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sweeby

Antique Silver - Can you identify?

sweeby
14 years ago

There are so many 'oddball' pieces of antique silver that were designed for specialized uses, so I thought it might be fun to start a thread collecting some of them in one place.

If you know what they are or want to hazard a guess -- chime in and join the fun.

And if you have a piece you want identified, feel free to post your own pictures. It won't be 'derailing' the post since that's what this post is all about.

This piece (I'll call it #1) was handed down through my mother's side of the family, and the first owner that I know of was my grandmother. (She started collecting antiques in the 1940's, so it could be much older.) It's heavy, silver plate, and has a nicely-engineered screw knob on the bottom that adjusts the spacing of the three prongs on top. The round base is about 6" in diameter on the bottom, about 3" across on the smooth part. Here are the photos:



(I actually know what this piece is for -- at least, according to Grandma -- but I'll keep it secret for now so I don't spoil the fun.)

Any guesses?

Comments (120)

  • Fori
    14 years ago

    OK. Sandwich tongs? Smoked fish holders?

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    Try asparagus....
    Picks up a nice serving from a platter and places it neatly on your plate where you can use your individual tongs.
    Incidentally....note the pattern of those in the linked photo.
    Who said I am not an enabler!!
    Linda C

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • antiquesilver
    14 years ago

    Sorry, I don't have any individual asparagus tongs (most are newly made), but below is an asparagus tray w/drainer (probably not as old as Linda's tongs). The Frontenac fork is also for serving them but doesn't work nearly as well as large tongs. The link is another kind of asparagus server that was made - this one is recently madeup but the shape is correct.


    I've also seen MCM trays that had an attached sauce boat as well as a holder for the tongs.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hooded Asparagus

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    ****sigh****
    That tray is beautiful!! Could it be Old Sheffield?

  • antiquesilver
    14 years ago

    I wish. I forget who the maker is & I'm not home to look but it's most likely American early 20th century. It's plated over copper & the grape detail is fabulous 'in person'. Also, it has little ball feet that don't show in the photo.

  • Fori
    14 years ago

    Ahh those are the asparagus servers I was thinking of. I serve asparagus with tongs that look like Linda's at the functional end, except for being an ugly silicone cooking utensil. I guess I need a tray! And an asparagus plot!

  • antiquesilver
    14 years ago

    With a tray this size, growing your own would definitely be the way to go! I don't think I've ever used it for asparagus because it would take a min. of 3 lbs. just to avoid looking stingy.

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    What a gorgeous piece!
    I can see how you chose your screen name ;-)

  • antiquesilver
    14 years ago

    Sweeby, what are some of your Grandmother's other fabulous finds? Anyone who had a cheese holder probably had a treasure trove of other oddities.

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Oh goodness... Well that Grandma bought a little silver baby cup made by Paul Revere's smith/forge (what do you call it?) at a garage sale. It's sitting in a museum in Boston now -- don't know which one.

    She also had a house full of hand-blocked Zuber wallpaper, including a nearly complete set of 'The Four Climate Zones' -- a huge mural depicting the various geographies of the world. There was another Zuber paper in the stairwell, but I don't remember the name, and I don't think it was that rare.

    She also collected early American antique furniture, and had a pretty good eye. She sold most of her collection before moving into retirement houseing, and apparently, the furnishings she sold went for enough to pay her lifetime buy-in fees at a pretty nice spot.

    Here are a few more of Grandma's hand-me-downs:

    Whiting & Lennox Demitasse for 12:

    Castleford Butter Crock (ca 1830's)

    Mason's Double Landscape Jug

    'Sheraton'? Loveseat (Anyone know for sure?)

    Victorian Loveseat

    Pinapple Game Table

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    I think I want to be your sister!!!
    Are all those wonderful things in your house?
    And yes that love seat is certainly Sheraton in style!
    Linda C

  • antiquesilver
    14 years ago

    WOW- I wish she had been my grandmother. Mine collected nothing, disliked her grandchildren, & was only mildly fond of her own children! Those things are beautiful; thanks for sharing.

  • sweeby
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    "Mine collected nothing, disliked her grandchildren, & was only mildly fond of her own children!"

    Well, at least mine collected! ;-)
    She wasn't overly fond of children either... Kept saying something about "seen but not heard" and thought giving compliements would swell their heads
    (As long as I knew her, she was never in any danger of that...)

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    I recently won this on ebay & since it's a bit unusual, thought it might fit in the 'mystery' category. Anybody want to guess its purpose??


    The pattern is 'Meadow' by Gorham, c. 1897; it is 6-3/4" long & extremely heavy for its size. Most of the time, forks of this size with splayed tines (usually curved) are called Beef or Chipped Beef Forks but occasionally I've heard them referred to differently. Due to the weight & long simple tines, I think it was used for a different food. What is it?

  • lindac
    13 years ago

    Lettuce Fork?

  • bostonpat_gw
    13 years ago

    Would that be a lettuce fork antiquesilver??

