Fish Place Knife 2

Here are some more examples of the Fish Place Knife. I posted on this earlier.

Melrose by Gorham (8 3/8 inches)

Repousse by Kirk (8 inches)

Pointed Antique by  Reed and Barton (7 3/4 inches)

Newport Scroll by Gorham (8 3/4 inches)

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)

Repousse by Jenkins and Jenkins

In 1910, Jenkins and Jenkins introduced their Repousse pattern.

Vegetable Serving Fork (9 1/4 inches)



Small Solid Pie Knife (7 3/4 inches)



Sugar Shell (6 inches)



Food Pusher ( 3 1/4 inches)

Fruit Cocktail Spoon (Individual)

Individually, many pieces look alike unless they are compared with other peices in the same pattern. Also, I often come across pieces that only few patterns (or few manufacters) include. Perhaps a "Fruit Cocktail Spoon - Individual in one pattern is exactly like a sherbet spoon in anther!

All that said, I could only find one example of a Fruit Cocktail Spoon.

Repousse by Kirk Stieff (5 3/8 inches)

Gumbo Soup Spoons (Part 2)

Another selection of Gumbo Soup Spoons. I have posted on these earlier.

Chantilly by Gorham (6 5/8 inches)



Repousse by Kirk Stieff  (& 5/8 inches)



Marlborough by Reed and Barton (7 1/4 inches)



Chapel Bells by Alvin (6 7/8 inches)

Individual Fruit Cocktail Fork

Although I have found references to this piece in many patterns, I could only find an example in Kirk Stieff's Repousse pattern. Here is the Individual Fruit Cocktail Fork .

Repousse by Kirk Stieff  (6 inches)

Ramekin Forks (Part 4)

The Ramekin Fork, one of those Victorian pieces everyone needs when serving that perfect individual souffle to each of your dinner guests. Typically smaller than a Salad Fork or a Fish Fork. I have posted on these earlier.


Chesterfield by Gorham (5 inches)



Etruscan (1913) (4 7/8 inches)  by Gorham



Meadow Rose (1907) (5 inches) by Watson




Repousse (1896) (5 1/2 inches) by Kirk Stieff

Ham Slicer Knife

The Ham Slicer Knife is a utility piece that may or may not be found in any given pattern.


Repousse by Kirk Stieff (15 3/4 inches)




Old Master by Towle (14 3/4 inches)




Southwind by Towle (16 1/4 inches)





Cwv4 by Crown Silver Co.  (12 1/4 inches)

Hot Cake Server

Like the name says, the Hot Cake Server was designed to server Hot Cakes. There are solid and pierced designs.

Baltimore Rose by Schofield  (7 3/8 inches)




Repousse by Jenkins and Jenkins (7 3/4 inches)



Mayflower by Kirk Stieff (7 7/8 inches)



Servern-Worthington by Kirk Stieff (7 5/8 inches)

Repousse by Kirk - Stieff

One of the most elegant patterns in sterling, the pattern that is the flagship of its style Repousse by Kirk Stieff was introduced in 1828. And while there are many that may bear the name and may be similar in design, this is  the original one.

Teaspoon (5 7/8 inches)




Large Berry Spoon (9 1/8 inches)




Small Steak Carving Fork (8 1/2 inches)



Oyster Fork (5 3/8 inches)

Corn Spear

I never even knew this piece existed until last week when one of the owners of a favorite antique store of mine pulled a set out. I had no idea what they were until she revealed they were a set of sterling Corn Spears, used to genteelly hold an ear of corn, allowing the diner to enjoy the corn without touching the cob. 

Repousse by Kirk Stieff  ( 3 1/4 inches)




Wadefiled by Kirk Stieff (3 5/8 inches)



Lenore by Manchester (3 7/8 inches)



Godroonette by Machester (3 3/4 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)

Joint Holder

A truly utilitarian piece, the Joint Holder was designed to hold the joint of a piece of meat with one hand while the other held the knife for carving. They are rather large pieces from 10 to 11 1/2 inches/





John Hancock by Lunt (10 3/8 inches)



Repousse by Kirk Stieff (10 3/8 inches)



Imperial Chrysanthemum by Gorham (11 inches)




Old Lace by Towle (11 1/4 inches)

Grape Shears (Part 2)

Several years ago I posted on sterling "shears", both Grape and Poultry. Here I am going to focus on Grape Shears. These were designed as utensils to use when serving grapes to cut the fruit from the pulpy stems. The handles are usually ornate. These pieces are not easy to come by and can run anywhere from $500 to as much as $2000 a piece retail.

 Chrysanthemum by Tiffany (6 5/8 inches)

Ancestry by Weidlich (7 inches)


Repousse by Kirk-Stieff (6 3/4 inches)

One Tine Butter Pick - Part 3

Once again, some examples of the One Tine Butter Pick as I have posted on before, one of the more interesting pieces in every flatware pattern.


Repousse by Kirk Stieff (6 inches)



Stieff Rose by Kirk Stieff (4 7/8 inches)



Milburn Rose by Westmorland (6  inches)



Violet by Wallace (5 3/4 inches)

Corn Butterer

The Corn Butterer is a unique piece that does exactly what it is called. The end that holds the butter is usually made of silver plate with the handle being made of sterling. 

Repousse by Kirk Stieff ( 5 3/8 inches)




Tara by Reed and Barton ( 5 1/8 inches)





Love Disarmed by Reed and Barton ( 5 1/8 inches)





Joan of Arc by International (5 3/8 inches)