Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2013-12-29

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?

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Pierced Nut Serving Spoon

There are several types of Nut Serving Spoons. They vary in sizes, large and small. Also, there is the solid variety I have posted on in the past. This is the pierced variety. Both the solid and the pierced are often confused with Bon Bon Spoons.

Irving by Wallace (Small Size) (4 7/8 inches)

Plymouth by Gorham (7 1/2 inches)

Canterbury by Towle (8 inches)

Vine-Iris by Tiffany (Small Size) (4 5/8 inches)

Monday, December 30, 2013

Elegante or L'elegnate by Reed and Barton

Reed and Barton introduced Elegante in 1900, then they reintroduced the same pattern as L'elegante in 1940 (or the names were reversed - I could not find out the exact order). Interestingly enough, from what I could find, it seems that R&B offered the pattern until 2005. The serving pieces were especially lovely. The examples here are in a gold wash, not all the pieces have this treatment. But, I do find the gold wash shows the pattern detail better. The design is fairly simple on the terminal, one of scroll work with a slender stem only adorned with two small lines going down either side. The ornamentation is on the bowl or tines of the pieces. A truly striking pattern.

Large Chocolate Spoon (4 1/4 inches)

Large Berry Spoon (9 inches)

Large Solid Berry/Casserole Spoon

Macaroni Server (10 1/4 inches)

Solid Macaroni Server

Ice Cream Slicer (11 1/2 inches)

Solid Ice Cream Slicer