Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2011-01-02

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, January 7, 2011

Sardine Fork (Part II)

I'm not sure the Sardine Fork is not one my favorite pieces of silver. I touched on this piece last year in a post but only showed one example. Here are some quaint samples of this peculiar little piece.

Radiant by Whiting (6 inches)

Bridal Rose by Alvin (4 1/4 inches)

Lily by Gorham (4 3/4 inches)

Alice by Fessenden (5 1/2 inches)

Renaissance by Tiffany (5 1/2 inches)

Marquis by Frank Whiting (5 3/4 inches)

Canterbury by Towle (4 1/8 inches)

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Sardine Server

While we are on Sardines, I found the Sardine Server, which is different from the Sardine Fork and the Sardine Tong.

Mary Chilton by Towle (5 1/4 inches)

Pynchon by Lunt ( 4 3/4 inches)

Grande Baroque by Wallace (6 1/2 inches)

Solid Flat Sardine Server

Love Disarmed by Reed and Barton (6 1/2 inches)

Solid Flat Sardine Server

Athene/Crescendo by Whiting (6 3/8 inches)

Solid Flat Sardine Server

Monday, January 3, 2011

Mayflower - Revisted

Earlier I posted about Mayflower by Kirk and mentioned there were several Mayflower patterns. Well, here are some more. Now whether they are named in honor of that famous vessel or the flower, we may never know. The patterns tend to be more simple designs. I found references to Mayflower patterns by Knowles, Shielber, Warner, Webb, and James Armiger but could find no examples of these.

Mayflower by Dominick and Haff (1911)