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?
The Ice Cream Server is a beautiful, and usaully ornate piece. I have posted on this earlier. Stief Rose (1892 by Kirk Stieff) (10 1/2 inches) Lily of the Valley (1885 by Whiting) (9 7/8 inches) Old English (1892 by Towle) (9 5/8 inches) St Dunstan (1909 by Tiffany) (11 3/8 inches)
Rondo, Du Barry, , Silver Masterpiece, Candlelight, Stieff Rose by Kirk Stieff (5 1/2 inches) Cactus by Georg Jensen (4 3/8 inches) Scroll by Georg Jensen ( 4 3/8 inches) Pompador by Birks (5 1/8 inches)
I posted earlier on Napkin Rings. These are beautiful pieces that can extend your pattern. Stieff Rose by Kirk Stieff Sovereign Old by Gorham Lily-Floral by Whiting Rose Scroll by Gorham
The Ice Cream Server is a large fairly ornate piece (in most patterns) that I have posted on earlier. Here are some more examples. Note the different sizes and shapes of the blade as well as the ornamentation. Old English by Towle (9 5/8 inches)
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)
Once again, as I have posted about earlier, here is the Preserve Spoon. It can usually be differentiated from the jelly spoon by its more oblong bowl. You can see in the Raphael piece by Alvin, although the bowl is more rounded, it still has an oblong shape. Stieff Rose by Kirk Stieff (7 3/4 inches)
I have posted earlier on small tongs, such as Sugar Tongs and Sugar Cubes Tongs. Here are more Bon Bon Tongs. The sizes on these three tongs tend to overlap. I recently bought a pair of, what I thought were, Sugar Tongs, only to learn they were actually Bon Bon Tongs. Not that it mattered, I was happy with them. Stieff Rose (3 inches) Fairfax by Durgin (3 1/2 inches)
I posted earlier on the Overcup Tea Strainer, an over the cup piece used to strain tea leaves when making a cup of cup. This is a very elaborate piece given there is a lot of area for the designers to work with. Stieff Rose by Kirk Stieff
The Fish Serving Set, that I have posted on earlier, is probably the most expensive piece(s) in any pattern, well maybe with the exception of the Crumb Knife or Crumber. They are usually exquisite examples of the patterns design.
There are Asparagus Tongs and Servers - both solid and pierced. However, there is also an Asparagus Serving Fork which I imagine gets confused with other pieces. Love Disarmed by Reed and Barton (10 7/8 inches)
I have posted on Strawberry Forks and Cherry Forks but not Individual Berry Forks, so here are some examples of Berry Forks. These would be a place piece. Trajan by Reed and Barton (4 1/4 inches)