Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar

The Story Behind this Blog

Being from the South, Silver is a very big part of my life. It doesn't have anything to do with wealth. Although those with more money - old money, tend to have more of it. New money tend not to spend their money on Silver. They do not have the appreciation for the warmth of the metal, the beauty of the patina, the story it tells of the generations past who have used it. A true southern girl comes of age when she chooses her silver pattern, long before she chooses her mate. If she is smart, she chooses that of her mother, grandmother, or favorite great aunt who in their benevolence will pass their silver on to her. It is the pieces in those sets, the pieces on our tables, along with the pieces we find in the corners of the displays in antique stores that prompted me to start this blog. They are beautiful, they are odd, but what are they, and what in the hell do you do with them?

Friday, June 22, 2018

Masterpiece by International

International Introduced their Masterpiece pattern in 1963.

Cold Meat Serving Fork (7 7/8 inches)

Infant Feeding Spoon (5 1/2 inches)

Large Prong Roast Carving Fork (11 inches)

Casserole Spoon (7 7/8 inches)

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Ice Cream Server Part 4

The Ice Cream Server is a beautiful, and usaully ornate piece. I have posted on this earlier.

Stief Rose (1892 by Kirk Stieff) (10 1/2 inches)

Lily of the Valley (1885 by Whiting) (9 7/8 inches)

Old English (1892 by Towle) (9 5/8 inches)

St Dunstan (1909 by Tiffany) (11 3/8 inches)

Friday, June 8, 2018

Wedding Bells by International

International introduced their Wedding Bells in 1948. It has an interesting minute design on the tip of the terminal.

Sugar Sifter (5 7/8 inches)

Cocktail/ Seafood Fork (5 5/8 inches)

Master Butter Knife (7 1/4 inches)

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Cheese Serving Pick Part 3

This is the Cheese Serving Knife.

Chippendale by Towle (1937) (8 1/4 inches)

Classic Roase by Reed and Barton (1954) (5 5/8 inches)

Saxon by Birks (1914) (7 3/4 inches)

Monday, June 4, 2018

Fruit Cocktail Spoon (Individual)

Individually, many pieces look alike unless they are compared with other peices in the same pattern. Also, I often come across pieces that only few patterns (or few manufacters) include. Perhaps a "Fruit Cocktail Spoon - Individual in one pattern is exactly like a sherbet spoon in anther!

All that said, I could only find one example of a Fruit Cocktail Spoon.

Repousse by Kirk Stieff (5 3/8 inches)

Friday, June 1, 2018

Gem Leaf by Whiting

Gem Leaf by Whiting is an old pattern, dating 1880. This is an example of an "etched' pattern.

Preserve Spoon (7 7/8 inches)

Large Pie Knife (9 1/8 inches)

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

WTS57 by Watson

This a pattern only known by a number WTS57 by Watson. I am not sure if it is a full pattern or, what is called, a 'limited' pattern. (One that only has a few pieces in it, usually serving pieces or spoons with different designs on individual pieces.) This particular pattern has a very ornate design on the handle of fruits and palms. Both examples here are Cheese Serving Picks (7 7/8 inches)

Monday, May 28, 2018

Viola by Wood and Hughes

An older pattern, Viola by Wood and Hughes was introduced in 1875.

Table Serving Spoon (8 3/8 inches)

Solid Fish Knife (7 3/8 inches)

Sugar Spoon (6 1/2 inches)

Friday, May 25, 2018

Zodiac by Gorham

Gorham introduced their Zodiac pattern in 1906. The pattern is limited in that it only has the following pieces: Youth Spoon, Youth Knife, Teaspoon, Demitasse Spoon, Berry Fork, and a curved Baby Spoon. Each piece has the month on the stem and a design of the appropiate Astrogical sign on the terminal.

Youth Spoon - ( 5 3/4 inches) (Cancer ) (June)