Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: Saratoga Chip Server

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, January 12, 2011

Saratoga Chip Server - Revisted

In an earlier post I described the Saratoga Chip Server and only gave one example. However since there are examples of this piece in many patterns, here are a few more. You may remember that this utensil was designed to serve the new fad food "Potato Chips". The detail on the scoop and stem of some of these pieces is quite lovely.

Chrysanthemum by Tiffany (8 3/4 inches)