Roast Holder

When antiquing with my friends, I am always searching for sterling pieces while they look for furniture etc. They have long since passed being intrigued by my finds. However, when I came upon one of these pieces, one of them commented, "That looks more like a torture device."

And, so perhaps this Joint /Roast Holder does. It is designed to hold a large roast or other piece of meat while it is being cut.

French Provincial by Towle ( 11 1/4 inches)



Repousse by Steiff (9 3/8 inches)




Betty Patterson by Steiff (10 1/2 inches)

French Provenicial by Towle

French Provincial is a simple pattern introduced in 1948 by Towle. That said it ranks among the top 50 most popular flatware patterns today.

Salad Fork (6 3/8 inches)




Pierced Table Serving Spoon (8 1/2 inches)



Fish Serving Knife (11 1/4 inches)



Teaspoon (6 inches)

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)

Candle Snuffer

The Candle Snuffer is another piece that can be found in most patterns. 

French Provencial by Towle (7 3/8 inches)



Melrose by Gorham (9 7/8 inches)



Clinton by Kirk Stieff (10 1/2 inches)



Chippendale by Lunt (9 1/4 inches)

Cheese Plane

The Cheese Plane is another cheese serving piece. Most have a stainless plane. You will see that all the examples I show are from Towle. Other companies list the piece in the patterns, however I could not find an example of it. I noted that the oldest of these Towle patterns only go back to the mid-1930's which make me think this may be a piece added later on since Towle has patterns dating back to the 1800's. 

Candlelight by Towle (8 3/4 inches)



French Provincial by Towle (9 1/8 inches)



Old Lace by Towle (9 1/4 inches)



Fontana by Towle ( 5/8 inches)

Mustard Spoon (Part 3)

The Mustard Spoon looks more like a ladle. I have posted on this piece earlier.

French Provincial by Towle (5 1/4 inches)



Marlborough by Reed and Barton (4 5/8 inches)



Versailles by Gorham (5 inches)



Madam Jumel  by Whiting (4 7/8 inches)


Washington by Wallace  (4 5/8 inches)