Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2013-06-23

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, June 28, 2013

Wired Cheese Cutter

The Wired Cheese Cutter on first glance may look like an odd piece to be in a silver pattern, but it has its place. It is well designed to slice through large hunks of cheese.

Lily Floral by Frank Whiting (8 1/2 inches)

Troubadour by Frank Whiting ( 8 1/8 inches)

Athene by Amston (8 1/2 inches)

Botticelli by Frank Whiting (8 1/2 inches)

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Fillet Knife

A Fillet Knife used to fillet a fish at one's plate.

Victoria Florence by Frank Whiting (8 1/2 inches)

Monday, June 24, 2013

Windsor Castle by Tuttle

Tuttle introduced Windsor Castle in 1929. The pattern has an engraved design that is only present on the terminal. The stem and the shoulders of the pieces are plain.

Iced Tea Spoon
Tuttle Windsor Castle (Sterling,1929) Iced Tea Spoon

Tuttle Windsor Castle (Sterling,1929) Iced Tea Spoon

Fork (7 1/8 inches)
Tuttle Windsor Castle (Sterling,1929) Fork

Table Serving Spoon (8 1/4 inches)
Tuttle Windsor Castle (Sterling,1929) Tablespoon (Serving Spoon)

Individual Salad Fork (6 inches)
Tuttle Windsor Castle (Sterling,1929) Individual Salad Fork

Parfait Spoon

The Parfait Spoon, an interesting piece with an identity crisis. It is often confused with its bigger sister, the Iced Tea Spoon, which is usually more than a 1/2 inch longer. Kirk Stieff, calls this piece in their patterns, "Individual Egg/Parfait Spoon". And the bowl of the Stieff's pieces are much more round than those of other manufacturers.

Francis I by Reed and Barton (7 inches) as compared to 7 5/8 inches for Iced Tea Spoon)

Corsage by Kirk Stieff ( 6 1/8 inches) as compared to 7 1/2 inches for the Iced Tea Spoon

Frontenac by International (6 5/8 inches) as compared to 8 1/2 for the Iced Tea Spoon

Baltimore Rose by Schofield (4 1/2 inches) as compared to 8 3/8 for Iced Tea Spoon

Louis XV by Whiting (6 1/2 inches) as compared to 9 1/8 for the Iced Tea Spoon