La Perle by Reed and Barton

Reed and Barton introduced La Perle in 1902. It is a relatively simple pattern, the only decoration being a small design on the tip of the terminal.

Salad Fork (6 1/4 inches)


Serving Spoon (8 3/8 inches)



Pierced Waffle Server (9 1/8 inches)

Orient by Alvin

Alvin introuduced Orient in 1910. It is a traditional pattern with a scallop shell at the tip of the terminal, beaded edge, another scallop motif at the top of the stem.

Bon Bon Spoon


Individual Salad Fork (5 3/4 inches)



Master Butter Knife (7 1/8 inches)



Small Berry Spoon (8 1/4 inches)

Chased and Repousse Silver

A quick lesson on Chased and Repousse. These terms often confuse people interested in sterling silver. I hope that this will help explain the difference.

"Repousse" is a French word meaning "to push forward". And that is what the designers do with a Repousse pattern. The design you see is actually pushed out from the back of the silver. Instead of cutting into the metal to "carve" the design, the artist uses tools to push out the design from the back (or inside) to produce a 3D relief. The repousse technique gives a design a sense of volume. A prime example is Stieff Rose by Kirk Stieff: 

Chased on the other hand is when the silver has been grooved or channeled or indented. But not to be confused with any type of engraving

Harold Newman in An Illustrated Dictionary of Silverware says “Chasing. The technique of decorating by handwork the front surface  of an article of silver by indenting it and so raising the design (without cutting into the metal and removing any of it as in engraving), using a great number of differently shaped tracing tolls (‘tracers’) and a chasing hammer.”

An example of chased silver is St. Dunstan by Gorham:

Basket of Flowers by Dominick and Haff

Dominick and Haff introduced Basket of Flowers in 1920. It was designed by Gilbert L. Crowell, Jr. A beautiful old looking pattern with a basket of flowers decorating the terminal.


Cold Meat Serving Fork (9 inches)






Cheese Server (6 1/8 inches)




Small Steak Carving Fork (8 7/8 inches)




Fork (7 5/8 inches)

Trianon by Dominick and Haff

The pattern Trianon introduced by Dominick and Haff in 1885, comes in two styles, a solid and a pierced. The solid has a design of flowers and leafs on the terminal. The "pierced" style has the same design but it is open cut.

Fork -Not Pierced Design (7 inches)



Salad Set - Pierced Design (9 1/8, 9 1/4 inches)


Oyster Fork - Pierced Design (4 1/4 inches)

Nut Serving Spoon - Pierced Design (7 3/4 inches)

Pierced Waffle Server (Part 2)

Another look at the Pierced Waffle Server, a fancy piece in any pattern. I have posted on this piece earlier.

Old Newbury by Towle



Queen Anne by Dominick and Haff (7 7/8 inches)



Majestic by Reed and Barton (8 inches)



La Perle by Reed and Barton  (9 1/8 inches)

Small Sugar Shells

I have posted on different types of Sugar pieces and several times on the Sugar Shell, however there is a second size, a Small Sugar Shell.

Repousse by Kirk Stieff (4 3/8 inches)


Strasbourg by Gorham (5 1/2 inches)


Lily of the Valley by Whiting (5 3/4 inches)


King by Kirk Stieff

Rococo by Dominick and Haff

Yet another pattern designed by Gilbert L. Crowell, Jr. for Dominick and Haff. Rococo was introduced in 1888. The design is a heavy embellishment of flowers and loose swirls that make their way from the terminal half way down the stem. Some of the pieces have the embellishment design on the shoulder of the bowl of a spoon or the tines of a fork.

Oval Soup Spoon (7 1/8 inches)


Cream Ladle (6 inches)


Large Sardine Serving Fork (5 3/4 inches)


Small  Ice Cream Fork (5 3/8 inches)

Melon Spoons Part 2

As when I have posted before on Mellon Spoons, they look much like Fruit/Orange Spoons or Grapefruit Spoons with a pointed tip and often a gold wash to protect the silver from the dangers of the citrus juices. 

Pointed Antique by Reed and Barton (6 inches)



Labors of Cupid by Dominick and Haff (6 3/8 inches)






King by Dominick and Haff (5 5/8 inches)



Chambord by Reed and Barton (5 1/2 inches)

Cambridge by Towle

Towle's Cambridge pattern dates back to 1880. Don't confuse this with Gorham's Cambridge, they are totally different. Once again an older pattern with a simple beaded pattern with a "V" shape (with embellishments on either side) starting at the terminal going down to the top of the stem. From the stem on down there is no decoration.

Cream Ladle (4 5/8 inches)



Berry Fork  (4 1/2 inches)



Cheese Scoop (5 3/4 inches)



Master Butter Knife (6 5/8 inches)