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?

Monday, April 19, 2010

Love Disarmed by Reed & Barton

They just don't make patterns more intriguing than this. Reed and Barton is said to have based this design on Shakespeare's Sonnet 154 about disarming cupid. The handle is graced with Venus, the goddess of love, and her son Cupid, with a background of vines and flowers. It was first introduced in 1899 during the Art Nouveau movement. It was discontinued in 1928, only to be reintroduced in 1970.

I found a quote describing it that said: "It was design genius on the part of Reed and Barton to so perfectly capture the story of disarming Cupid in sterling silver. While we are not sure who the voluptuous figure of Cupid’s conqueror in the Love Disarmed pattern was intended to be, we surmise it is either Venus, Diana, or a nymph. Most likely she is hiding Cupid’s quiver of arrows with her left arm while she holds his bow away from him with her right…"



Woman




Cheese Scoop (6 1/4 inches)

Cheese Scoop

Oyster Fork (5 5/8 inches)

Oyster Fork

Large Solid Cold Meat Serving Fork (10 3/8 inches)

Large Solid Cold Meat Serving Fork

Orange Spoon (5 1/2 inches)

Orange Spoon


Large Solid Fish Serving Knife (13 14/ inches)

Large Solid Fish Serving Knife

Baby Food Pusher

Baby Food Pusher

7 comments:

  1. An entire table set with Love Disarmed is a little TOO MUCH. I would recommend mixing it with other art nouveau patterns, such as R & B's Les Six Fleurs, Alvin's Old Orange Blossom or Bridal Rose, Wallace's Irian, Whiting's Lily, and International's Frontenac

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  2. Well, it's perfect for the midnight buffet at an upscale "gentlemen's club," but would you really want to bring it out when your minister comes over for Sunday lunch?

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  3. Personally I think this is a work of art. I always mix my sterling so I agree with your suggestion and the art nouveau patterns are my favorite. As for the minister at Sunday lunch. I would set the table with Love Disarmed and watch for his comment, but that would only be entertaining should it be an uptight southern baptist. I was last in an Episcopalian church and the priest would enjoy the pattern, so that would not be an issue at the table.

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    1. Probably not an issue today, but it easily could have been when it first came out over a century ago. . . . If sterling flatware is going to be used as much as it was fifty years ago, mix and match might be its future. Someone should push the fact that silver is also much more sanitary than stainless steel because it doesn't host bacteria nearly as readily. . . .Also, most folks aren't aware of the tremendous variety of patterns available. Many small-town stores used to carry only a half-dozen or so popular patterns. The retailers would steer brides into choosing one of them because it was already in stock. Today many patterns are available via the internet

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  4. This by far is among my top 5 favorite patterns.

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  5. I want this please send adress and how much ?

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  6. I do not have these pieces for sale. I only blog about the patterns. I would suggest you go to antiquecupboard.com or replacements.com and shop there. I have found they are both excellent sources for new and used sterling flatware.

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