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    Nope, a lettuce fork is long handled with 3 sharp, flared tines. The ebay seller I bought it from advertised it as such but she was completely wrong - these tines are quite thick & not particularly sharp & that's another reason I don't think it was ever considered a beef fork.

    Below is an actual lettuce fork - in the same pattern - for sale on ebay.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Meadow lettuce fork

  • lindac
    13 years ago

    Boy...it's a short fork....could it be for serving fish?....but I would think that would be larger...
    oysters on the half shell? Not for eating but for taking from a platter??
    Grabbing at straws here!
    Linda c

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    It's the length of a luncheon fork but definitely the wrong weight. At first I thought someone had 'handcrafted' this from a luncheon fork but to my knowledge LF's were normally manufactured in only one weight - & depending on the mfgr, that wt. was 30-50% less than this piece . I like the idea of picking up oysters but I bet it would be messy - even for the butler who was plating! This fork should work very well for the intended food although I haven't tried it yet.

  • bostonpat_gw
    13 years ago

    OK... How about a Strawberry Fork?

  • lindac
    13 years ago

    Nope....strawberry forks have long skinny tines.
    This is for something fairly heavy...
    Fried chicken?

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    Keep on guessing! Individual berry forks are delicate & usually under 5" long with 2 or 3 long, thin tines. For serving, I've only seen the large bowled berry spoons. Whole strawberries would probably roll off of my fork & it wouldn't be nearly as effective as a spoon for cut up berries.

    Think of a food that probably came from Europe with the immigrant population at the turn of the century.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Individual berry fork

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    Fried chicken is a good guess - & it's likely I'll use it for that more than the real purpose. Thanks for suggesting it.

  • lindac
    13 years ago

    Ah Ha....potatoes!

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    It will work (probably quite well) for potatoes but that's not what I have in mind. Supposedly the original potato fork had 2 tines & is just like the 'custom made' ones that're so plentiful. I've never seen a photo of one in an old catalog but I have seen them listed as items within a pattern. I never thought the things existed until recently someone showed me the old pattern listing.

    Interesting possibility that may be accurate although I still like my use better.

  • Fori
    13 years ago

    Linguine!

  • bostonpat_gw
    13 years ago

    Fori beat me to it - I was thinking some form of pasta.... or noodles.

    I'm trying to think of peasant foods but things like eggplant or cabbage would probably need a more "solid" surface with maybe some drainage holes.

    You know Hester - you have me looking at silver again on the 'net! That can be bad, very bad!
    Pat

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    Fori, I'm not sure if it would work for linguine but I can see macaroni or some other chunky pasta salad being lifted with it, although that's not the intended purpose. A true macaroni server/knife, as they were called, is a large, flattish server with a raised edge on one side & graduated teeth on the other. They're spectacular & tend to be rather pricey!

    Pat, you're on the right track with cabbage. I bet you're going to be looking for one of these forks now. That's how is starts & Ebay is the collector's equivilent of a crack house.
    Welcome to Silver Anonymous. My name is Hester & I haven't bought any flatware for 4 days. I thought I'd kicked the habit but I've fallen off the wagon.... again.

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    Fori, this is a fine example of a macaroni server. I guess 'macaroni' covered all kinds of pasta - & for that price, I'd be eating pasta for the rest of my life!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Macaroni server

  • bostonpat_gw
    13 years ago

    I'm still thinking about that fork, but as far as being a crack addict, I am working very hard to convince myself that I DON"T NEED ANYTHING in this pattern:

    Here is a link that might be useful: Whiting Violet I just think it's so Pretty!

  • lindac
    13 years ago

    La La La....I don't hear you!!
    I have a new vice...silver bangle bracelets! Much cheaper per item than serving forks....and I can wear them every day....and jingle-jangle-jingle to my heart's content!
    Don't need no damned fancy forks....
    You hear??? No more fancy forks!!

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    That's the problem, Pat - we don't need any of these pieces but we like to treat ourselves - & it's so easy to rationalize because they're useful. ROTFLMAO. Useful, yeah right - all of us use our grape shears & sardine forks on a weekly basis, just couldn't function without them!!!!!!!!
    Whiting's Violet is a pretty pattern but some of their silver is light weight so if you're buying on the internet ask the seller to weigh it.

    And Linda, you'll be back! The forks are calling your name.

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    And the answer is..........drum roll please........ a Sauerkraut Fork. Don't you think it would be perfect for that? I've never seen an old catalog with this in it but then I only have copies of about 10 catalogs so there are a lot of unknowns. I've heard it referred to as this before & then Martha Stewart's Living had an article on Victorian silver a few years ago & there was a fork like this - identified by somebody important - as a sauerkraut fork.

    I'm convinced this is NOT for beef - the tines are too blunt to spear anything. I'm not that fond of sauerkraut but it should work with any food of that texture. Pesto is a probable candidate, too since I don't have a $1200 macaroni server, just a $39, rare, sauerkraut fork!

    Is everybody feeling enabled?

  • lindac
    13 years ago

    Now I have to go looking for a sauerkraut fork.....

