evenly formed, and comes to a gentle point...

Dating from the reign of George III, this 5 1/2" long, just over 1.0 T. oz. (32 grams) pair of English tongs are fully hallmarked for sterling silver, London, 1802-03, and makers Peter, Ann and William Bateman of the legendary family of silversmiths associated with Hester.

A period piece, this has shaped arms, a broad arch, and cupped, aka acorn, grips.

All the exterior surfaces are bright cut and wriggle work engraved...

A 6" long, .8 T. oz. spoon with an "Old English," i.e. "Reverse Tipt," handle, this is stamped with the "lion, K, crown" emblem of Philadelphia silversmith Peter Krider and the word "Sterling."

A sugar spoon, although it bears some similarity to an ice cream spoon, it has a plum shaped, pointed end bowl with flange shoulders and a midrib down the center.

Likely dating from the 1870s, this exhibits the exquisite bright cut engraving for which Philadelphia silver of the period was renowned. ...

This substantially sized, 10" long, weighty at 2.8 T. oz., piece has a double Philadelphia provenance in that it is marked "lion, K, crown" for maker Peter L. Krider, along with the name of retailer "Robbins, Clark, & Biddle." It is also stamped "Sterling."

These four, Krider, Robbins, Clark and Biddle, were all well-known and well-regarded names associated with the manufacturing and marketing of silver, and they had intertwining histories. This particular configuration suggests an 1875-78 da...

Items originating from various members of the renowned Bateman family of English silversmiths appear with individual maker's marks and in combination with one another.

This pair of 5 1/2" long, .9 T. oz., tongs is stamped "PB/WB" for Peter and William Bateman. Other marks include a "lion passant" for sterling, a date letter for 1809-10, and a "bust" duty mark.

A fully period piece, this has slender, tapered, arms with a broad arch and cupped grips and is extensively bright cut in a leaf an...

A decorative item, this 5 7/16" long, approximately 1.1 T. oz., sugar sifter has a rounded end Antique handle with a Tipt backside.

The front is bright cut engraved in a floral, starflower like, pattern along with a fancy, feathered script, "AMJ" monogram.

The essentially round, 2" diameter, pierced bowl has a scalloped edge, coffered sides, and a raised circle in the base. The interior has a satin matte finish that is wriggle work engraved with "pom pom" like detailing that ...

One of the premier names in Philadelphia silver manufacturing in the second half of the 19th century, Peter L. Krider produced items that set a standard for design and quality.

This exceptionally large, 10 1/4" long, 3.1 T. oz., ice cream server validates the above statement.

The handle has a rounded end with a "Tipt" backside. The blade is triangular with an upswept, pointed, end, a rolled upper edge, and double, mirror finish, vees with rounded shoulders in the heel (see image 2).

The...

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...

Princess was a pattern introduced by John Polhamus and continued in production by George Shiebler, both of whom were prominent 19th Century New York City makers.

This 11" long, heavy at 4.5 T. oz., ladle, (likely an oyster which was one step down in size from a full soup), is an early piece marked "J.P. Pat. 74" and "Sterling."

The design is Moorish in style, with a suggestion of Greek or Egyptian Revival influence.

The handle front features a leaf and berry repeating border surr...

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. These elements are surrounded by addition...

As noted in a catalogue listing for a spoon held by the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, "Horace E. Potter, a native of Cleveland, was one of the city’s most accomplished and long-lived artists of the Arts and Crafts era.""

He produced jewelry and flat and hollow ware. In addition to the piece noted above, the Rhode Island School of Design Museum has a leaf form spoon of his that is listed on its online catalogue.

Working from 1897 onward, he established the partnership of Potte...

Along with several other artisans, Horace Potter was a founder of the "Cleveland School of Arts and Crafts" in 1898.

There is ample biographical material about him available online, including the site "chicagosilver," which notes that he graduated from the "Cleveland School of Art" in 1898 and maintained strong ties with Boston where he studied further and worked briefly.

The "New York Metropolitan Museum of Arts" holds a silver casket made by him circa 1907 which reflects the influence Ch...