Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: Baby food pusher

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?

Showing posts with label Baby food pusher. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Repousse by Jenkins and Jenkins

In 1910, Jenkins and Jenkins introduced their Repousse pattern.

Vegetable Serving Fork (9 1/4 inches)

Small Solid Pie Knife (7 3/4 inches)

Sugar Shell (6 inches)

Food Pusher ( 3 1/4 inches)

Monday, June 20, 2016

Bridal Rose by Alvin

Alvin's Bridal Rose dates back to 1903 and is one of my all time favorite patterns. The design is very distinct and bold with a rose on the terminal tip and other roses and vine on the stem. There is a nice place for a monogram on the terminal.

Pie Fork (6 inches)

Large Cucumber Server (6 1/2 inches)

Egg Spoon (4 1/8 inches)

Food Pusher (3 7/8 inches)

Monday, June 15, 2015

Putnam by Watson

Watson introduced Putnam in 1920. The pattern is an "open" design.

Sugar Sifter (5 5/8 inches)

Two Tine Butter Pick (5 3/4 inches)

Food Pusher (2 7/8 inches)

Dinner Fork (7 1/4 inches)

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Food Pusher

Food Pushers were designed for young eaters not quite nimble enough to use their knives. This would help them push their food onto their fork. You can find this piece in most patterns.

Shown in Chantilly by Gorham (4 1/4 inches)

Gorham Silver Chantilly (Sterling,1895,Lion-Anchr-G,Monograms) Solid Food Pusher

Shown in Repousse by Kirk Stieff (3 1/8 inches)

Kirk Stieff Repousse (Sterling, 1924, S.Kirk & Son, Inc.) Food Pusher Solid

Shown in Lily by Whiting (3 1/2 inches)

Whiting Division Lily (Sterling,1902,Lion-Pat.1902) Food Pusher Solid

Shown in Monticello by Lunt (4 1/8 inches)

Lunt Silver Monticello (Sterling,1908) Food Pusher Solid

Monday, April 19, 2010

Love Disarmed by Reed & Barton

They just don't make patterns more intriguing than this. Reed and Barton is said to have based this design on Shakespeare's Sonnet 154 about disarming cupid. The handle is graced with Venus, the goddess of love, and her son Cupid, with a background of vines and flowers. It was first introduced in 1899 during the Art Nouveau movement. It was discontinued in 1928, only to be reintroduced in 1970.

I found a quote describing it that said: "It was design genius on the part of Reed and Barton to so perfectly capture the story of disarming Cupid in sterling silver. While we are not sure who the voluptuous figure of Cupid’s conqueror in the Love Disarmed pattern was intended to be, we surmise it is either Venus, Diana, or a nymph. Most likely she is hiding Cupid’s quiver of arrows with her left arm while she holds his bow away from him with her right…"

Cheese Scoop (6 1/4 inches)

Oyster Fork (5 5/8 inches)

Large Solid Cold Meat Serving Fork (10 3/8 inches)

Orange Spoon (5 1/2 inches)

Large Solid Fish Serving Knife (13 14/ inches)

Baby Food Pusher