Silver Pieces - The Strange and Peculiar: Madame Royale

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 Madame Royale. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Madame Royale by Durgin

Durgin introduced Madame Royale in 1897. The design has flowers at the tip of the terminal and a delicate braid outlining the terminal and then down the center of the stem. Some of the serving pieces have ornate decorations of leaves coming down from the shoulder into the bowl that make a quiet pattern into a rather eloquent one. This makes for a beautiful pattern, typical of a Durgin design.

Pie Fork (6 1/8 inches)

Individual Pie Fork

Cream Ladle ( 5 5/8 inches)

Cream Ladle, Solid Piece

Large Sardine Serving Fork (6 3/8 inches)

Large Solid Tined Sardine Serving Fork

Short Handle Olive Spoon (6 1/8 inches)
Pierced Bowl Short Handle Olive Spoon

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Flat Handle Master Butter Knife

There are several types of butter knives or spreaders. These are examples of the flat handle Master Butter Knife which is found in every pattern. The basic silhouette is very similar among the patterns, however some are elaborate in their design.

Louis XV by Durgin (7 inches)

English Rose by Durgin (6 3/4 inches)
Flat Handle Master Butter Knife

Madame Royale by Durgin (7 inches)
Flat Handle Master Butter Knife

Alhambra by Whiting (7 inches)

Lucerne by Wallace (7 inches)

St. James by Tiffany (7 1/8 inches)

Friday, June 18, 2010

Oyster Forks

Individual Oyster Forks are a beautiful place piece in any pattern. Here are a few particularly lovely examples.

Shown Chrysanthemum by Tiffany (6 inches)

Shown in Olympian by Tiffany (4 7/8 inches)

Shown in Vine-Squash by Tiffany (6 inches)

Oyster Fork in the Vine-Squash (sterling, 1872) pattern by Tiffany & Co Silver

Shown in Winthrop by Tiffany (6 1/8 inches)

Shown in Cat Tails by Durgin (5 5/8 inches)

Shown in Chrysanthemum by Durgin (5 1/2 inches)

Shown in Iris by Durgin (7 5/8 inches)

Shown in Madame Royale by Durgin (5 5/8 inches)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Cheese Knife

The Cheese Knife is an elegant piece. Sometimes it is referred to as the cheese server. However in some patters the Cheese Server its own piece that resembles a pie server.

(Cheese Knife shown in Madame Royale by Durgin 7 1/8 inches)

(Cheese Knife shown in Cambridge by Gorham 7 3/4 inches)

(Cheese Knife shown in St. Dunstan by Tiffany 7 3/8 inches)