Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2012-04-01

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, April 6, 2012

Extra Long Handled Iced Tea Spoon

While most (almost all) sets have Iced Tea Spoons, as I have discussed earlier, some have Extra Long Handled Ice Tea Spoons. In some patterns (such as Southern Rose) both the handle is longer and the bowl is larger in the long handle variety. While in Paul Revere, the long handle variety is over 1 1/4 inches longer.

Lady Claire by Kirk Stieff (8 1/4 inches)

Louis XV by Whiting (9 1/8 inches)

Paul Revere by Towle (8 5/8 inches) (Regular 7 1/4 inches)

Chinese Key by Alan Adler (8 1/8 inches)

Southern Rose by Manchester (7 5/8 inches with 2 inch bowl) (Regular is 7 3/8 with 1 3/4 bowl)

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Cake Breaker

One of my first posts for this blog was on the Cake Breaker, one of the most eccentric pieces found in a flatware pattern. This was one of the pieces that got me started asking, "What in the world is that?" But, leave it to the Victorians to have a special utensil to cut their delicate Angel Food Cakes.

Princess Ingrid by Frank Whiting (10 1/2 inches)

Versailles by Gorham

Wishing Star by Wallace (11 1/4 inches)

Acanthus by Georg Jensen (11 3/4 inches)

D'Orleans by Towle (10 1/2 inches)

Monday, April 2, 2012

Violet by Whiting

Violet by Whiting was introduced in 1905. (Not to be confused by the Violet pattern by Wallace.) It is a simple, clean pattern with a violet blossom at the top of the terminal, another at the bottom of the terminal, with the plant's stem gracefully winding down the stem.

Small Solid Berry Serving Spoon (8 7/8inches)

Salad Serving Fork (9 1/4 inches)

Short Olive Spoon (6 inches )

Small Solid Cold Meat Serving Fork (6 1/2 inches)

Iced Tea Spoon (7 1/2 inches)