Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2010-03-21

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, March 26, 2010

Lemon Server

The Lemon Server is designed to slide under the lemon slices, pick them up, then serve them. These pieces are rare since they were only produced in a few patterns. Sometimes they can be confused with the croquette server but if you compare the two, you will see the croquette server is flat and the lemon server has a raised edge on one side.

(Shown in Georgian by Towle)

(Shown in Grand Barouque by Wallace)

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Orange and Grapefruit Spoons

Orange Spoons, Citrus Spoons, and Grapefruit Spoons are basically the same piece just called different names in different patterns. Although, Gorham shows in some of its patterns, both an Orange and a Grapefruit spoon. I could find on Orange spoon in Buttercup and a Grapefruit spoon in Chantilly that both had the same lines, so I suspect one is misnamed. However, some research showed that there may be a piece out there that is the "other" piece that has the decoration continuing from the handle down around the top of the bowl of the spoon. Every source I looked showed them being "out of stock." So, I am thinking, the elusive piece is there, and may very well be in your sliver chest.

Anyway, the spoons were developed to pierce into the pulp of citrus, both oranges and grapefruit. Often the bowl was washed with gold to prevent the acid from the fruit tarnishing the silver.

(Grapefruit Spoon shown in American Beauty by Shiebler 6 inches)

(Grapefruit Spoon shown in Chantilly by Gorham 5 3/4 inches)

(Grapefruit Spoon shown in Alcazar by Durgin 6 1/8 inches)

Monday, March 22, 2010

Margaux by Towle

One silver retailer describer this pattern: Margaux is one of our favorite ornate patterns, with clusters of grapes and leaves, and design spilling into the bowls of the spoons. Margaux is now considered "Made to Order" by the manufacturer, and some items may take 6-12 months for delivery."

When I first saw this pattern it struck me as plain and simple. But the more I looked, the more elegance I saw. As the description above states, the design "spilling into the bowls" is lovely and adds some exquisite detail that is often lacking in patterns today. And, being introduced in 1983, it is not an old pattern.

(Salad Fork 7 inches)

(Place Soup Spoon 7 inches)

(Cold Meat Fork 8 inches)