Search found 536 matches

by wev
Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:44 pm
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: Unknown Maker Coin Silver(?) Sugar Spoon
Replies: 4
Views: 1530

Re: Unknown Maker Coin Silver(?) Sugar Spoon

The wholesale marks are Joseph Seymour & Company of Syracuse NY. They were one of the major bulk manufacturers of silver flatware and held several design patents. D. D. R. Ormsby of Homer NY is known to have been one of their retail customers.
The obscured center design is a capital S
by wev
Mon Jan 01, 2024 11:55 pm
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: Embossed Peacock on Bowl of Spoon?
Replies: 4
Views: 1306

Re: Embossed Peacock on Bowl of Spoon?

It is called a Dove of Peace. There are many variations (this a particularly nice one), but no one has done a real image survey, so without a maker's mark, it will be luck matching it with a known smith's swage.
by wev
Fri Nov 03, 2023 9:02 pm
Forum: General Questions
Topic: Why are there so many unmarked coin silver pieces ?
Replies: 7
Views: 1864

Re: Why are there so many unmarked coin silver pieces ?

From the late 1820s on, silver flatware was being produced at factory level for sale to retailers across the eastern seaboard and the midwest. Such goods were often unmarked, left to be stamped by the ultimate seller with his name. For many, it was not worth the time and expense to purchase a suitab...
by wev
Mon Oct 16, 2023 1:56 pm
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: Coffin teaspoon marked JT ?
Replies: 2
Views: 1145

Re: Coffin teaspoon marked JT ?

Winterthur has a similar coffin spoon with this mark recorded as unknown maker. There is some speculation that it may be Jonathan Trott Jr. working in New London CT c. 1800-1813.
by wev
Tue Sep 26, 2023 10:56 pm
Forum: American Sterling & Coin Silver - Single Image
Topic: Help with J.H. & A. Benedict tongs?
Replies: 8
Views: 1950

Re: Help with J.H. & A. Benedict tongs?

The tongs were manufactured by the wholesale firm of Hall & Hewson in Albany NY. The pair of Benedicts, likely father and son, were retail jewelers in Skaneateles NY. The senior, J. H., had been the partner of Asa Munger, c 1818-1820 in Auburn NY.
by wev
Wed Aug 02, 2023 10:39 am
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: Coffin End Spoon
Replies: 10
Views: 2804

Re: Coffin End Spoon

I did a quick sort of my records and found around 150 examples: arch, engraved coffin, engraved crescent, engraved oval, engraved pointed arch, engraved pointed arch, wigglework engraved pointed arch, two line engraved pointed, wigglework engraved pointed, engraved pointed, roulette engraved pointed...
by wev
Wed Aug 02, 2023 10:09 am
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: Coffin End Spoon
Replies: 10
Views: 2804

Re: Coffin End Spoon

Incised drops are not as common on American spoons as swaged drops, but are not uncommon, either. In my collection, they number around 15%. They are in a variety of forms -- arch, pointed arch, spade, oval, crescent, coffin, square, etc. by many different makers from the 1790s to the 1850s. Interest...
by wev
Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:07 pm
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: S Kirk & Son Small Bowl Purpose
Replies: 3
Views: 1569

Re: S Kirk & Son Small Bowl Purpose

Missing its glass liner
by wev
Tue Apr 04, 2023 5:58 pm
Forum: Sterling Manufacturers ~ American after-1860
Topic: Champagne sterling bucket
Replies: 17
Views: 3705

Re: Champagne sterling bucket

The incuse JBA and 925 are definitely punched over existing incised marks. The handles are stylistically too heavy and poorly integrated into the design. Compare the carefully raised/engraved acanthus leaves (likely the only original decoration) on the base with those above, which are inferior in un...
by wev
Fri Mar 10, 2023 11:34 am
Forum: Provincial & Colonial Marks
Topic: Sugar Tongs Marks
Replies: 2
Views: 1500

Re: Sugar Tongs Marks

American. W&B would be the retail seller. The three marks are an unidentified, but very prolific New York City wholesale manufacturer.
by wev
Sat Feb 18, 2023 11:47 am
Forum: Mystery Objects
Topic: Mystery Item
Replies: 9
Views: 4256

Re: Mystery Item

dragonflywink wrote: Sat Feb 18, 2023 8:27 am Are you sure it opens? Looks to me like the stopper for a bottle or decanter...

~Cheryl
I agree; that does seem the likeliest idea, given the monogram and the orientation of the marks on the neck.
by wev
Fri Feb 17, 2023 6:32 pm
Forum: Mystery Objects
Topic: Mystery Item
Replies: 9
Views: 4256

Re: Mystery Item

Might be way off, but my grandmother had a similarly shaped item in porcelain. Under the cap was a sponge for moistening postage stamps. If it is that, it would explain why the lid is stuck on.
by wev
Thu Feb 09, 2023 1:27 pm
Forum: American Sterling & Coin Silver - Single Image
Topic: Gould Stowell Ward
Replies: 9
Views: 2652

Re: Gould Stowell Ward

Per Hollan's Philadelphia Established in 1837. The 1850 Mercantile Census reported they were making $35,000 worth of silverware a year. They established a larger factory in 1852 and continued producing wholesale goods into the 1870s. Advertised in 1857 they had manufactured goods for Bailey & Ki...
by wev
Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:46 am
Forum: American Sterling & Coin Silver - Single Image
Topic: Gould Stowell Ward
Replies: 9
Views: 2652

Re: Gould Stowell Ward

Are you saying the three marks on your spoon do not match the ones Silverly posted, which are the well-established wholesale marks of Taylor & Lawrie?
by wev
Tue Feb 07, 2023 5:06 pm
Forum: American Sterling & Coin Silver - Single Image
Topic: Gould Stowell Ward
Replies: 9
Views: 2652

Re: Gould Stowell Ward

To answer your initial question, yes. Gould, Stowell & Ward were watchmakers and merchant jewelers, buying in silver goods from wholesale makers. The firm only existed from 1855 to February 1857, when Abel Stowell left to open his own shop.
by wev
Mon Dec 19, 2022 10:08 pm
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: AEW Lidded silver dish
Replies: 5
Views: 2916

Re: AEW Lidded silver dish

Yes, that is Warner's mark. The queen's head/D is a Baltimore standard mark
Warner
by wev
Fri Dec 09, 2022 5:14 pm
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: Gorham coin silver (?) cup/chalice
Replies: 2
Views: 2081

Re: Gorham coin silver (?) cup/chalice

There were many German-American societies during most of the 19th century. These sorts of commemorative pieces are not uncommon, though many more were probably disposed of when affiliation with Germany became unpopular. The mark shown was adopted in 1863. Gorham did not switch to only using sterling...
by wev
Fri Dec 09, 2022 3:24 pm
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: Are these marks attributable to Bosworth?
Replies: 2
Views: 1850

Re: Are these marks attributable to Bosworth?

As noted on my site, Bosworth was a jeweler and watchmaker, not a manufacturer. In census, directory listings, and his obituary, his given name is Henry, not Howard. The three wholesale pseudo marks are attributed to John Smith Putnam . They can be found countermarked by many retailers working in th...
by wev
Tue Dec 06, 2022 4:55 pm
Forum: Coin Silversmiths ~ American pre-1860
Topic: Partial Maker Mark "G BUS..."
Replies: 3
Views: 3043

Re: Partial Maker Mark "G BUS..."

George Bush, Easton PA

Here is his full mark
Image

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