Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2012-02-05

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, February 10, 2012

Iced Tea Spoon (Part 2)

As I posted earlier, the Iced Tea Spoon, an iconic piece of every southern lady's table is very recognizable by its long stem.

Marechal Niel by Durgin (7 1/2 inches)

Lily of the Valley by Whiting (8 1/2 inches)

Violet by Whiting (7 1/2 inches)

Cambridge by Alvin (7 1/2 inches)

Albemarle by Alvin (7 1/2 inches)

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Rice Spoon

Growing up in the South, we had rice at every meal and this piece was always on the table. The Rice Spoon is a large simple piece, but yet very useful. The ones we always had were sterling silver but of no particular known pattern and were 10 to 12 inches long and flat handled. (All the ones I inherited from different family members were the same.) So I was a little puzzled when, in doing research, all I could find was hollow handled pieces no longer than 10 inches. I did find that companies often call the piece a Rice/Potato Spoon.