Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2019-01-27

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, February 1, 2019

Dolores by Shreve

Joseph E. Birmingham designed Shreve's Dolores. It was introduced in 1909. It is a rather plain pattern. Birmingham also designed Shreve's Napoleonic pattern.

Salad Fork (6 inches)

Orange Spoon (5 5/8 inches)

French Hollow Knife (9 1/2 inches)

Pea Serving Spoon (8 3/8 inches)

Monday, January 28, 2019

Honey Spoon

Every time I think I have identified all the pieces in a complete flatware set, something surprises me. Today it is the Honey Spoon. I could find very few examples of this piece. Those that I did find ranged in range from 5 to almost 7 inches long. Each piece had a relatively long stem and a bowl that was more oval shaped.

Raleigh by Alvin (5 7/8 inches)