Oval Twist

Whiting's Oval Twist is a unique pattern that dates back to 1880. The lines are clean and simple yet very sophisticated.

Overcup Tea Strainer (6 inches)



Sugar Spoon (6 inches)



Master Salt Spoon (3 5/8 inches)



Pie Fork (6 1/4 inches)

Citrus Knife

Rarely do you come across a piece of sterling flatware that differs in style and design from pattern to pattern as does the Citrus Knife. In most patterns, the knife has a serrated blade and is shaped much like a dinner knife but much shorter, an example being Georgian. Then you have the example in Louis XV that has a hook in the end and deep serrations in the blade. Chrysanthemum by Tiffany is another whole animal in its design, as is Oval Twist.

Betty Alden by Reed and Barton  (7 1/2 inches)

Daisy by Blackinton (7 1/2 inches)

Georgian by Towle (7 7/8 inches)

Louis XV by Gorham (5 7/8  inches)

Chrysanthemum by Tiffany (5 1/2 inches)

Oval Twist by Whiting (7 1/2 inches)

Various Tongs (Part 1)

Over the years I have posted about the different types of Tongs, but I don't think I have ever looked at all of them together. They vary from the Asparagus Tong which can be long as 9 inches to the Bread Tong at 3 inches. I have divided this review into two parts. This is the first part. Also, I have provided links back to earlier posts on any of these I have already covered. So here we go -  a comparative look at the Tong.

Asparagus Tongs (American Beauty by Shiebler 9 inches)

Solid Individual Asparagus Tongs (English King by Tiffany 5  inches)

Large Sugar Tongs (Irving by Wallace  )

 Sandwich Tongs (Baltimore Rose by Schofield 6 inches)

Sardine Tongs (Oval Twist by Whiting 5 1/2 inches)

Small Solid Tete-a-Tete Tongs (St. James by Tiffany 3 1/4 inches)

Mayonnaise Ladle

A year or two ago, I posted a list of the different types of ladles one can find in sterling patterns. This is the Mayonnaise ladle which tend to be 4 1/2 to be 5 1/2 inches long (with one or two being 7 or 8 inches). 

Buttercup by Gorham (5 1/2 inches)


Charles II by Dominick and Haff (5 1/8 inches)


Douvaine by Unger (4 3/4 inches)




Fleury by Gorham (5 inches)


Oval Twist by Whiting (5 inches)

Old Style Pickle Fork

In researching the myriad of different types of pickles forks, I came upon the Old Style Pickle Fork. It is not found in all patterns. And, as I looked further, I found that often it looked very much like a salad fork or pastry fork. I did not take the time to go back and look into the different patterns to compare the pieces, however several times this piece was referred to as the "Old Style Pickle/ Pastry Fork" or "Old Style Pickle/Salad Fork".

This gave me enough pause to think that perhaps (as we have seen in prior cases) this is a piece with multiple names which can be confusing. My question is: with all the different types of Pickle Forks, why commandeer another piece in a pattern just to add another type?

Buttercup by Gorham ( 5 5/8 inches)



Cloeta by International



Intalglio by Reed and Barton (6 inches)



Mary Chilton Eng No. 1 by Towle (5 7/8 inches)



Oval Twist by Whiting (6 1/8 inches)



Raleigh by Alvin (6 1/4 inches)

Macaroni Server (Part II)

Last year, I mentioned the Macaroni Server in an earlier post. Here are some more examples of this lovely serving piece. My personal favorite being this first piece in Rose and Scroll by Whiting.


Roses and Scrolls by Whiting (9 1/2 inches)



Imperial Queen by Whiting (9 1/2 inches)



Shown in Duke of York by Whiting (9 1/4 inches)



Richelieu by Tiffany



Shown in Persian by Tiffany (9 1/4 inches)



Shown in Meadow by Gorham



Shown in Hyperion by Whiting (9 1/2 inches)



Shown in Lily by Gorham (9 3/4 inches)



Shown in Imperial Chrysanthemum by Gorham (10 3/4 inches)



Shown in Oval Twist by Whiting (9 5/8 inches)

Nut Picks

Nut Picks are not a hard piece to figure out. (Not to be confused with a letter opener.) They are used to separate the meat of the nut from the shell. Usually they are used as a place piece, so a full service of sterling would have a pick for every place setting.

Japanese by Tiffany (5 inches)

Louis XIV by Gorham (4 7/8 inches)

Carnation by Wallace (4 1/2 inches)


Rose by Wallace (4 1/2 inches)


Marquis by Frank Whiting (5 1/4 inches)



Oval Twist by Whiting (5 1/8 inches)



Armor by Whiting (5 1/2 inches)



Lotus by Gorham (4 3/4 inches)

Gravy Serving Spoon

These are lovely and extremely expensive pieces. Unlike ladles, Gravy Serving Spoons are used to serve gravy, sometimes referred to as "Stuffing Spoons", although true Stuffing spoons are much longer.

(Shown in Oval Twist by Whiting)

(Shown in Buttercup by Gorham)

Jelly Knife

There are several pieces dedicated to handling the Jelly condiment the Jelly Knife is designed to spread jelly on toast and biscuits.

(Jelly Knife shown in Oval Twist by Whiting)

(Jelly Knife shown in Canterbury by Towle)

(Jelly Knife shown in Louis XV by Whiting)