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?

Friday, September 10, 2010

Spaghetti Spoon and Fork

These Spaghetti Spoons and Forks are different pieces that may be custom made, however I could find them in several dozen patterns, including some of the older ones.


Spoon (Chase Romantique by Alvin) (8 1/8 inches)


Spaghetti Spoon

Fork (Chase Romantique by Alvin) (8 1/8 inches)


Spaghetti Straining Spoon


Spoon (Beekman/Tiffany by Tiffany) (8 1/4 inches)





Spoon (Heraldic by Whiting) (8 inches)





Spoon (American Beauty by Shiebler)





Spoon (Charles II by Dominick and Haff) (7  7/8 inches)





Spoon (Lucerne by Wallace) (7 inches)






Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Ice Cream Slicers - Revisted

Earlier, I mentioned Ice Cream Slicers, but I did not give them their due. This is a beautiful piece.

Louvre by Wallace (10 1/2 inches)


Henry II by Gorham (11 1/2 inches)


Heraldic by Whiting (12 1/2 inches)


Japanese by Gorham (11 inches)


Japanese by Tiffany (11 inches)


Lily by Gorham ( 8 3/4 inches)



Litchfield by International (10 3/4 inches)


Love Disarmed by Reed and Barton (13 inches)


La Splendide by Reed and Barton (12 1/4 inches)
















Monday, September 6, 2010

Persian by Tiffany

The Persian pattern was designed by Edward C. Moore for Tiffany and introduced in 1872 and was inactive by 1904. The style is Tiffany called "Moresque". The decoration is extremely "busy" with a continuous pattern of geometric scroll work, interwoven vines, as well as other floral ornamentation. An area was left open on the front terminal for engraving. 







Solid Berry Serving Scoop ( inches)Solid Berry Serving Scoop


Regular Fork (7 1/2 inches)









Salad fork (6 1/2 inches)





Teaspoon (6 1/8 inches)





Boullion Soup Spoon (5 5/8 inches)





4 O'clock Spoon (4 3/4 inches)


4 O'clock Spoon


Cheese Knife (7 1/2 inches)





Breakfast Knife (8 1/8 inches)












Friday, September 3, 2010

English Servers

An odd piece, the English Server, is designed to serve everything from steamed vegetables to baked potatoes to sliced meat. It can also be used as aid in slicing small hams and roasts. The piece looks a lot like the silver Baked Potato Fork (See December 2, 2009), but it is a different piece.


Athene/Crescendo by Whiting (7 1/4  inches)





Candlelight by Towle (7 1/4 inches)





Champlain by Amston (7 1/8 inches)





Lansdowne by Gorham (7 1/2 inches)





Madam Jumel by Whiting ( 7 1/2 inches)





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





Violet by Whiting (7 1/2 inches)


Wednesday, September 1, 2010

More Oyster Forks

I posted about Oyster forks earlier, but here are even more lovely examples of Oyster Forks as individual place pieces.



Shown in Cupid by Shiebler (6 1/8 inches)


Shown in English King by Tiffany


Shown in Laura by Buccellati (5 5/8 inches)


Shown in Marechal Niel by Durgin (5 3/8 inches)


Shown in Saratoga by Tiffany (5 inches)



Monday, August 30, 2010

Magnolia by Durgin

Introduced in 1898 by Durgin, Magnolia is an absolutely gorgeous pattern with a magnolia blossom on the top of the handle. 



Bouillon Soup Spoon (5 1/2 inches)





Salad Fork (6 inches)


Salad Fork


Youth Tea Fork (6 1/8 inches)
Solid Youth Tea Fork

Friday, August 27, 2010

Blackberry by Tiffany

Introduced by Tiffany in 1875, the pattern Blackberry is often linked with its sister pattern Strawberry  and linked with the "Vine" patterns designed by Tiffany. It is in fact not a part of the "Vine" pattern family and, though, similar, is a separate pattern from Strawberry. Where Strawberry's stem is an open woven vine, Blackberry's stem is solid and decorated with the leave and berries of the fruit. The motif pattern through out the pattern is the leaves, berries, vine, and flower of the fruit.






3 Tine Fruit Fork (6 inches)


Fruit Serving Spoon (9 1/2 inches)








Wednesday, August 25, 2010

St James by Tiffany

A Renaissance Revival style designed by Paulding Farnham for Tiffany in 1898 that became inactive in 1912.  One of the first features one notices in St. James is the crossed multi-ribbed bands. This gives an open area for engraving. A line of beading goes down the handle.The design on the back is very simliar to the compex pattern of the front.  According to William Hood's book  Tiffany Silver Flatware "The significance of the name 'St. James' is unclear."




(Fruit Orange Spoon)

Fruit/orange Spoon

(Lobster Pick)

Lobster Pick



(Preserve Spoon)

Preserve Spoon

(Small Steak Carving Fork)

Small Steak Carving Fork With Stainle



(Sardine Fork)

Small Solid Tined Sardine Serving For


(Asparagus Tongs)

Asparagus Tongs, Solid Piece


(Salad Serving Fork)

Salad Serving Fork, Solid Piece


(Serving Spoon 9 3/8 inches)