St James by Tiffany

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?

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

St James by Tiffany

A Renaissance Revival style designed by Paulding Farnham for Tiffany in 1898 that became inactive in 1912. One of the first features one notices in St. James is the crossed multi-ribbed bands. This gives an open area for engraving. A line of beading goes down the handle.The design on the back is very simliar to the compex pattern of the front. According to William Hood's book Tiffany Silver Flatware "The significance of the name 'St. James' is unclear."