Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: Fontanebleau

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 Fontanebleau. Show all posts

Friday, June 20, 2014

Tea Fork or Breakfast Fork or Junior Fork

The Tea Fork, is the same shape as the Dinner fork just a tad smaller. The designed use was for cakes and scones when tea was served in the afternoon. You will also see them referred to as Breakfast Forks, used for the morning meal. Also, they may be called the Junior Fork. Here it is used for younger people who were too old for Baby forks but perhaps not seen as old enough to handle a full size Dinner Fork. And it would be improper to use a Luncheon fork at dinner, even though it is bit smaller, albeit a little larger than a Tea fork.

Virginiana by Gorham (6 inches)

Fontainebleau by Gorham (5 7/8 inches)

Nile by Wallace (6 1/8 inches)

Berain by Wallace

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Egg Spoon (Part 2)

More examples of Egg Spoons. I have seen these referred to as "Parfait Spoons" .

Stieff Rose by Kirk Stieff (6 inches)

Louis XV by Whiting (5 inches)

Lily of the Valley by Whiting (4 3/8 inches)

Fontainbleau By Gorham (4 7/8 inches)

La Reine by Reed and Barton (5 inches)

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Vegetable Serving Fork (Part 2)

A very ornate piece, the Vegetable Serving Fork, which I have posted on earlier, usually has an extended shoulder that forms a partial bowl with thick tines at the end.

Versailles by Gorham (8 3/4 inches)

Cambridge by Gorham (8 5/8 inches)

Fontainbleau by Gorham (9 inches)

Saratoga by Tiffany (8 1/8 inches) (Also called "King"or "Kings")

282X by George Shiebler (9 1/4 inches)

Monday, July 18, 2011

Fontainebleau by Gorham

Another beautiful pattern designed by F. Antoine Heller and introduced by Gorham in 1882. Fontainebleau, has a motif design on the terminals of each piece. Each piece features people bringing different pieces to the banquet table. For example, if you look on the gravy ladle and the serving spoon, you will see a man bringing (what looks like) a tureen. On the ice cream fork and egg spoon, the man is bringing individual cups (or servings). Only Heller would put this thought and detail into a pattern.

Small Ice Cream Fork (5 3/8 inches)

Serving Tablespoon (8 1/4 inches)

Knife (8 3/8 inches)

Gravy Ladle (6 7/8 inches)

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Stuffing Spoon

These serving spoons, called Stuffing Spoons, were sometimes referred to as Platter Spoons and also Gravy Spoons. They are fairly large, varying in length from 11 to 13 inches. Some have a "button" on the back of the handle to keep the spoon in place as it rest on the edge of the platter or bowl. On early pieces, these buttons were very ornate, fashioned as an acorn for example, but as times changed and the art left the flatware business, so did they detail of the "buttons".

(Shown in Chantilly by Gorham 12 1/4 inches)

(Shown in Chrysanthemum by Durgin 11 1/2 inches)

(Shown in Fontainebleau by Gorham 10 1/2 inches)

(Shown in Repousse by Kirk 11 inches)

(Shown in Winthrop by Tiffany 13 inches)