Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: 2010-12-05

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, December 10, 2010

Pastry Servers

In an earlier post, I touched on pastry pieces. Here are more Pastry Servers. Be careful with these pieces. These are all sterling, however a majority of what I found were silverplated. Some Pastry Servers have oval shapes, some leaf shapes.

American Victorian by Lunt (10 1/8 inches)

Olympian by Tiffany (10 3/4 inches)
Pastry Server, Solid Piece

Berry by Whiting (9 inches)

Chrysanthemum by Tiffany (11 3/8 inches)
Pastry Server, Solid Piece

Betsy Patterson by Stieff ( 8 5/8 inches)

Clune by Whiting (9 1/4 inches)

Vine by Tiffany (10 3/4 inches)

Repousse by Kirk Stieff (10 inches)
Pastry Server With Stainless Blade

Wave Edge by Tiffany (11 inches)

Server-Pastry/solid Piece

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Lettuce Forks

A while back I talked about Salad Sets, however the Lettuce Fork is a rather unique piece.

Georgian by Towle (9 3/8 inches)

Alice by Fessenden (5 5/8 inches)

Les Cinq Fleurs by Reed and Barton (9 3/4 inches)

Hyperion by Whiting (9 1/8 inches)

Cambridge by Gorham ( 9 1/2 inches)

Rapheal by Alvin (8 7/8 inches)

Cherub by Watson-Newell (3 /7/8inches)

Waverly by Wallace ( 8 3/4 inches)

Stratford by International (8 3/4 inches)

Monday, December 6, 2010

Florentine by Tiffany

Earlier I mentioned all the different patterns named "Florentine". This is the one by Tiffany. Probably the most exquisite (in my opinion). Designed by Paulding Farnhaum is the Renaissance Revival style. According to Hood in his book, Tiffany Silver Flatware, the patent application was not filed until 1904 and the pattern became inactive sometime before 1934.

Dinner Fork (7 1/2 inches)