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?
Unger made some interesting art nouveau patterns. Unfortunately, it did not last long. My theory as to why Umger disappeared: when Southerners learned that it was headquartered in New Jersey they refused to buy its product, so Unger lost its largest market. (Newark, NJ, at that! What self-respecting Southerner is going to buy silver made there?)
ReplyDeleteI adore Unger patterns, And your theory is plausible, but probably not true. Did you know that William Unger was a partner of Thomas Edison until 1872 when the company dissolved and he and his 4 brothers formed the Unger Company and made knives. By 1878 they were making silver jewelry and the business then went into the flatware well known for their art noveau designs. The last Unger brother died in 1909. In 1910 the dies for those beautiful patterns were no longer used and the company started making simpler designs that would appeal to a broader base. In 1919 the company closed.
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