Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2011-05-22

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, May 27, 2011

Olive Forks (Two Tine)

I posted earlier examples of three tine Olive Forks. Here are examples of Two Tine Olive Forks.

Olympian by Tiffany (7 inches)

Click to Enlarge

Florentine By Tiffany (7 inches)

Royal Windsor by Towle (5 3/8 inches)

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Fish Serving Knife (Part 2)

Earlier, I posted about Fish Serving Sets. This is however, the Fish Serving Knife. Fish was often an important part of a large meal in the Victorian era. These pieces are large and can vary from 8 to 13 inches.

Love Disarmed by Reed and Barton (13 1/2 inches)
Large Solid Fish Serving Knife

Lily by Whiting (12 1/8 inches)

Frontenac by International (11 3/4 inches)

Elegante by Reed and Barton (9 5/8 inces)

No. 10 by Dominick and Haff (8 7/8 inches)

Grande Regency by International (12 inches)

Lancaster by Gorham (11 1/2 inches)

Monday, May 23, 2011

Bacchante by Watson

Introduced in 1895, Bacchante by Watson is an artful pattern with the design of a nude woman on the terminal surrounded by scroll work with grapes and elegant lines gracing the stem. Long since discontinued and hard to find.

Bon Bon Scoop (6 1/4 inches)

French Hollow Knife with Bolster (7 inches)

Fruit/Orange Spoon (5 3/4 inches)