Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: Fairfax

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 Fairfax. Show all posts

Friday, February 26, 2021

Tea Infuser Part 2

I have posted on the Tea Infuser, also referred to as the "Tea Ball Spoon" in an earlier post. This piece is used as we today use a tea bag. For those who still prefer to use loose tea, this is you utensil for a cup of hot tea.

Chantilly by Gorham

Wave Edge by Tiffany

Wreath by Gorham

Friday, December 21, 2018

Gorham Christmas Cross Ornaments (part 2)

Each year Gorham produces a sterling Christmas ornament in the shape of a cross using the design of one of their patterns. These are lovely. I have two friends who have Christmas trees they decorate only with sterling ornaments, including some of these. Here are some examples of past ornaments.

Buttercup (2000)

King Edward (2004)

Fairfax (2001)

Friday, January 26, 2018

Corn Butterer Part 3

A few more examples of the odd piece, the Corn Butterer. I have posted on it earlier.

Spanish Baroque by Reed and Barton (5 3/8 inches)

Fairfax by Gorham (5 3/4 inches)

Francis I by Reed and Barton (5 1/8 inches)

Renaissance by Kirk Stieff (5 3/8 inches)

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Pastry Server - Part 3

I have posted on Pastry Servers in several earlier posts.

Louis XIV by Towle (8 7/8 inches)

Chantilly by Gorham (9 7/8 inches)

Fairfax by Gorham (11 1/4 inches)

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Petite Fours Server Part 2

Years ago I posted on the Petit Fours Server. Here are some more examples of this piece. These 4 examples are all "hooded".

Grand Baroque by Wallace (6 1/4 inches)

Old Master by Towle (6 1/8 inches)

Fairfax by Gorham (7 1/2 inches)

Chantilly by Gorham (7 1/2 inches)

Monday, October 19, 2015

Fairfax by Durgin / Gorham

Durgin's Fairfax pattern (later to be bough by Gorham) dates back to 1910. Although a simple pattern with clean lines, it remains one of the most popular patterns of today.

Salad Fork (6 1/8 inches)

Tomato Server (8 1/4 inches)

Small Sugar Tongs (3 1/2 inches)

Sugar Spoon (5 7/8 inches)

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Top 50 Most Popular Sterling Flatware Patterns of the 20th Century

Based on the book, Silverware of the 20th Century, the Top 250 Patterns, the following is the list of the top 50 patterns (in alphabetical order). Two caveats here: this is silverware of the 20th century and there were some lovely patterns of the 19th century and this is the First Edition of this book, published in 1997.

More interesting is that out of these 50 patterns, 2 are stainless (ST) and 5 are silver plate (SP), leaving 43 sterling (SS)

Any way the top 50 most popular patterns (in alphabetical order) are:

Buttercup by Gorham
Candlelight by Towle
Chantilly by Gorham
Classic Rose by Reed and Barton
Coronation by Onieda/Heirloom (SP)
Daffodil by International (SP)
Damask Rose by Onieda/Heirloom
Eternally Yours by International (SP)
Fairfax by Gorham
First Love by International (SP)
Francis I by Reed and Barton
French Provincial by Towle
Grand Baroque by Wallace
Joan of Arc by International
King Richard by Towle
Old Master by Towle
Prelude by International
Remembrance by International (SP)
Repousse by Kirk Stieff
Rondo by Gorham
Rose Point by Wallace
Royal Danish by International
Shelley by Onieda/Heirloom (ST)
Strasbourg by Gorham
Venetia by Onieda/Heirloom (ST)

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Master Salt Spoon (Part 2)

As I posted earlier the Master Salt Spoon is much larger than its little brother the Salt Spoon. I still find them delightful pieces, and can usually found in most patterns.

English King by Tiffany (3 1/2 inches)

Fairfax by Durgin ( 3 3/4 inches)

Mount Vernon by Lunt (4 inches)

Meadow Rose by Walace (3 1/8 inches)

Friday, December 27, 2013

Bon Bon Tongs Part 3

I have posted earlier on small tongs, such as Sugar Tongs and Sugar Cubes Tongs. Here are more Bon Bon Tongs. The sizes on these three tongs tend to overlap. I recently bought a pair of, what I thought were, Sugar Tongs, only to learn they were actually Bon Bon Tongs. Not that it mattered, I was happy with them.

Stieff Rose (3 inches)

Fairfax by Durgin (3 1/2 inches)

Frontenac by International (3 1/2 inches)

Lucerne by Wallace (3 1/8 inches)

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Chipped Beef Fork (Part 3)

As I mentioned in my earlier post on Chipped Beef Forks, they come in three sizes: Small, Medium, and Large. And, often patterns will have some combination of the three sizes. Here are some more examples.

Georgian by Towle ( Small 6 3/8 inches)

Old Newbury by Towle (Large 7 1/8 inches)

Old Newbury by Towle (Small 5 7/8 inches)
Note difference in design between the two sizes

Lily by Whiting (Small 5 3/4 inches)

Fairfax by Durgin (Medium 6 inches)

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Various Chocolate Pieces in a Pattern

I have posted about Chocolate Spoons and Chocolate Muddlers previously. Oh, but should it be so simple. Upon further research, I have found that there can be more than one size of a Chocolate Spoon in a pattern. To complicate matters, they just don't have "Large" Chocolate spoons and "Small" Chocolate spoons. Some patterns have "Large" and "Small", some have "Long" and "Small", some have "Large" and "Long", or any combination of the above. (And some just have one size.) Of course don't forget the "Muddler" which is found in most of the older patterns. To bring clarity to this or maybe muddle the subject even more, here are some examples of the different Chocolate pieces in several patterns.

Lancaster by Gorham

Chocolate spoon (4 1/8 inches)