Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2012-08-05

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, August 10, 2012

Majestic by Alvin

A multi-motif pattern introduced by Alvin in 1900. A truly majestic pattern for lack of a better word. With the detailed design on the front and the back on the pieces.

Asparagus Server (9 1/4 inches)

Soup Ladle (12 3/4 inches)

Large Chocolate Spoon (4 3/4 inches)

Solid Salad Serving Fork (9 inches)

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Cracker Scoop

Earlier I posted about different Cracker utensils. Upon further research this becomes a little complicated, but what about the Victorian era and their silver wasn't. Remember the Saratoga Chip Server I posted about earlier? If the piece in the pattern is called "Cracker Spoon" but is pierced, chances are it is really the "Saratoga Chip Server". Some patterns renamed the piece as the "Cracker Spoon" in later years and sometimes it is just referred to incorrectly. That said, here are examples of the Cracker Scoop with a solid bowl. Its purpose was to scoop oyster crackers (or other small crackers from a larger bowl) that would be served into someone's soup.

(Other Posts about the Saratoga Chip Server can be found here.)

Luxembourg by Gorham (7 3/4 inches)