Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2011-07-17

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, July 22, 2011

Cake Serving Fork (Part 2)

I posted on the Cake Serving Fork in an earlier post last year. These are long forks with intricate detailing, usually on the shoulder.

Trajan by Reed and Barton (8 1/4 inches)

Old Colony by International (8 inches)
Cake Serving Fork

La Touraine by Reed and Barton (8 3/8 inches)
Cake Serving Fork

Adolphus by Mount Vernon (8 1/4 inches)
Cake Serving Fork

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Hooded Asparagus Servers

Of the different types of Asparagus Servers - Tongs, Individual (I posted on earlier), and "Servers". There are two types of "Servers" - Servers (I posted on earlier) and Hooded Servers. Here are some examples of Hooded Asparagus Servers. A majority of these pieces (I have yet to find one that is not) are hollow handled, therefore the true difference is in the blade (or shelf) itself.

American Beauty by Manchester (9 1/2 inches)

Avalon by International (9 1/2 inches)

Baronial Old by Gorham (9 1/2 inches)

Frontenac by International (9 1/2 inches)
Solid Hooded Asparagus Server

Wedgewood by International (9 1/2 inches)

Monday, July 18, 2011

Fontainebleau by Gorham

Another beautiful pattern designed by F. Antoine Heller and introduced by Gorham in 1882. Fontainebleau, has a motif design on the terminals of each piece. Each piece features people bringing different pieces to the banquet table. For example, if you look on the gravy ladle and the serving spoon, you will see a man bringing (what looks like) a tureen. On the ice cream fork and egg spoon, the man is bringing individual cups (or servings). Only Heller would put this thought and detail into a pattern.

Small Ice Cream Fork (5 3/8 inches)

Serving Tablespoon (8 1/4 inches)

Knife (8 3/8 inches)

Gravy Ladle (6 7/8 inches)