A Love Affair with Silverware

 There is just something about old Silver Plated flatware that I love, and I am not sure exactly what it is. Something about the patina of the pieces, their imperfections, and unique intricate details etched into them makes me smile each time I open the drawer and pull one out. Even the thought of how these pieces were adorning Thanksgiving & Christmas dinner tables any where from 60 years to 138 years, brings an inner warmth and smile to me each time I use them. 

 A few weekends ago I made an unexpected stop to an estate sale I found the mother-lode. Upon arriving at the house, I waited in line... for 40 minutes. I was hoping that all this waiting would actually amount to finding something super awesome inside. Boy, was I happy I waited around! Walking through the house, I came to the conclusion that this was obviously someone who collected and had an extensive collection of the coolest, oldest, and most random things (probably what my house is going to look like in 30 years). I started to get a bit disheartened however, because everything was price at or 10% less than what I would sell it for on Etsy. Unfortunately, there was no profit to be made, nor did I have $60 to spend on a set of Jadeite mixing bowls.  

 By the time I made it into the kitchen, I thought all hope was lost at this awesome estate sale, until I came to three... large... rubbermaid boxes. Above the boxes was a piece of paper with the words written: "All Silver Plate - $0.25/each". I immediately got so excited I ran over the the cupboard, found a large mixing bowl, and started filling it with all the most unique and intricate pieces I could find! I do believe that people thought I was going mad, but I did not care. My blood was pumping, and I was excited! In the end I purchased 110 pieces for $27... TWENTY SEVEN DOLLARS!!! I felt like I had just struck gold... or silver!

 For me, these pieces turn an ordinary meal into something that is special and elegant. Not to mention, part of the fun with getting these pieces (for me, because I am a big nerd like that) is doing the research!  I love to know how old each piece is, what the pattern is, how much it would sell for, who and what the company was that produced it, and all the other information that will do no good unless I am ever on "Jeopardy - Silverware Edition". Because I know you all care so much, I have photographed most of the pieces that I have and categorized by the year, maker, pattern, and value!  

Serving Forks...

1.) BM Norblin - Pattern: Unidentified - Serving Fork - $?

2.) 1881 Rogers - 1910 - Pattern: Leyland - Meat Serving Fork - $21

3.) Stratford Silver Co - 1909 - Pattern: Lilyta - Meat Serving Fork - $45

4.)  SL & GH Rogers - 1911 - Pattern: Minerva - Serving Fork - $30

5.) 1847 Rogers Bros. - Pattern: Unidentified - Serving Fork - $?

Serving Spoons / Table Spoons...

6.)

7.) Wm. Rogers Bros. - 1911- Pattern: Old Colony - Serving Spoon - $25

8.) Wm. Rogers - 1910 - Pattern: Vintage - Serving Spoon - $24

9.) Vanderslice & Co. San Fran, CA - 1870 - Pattern: Unidentified - STERLING Serving Spoon - $?

10.) Wm. Rogers - 1878 - Pattern: Laurel - Tablespoon - $24

11.)

More Spoons...

12.) International Silver - 1894 - Pattern: Florida - Tablespoon - $28

13.) R.C. Akerly - Pattern: Unidentified - Tablespoon - $? - Engraved: "Mother to Willie"

14.) 1835 Wallace - Pattern: Unidentified - Fruit Spoon - $? - Engraved: "K"

15.) 1855 Sears & Son - Pattern: Unidentified - Tablespoon - $?

16.) Wallace - 1899 - Pattern: Anjou - Teaspoon - $25

17.) International Silver - 1907 - Pattern: Alahambra - Sugar Spoon - $35

18.) 1847 Rogers Bros. - 1910 - Pattern: Sharon - Tablespoon - $25

19.) Community Silver - 1904 - Pattern: Fleur de Luce - Teaspoon - $14

Even More Spoons!...

20.) Holmes & Edwards - Pattern: Unidentified - Teaspoon - $?

21.) Oneida Reliance Plate - 1908 - Pattern: Wildwood - Teaspoon - $12

22.) Hall & Elton - 1867- Pattern: Medallion - Sugar Spoon - $49

23.) 1847 Rogers Bros - 1906 - Pattern Charter Oak - Teaspoon - $15

24.) Cuevee Silver - Pattern: Unidentified - Sugar Spoon - $?

25.) Holmes & Edwards - 1909 - Pattern: Bride - Teaspoon - $10

26.) cc & ss Cuevee Silver - Pattern: Unidentified - Sugar Spoon - $?

27.) 1835 Wallace - 1916 - Pattern: Athena - $29

28.) American Silver Co. - 1906 - Pattern: Moselle - Teaspoon - $20

Sugar Spoons

29.) 1847 Rogers - Pattern: Unidentified - Sugar Spoon - $?

30.) Rogers - Pattern: Unidentified - Sugar Spoon - $?

31.) Rogers - 1901 - Pattern: Mayflower - Sugar Spoon - $19

32.) 1847 Rogers - Pattern: Unidentified - Sugar Spoon - $?

Odds & Ends Spoons

33.) Wm. Rogers Bros. - 1913 - Pattern: Isabella - Round Soup Spoon - $30

34.) Community Silver - 1901 - Pattern: Avalon - Curved Soup Spoon - $29

35.) Community Silver - Pattern: Unidentified -  Fruit Spoon - $?

36.) 1881 Rogers - 1908 - Pattern: La Vigne - Teaspoon - $12

37.) Wm Rogers & Sons - 1920 - Pattern: Daisey - Sugar Spoon - $17

38.) Reed & Barton - 1886 - Pattern: Renaissance - Teaspoon - $100

39.) International Silver - Pattern: Grape - Table Spoon - $29

Interesting Forks!...

40.) R. Strickland - Pattern Unidentified - Dinner Fork - $?

41.) Community Silver - 1940 - Pattern: Milady - Salad Fork - $15

42.) 1847 Wm. Rogers - 1906 - Pattern: Charter Oak - Youth Fork - $24 

43.) Wm. Rogers Bros. - 1908 - Pattern: Arbutus - Salad Fork - $19

44.) Wm. Rogers Bros. - 1908 - Pattern: Arbutus - Youth Fork - $15

45.) Rogers - 1910 - Pattern: Grape - Lunch Fork - $12

46.) Wm. Rogers - 1898 - Pattern: Melrose - Youth Fork - $12

47.) Cereta Silverplate - 1902 - Pattern: Cereta - Lunch Fork - $28

Lunch / Dinner Forks...

48.) Community Silver - 1904 - Pattern: Fleur de Luce - Dinner Fork - $20

49.) LaShar Silver - 1913 - Pattern: Rosedale - Lunch Fork - $14

50.) 1847 Rogers Bros - Pattern: Unidentified - Dinner Fork - $?

51.) Community Plate - 1910 - Pattern: Sheraton - Dinner Fork - $12

52.) 1881 Rogers - 1936 - Pattern: Mystic - Lunch Fork - $12

53.) LaShar Silver - 1910 - Pattern: Grape - Lunch Fork - $9

The Old Forks...

54.) Anchor Rogers - 1879 - Pattern: Imperial - Dinner Fork - $12

55.) Rogers Anchor - 1883 - Pattern: Saratoga/Angelo - Dinner Fork - $10

56.) Wm. Rogers - 1879 - Pattern: Newport - Dinner Fork - $12

57.) 1847 Rogers - 1878 - Pattern: Lorne - Dinner Fork - $12

58.) Anchor Rogers- 1890 - Pattern: Embossed - Dinner Fork - $9