  • bostonpat_gw
    13 years ago

    I was racking my brain and surfing the 'net - I'm glad you gave the answer!
    I bet you could also use it for spearing baked potatoes or,as was mentioned, fried chicken.
    It's a lovely piece you have there....congratulations!
    I'll know what it is the next time I see one!

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    FYI - Below is the plainest Gorham Beef Fork in a pattern of the same era that I could find. It's the same overall length & the tines appear flat, shorter & more tapered. It's half the weight. Most others have similar shape but have a pierced bowl like the Imperial Chrysanthemum one that's also for sale; there's no weight listed for a comparison.

    I wish I could find another with exactly the same tine shape & weight as mine. Then I could more easily justify that Gorham made them for a different purpose.

    Imperial Chrysanthemum
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400126576538&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

    Here is a link that might be useful: Luxemburg Beef Fork

  • sheesh
    13 years ago

    MORE! MORE! I want to see more goofy things!

    I have a few "goofy things" from my mom and grandmothers, but they're packed away - and, um, I don't have a digital camera at the moment anyway. But.....I have a beautiful Bride's Basket in those boxes. What were bride's baskets used for? It's beautiful, but it's shape and size seem so impractical....

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    I'll be interested in hearing the answer to this, too.

  • lindac
    13 years ago

    A bride's basket is just a "thing" a centerpiece or a shelf piece....not for anything but for giving.
    I have heard tales that it was something for the bride to put her wedding bouquet in after the wedding but I don't think that's so, because mostly in the 1880's brides carried things like a few lilies or a few roses not bouquets.
    What I have also heard and believe is true is that theyw ere called that because they were so often given as a wedding gift.
    Linda C

  • sheesh
    13 years ago

    That's funny, Linda..... My grandmothers always said the same thing - it's just a pretty thing! It just seems unlikely because they seemed like such practical people, but you just confirmed it. I also have a lot of their American Brilliant crystal pieces, so I guess they had a little room for whimsy, too.

    I think I'll give the basket to my dtr. She's crazy about pink, and this one is pink. She also likes having a connection to her past, and this basket was her great-great-grandmother's from the late 1890s.

    Thanks.....

    Sherry

  • lindac
    13 years ago

    Victorians were anything BUT practical....it's all form over function....where else in history wo7uld you find sterling asparagus tongs and saurkraut forks and a silver gouda cheese holder?

  • antiquesilver
    13 years ago

    Their specialized flatware usually works exceedingly well for the intended purpose - much better than a generic fork or spoon. I doubt it would ever be considered practical from an economic standpoint but is was very functional.

    I googled brides basket & didn't come up with much except pieces for sale; maybe it was just another nick-nack. I wish somebody with a Victorian book of etiquette would chime in.

  • AndrewCampbell
    10 years ago

    Well , it has taken me a while to get through this chat but i had a lot of fun on the way ! It is often the case that some silver pieces have you puzzled about their uses. I particularly love the silver flatware queries above - they have had me guessing also lol. However can you guess this one

    This post was edited by AndrewCampbell on Thu, May 30, 13 at 9:21

  • mfrog
    10 years ago

    You probably should have started a new thread rather than tagging on to the bottom of this one. Also using this forum to promote your shop is in bad taste & frowned upon.

    I thought I was helping someone out who didn't know what their item was, but as you have a shop you know your item is a marrow scoop. mfrog

  • AndrewCampbell
    10 years ago

    I do apologise if i caused any offence. I was genuinely not aware of any wrong doing on this thread. I am new to forums and clearly misunderstood. I thought as people where posting pieces of silver and asking people what they are for, etc that I would join in and let people on the thread guess what the image was. I know its use but simply thought you may like to guess.

    Again sincere apologies.

  • mfrog
    10 years ago

    Thank you for understanding that advertising your shop on here isn't in good taste.
    You are most welcome to start a new thread offering up pieces for identification, we all love a challenge & can lead to some interesting exchanges.
    Hope to see you jump in to help out especially with silver ID, which seems to stump people the most. mfrog

  • dma51055
    3 years ago

    If this thread is still 'alive'...I would greatly appreciate a 'use-identification' anyone can offer. I have no idea what it is...found it in my parents collection and they were married late 1940s. It is 3.5" in diameter x 3" tall, and only markings are "Wallace" & "88" on the underside. (I covered my Dad's personal etched i.d. info w orange tape). It has a fish and maybe acanthus leaf design, a square opening on top-center, and round opening (not threaded) on bottom-center. Is this some sort of flower-stem holder for a vase?? Thanks for any thoughts!!!





  • maifleur03
    3 years ago

    dma you picture if you posted it did not show. I would suggest that rather than tagging onto an old posting that you start a new one. Because of glitches sometimes a second post will show a picture while the first one will not.

  • dma51055
    3 years ago

    Thanks Maifleur...I'm new to posting. I'll try again w a new post...if I can figure out how to do that. thanks!

  • HU-688114536
    2 years ago

    The long narrow spoon is a marrow spoon or scoop.