Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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dognose
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Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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IDENTIFYING 'PREMIUMS' SILVERWARE

We often see flatware on the forum lacking marking that identifies a particular manufacturer. A percentage of such pieces are likely to be what are known in the trade as premiums. The practice of offering free, or subsidized silverware, especially flatware, has a long history that started in the late 19th century.

The idea of 'Premiums' is that a manufacturer will make a special offer to boost sales of certain products, the special offer would be a give-away or an offer of something at a very attractive price. Kelloggs, for example, sold cutlery from the back of their cornflake packets for years, Maxwell House gave away coffee spoons, Colmans offered mustard pots, etc. etc. Such give-aways or special priced offers were 'self-liquidators', Kelloggs would make no profit from the cutlery sales, but would be rewarded with repeat sales as customers built up sets of cutlery and flatware at the special prices and thus maintaining that, all important, customer loyalty.

To make such offers appealing to the customer, flatware had to be sourced at incredibly low prices, in the past, major silverware manufacturers would have turned up their noses at working for next to nothing, but during periods of flat marketing conditions, especially in the 1950's/1960's when cheaper imports from far eastern manufacturers was really starting to bite, the opportunity to keep their factories in production, if only at break-even levels, could not be ignored and the 'Premium' business was welcomed by the manufacturers, but not openly as the last thing they wanted was to devalue the 'bread and butter' lines of their business, thus they produced flatware by the thousands, often unmarked, they maintained anonymity as the maker whilst keeping their own profile high with their regular marked lines. Some flatware producers of course were happy to be identified, but sometimes produced certain patterns not available through the normal retail outlets.

A possible way of identifying some of these premiums is from period advertisements, original packing, letters etc. from firms making such offers, so if you have information to share, then here's the topic to post it in.

Trev.
dognose
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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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RALSTON - RY-CRISP - AMERICAN SILVER Co.

A 1947 advertisement from Ralston offering an exclusive pattern, Camelot, from the American Silver Co.


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Ralston-American Silver Co. - Wallingford - 1947


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Ralston-American Silver Co. - Wallingford - 1947


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Ralston-American Silver Co. - Wallingford - 1947

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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IGLEHEART'S FLOUR - WILLIAM ROGERS & SON

A 1914 advertisement from Igleheart's flour offering Wm. Rogers & Son Chester pattern:


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E.O. Painter Fertilizer Co.-Wm. Rogers & Son - 1914

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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NASH COFFEE COMPANY - ?

A 1936 advertisement from the Nash Coffee Company offering flatware and cutlery in the 'La Belvidere' pattern:


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Nash Coffee Company - Spokane - 1936


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Nash Coffee Company - Spokane - 1936


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Nash Coffee Company - Spokane - 1936


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Nash Coffee Company - Spokane - 1936

No indication of the identity of the manufacturer.

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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KELLOGG's - Wm. ROGERS Mfg.Co.

A 1950 advertisement from Kellogg's offering Wm. Rogers Mfg.Co. teaspoons:


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Kellogg's-Wm. Rogers Mfg.Co. - Wallingford, Conn. - 1950

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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PROVOST OATS - ?

Advertisement from 1902 by Provost Oats offering porridge spoons:

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R. Robinson & Sons - Annan - 1902

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R. Robinson & Sons - Annan - 1902

No indication of the identity of the manufacturer.

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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JOHNSON'S GALVANIC SOAP - ROGERS

A 1913 advertisement from the B.J. Johnson Soap Co. offering Wm.A. Rogers Ltd. spoons in the La Vigne or Grape pattern:


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B.J. Johnson Soap Co.-Wm. A. Rogers Ltd. - 1913

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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STAR AND SENTINEL - UNION SILVER PLATING Co.

A 1877 advertisement from the Star and Sentinel newspaper offering spoons from the Union Silver Plating Co. of Philadelphia:


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Star and Sentinel-Union Silver Plating Co. - Philadelphia - 1877

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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OATMAN'S DUNDEE MILK - ROGERS

A 1915 advertisement from Oatman's Dundee Milk offering spoons from Rogers:


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Oatman's Dundee Milk-Rogers - Dundee, Illinois - 1915

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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PLANTERS - ONEIDA

A 1941 advertisement from Planters offering a nut server for 10 cents:


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Planters/Oneida - 1941

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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HORNBY'S BREAD FLOUR - ROGERS & BROS.

A 1919 advertisement from Hornby's Bread Flour offering flatware in the Chelsea pattern from Rogers & Bros.:


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J.H. Hornby & Sons-Rogers & Bros. - New Brighton, Pa. - 1919

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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LEVER BROTHERS - WILLIAM ROGERS Mfg.Co.

A 1912 advertisement from Lever Brothers offering flatware in an exclusive pattern from the William Rogers Manufacturing Company:


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Lever Brothers Company/Wm. Rogers Mfg.Co. - Cambridge, Mass. - 1912


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Lever Brothers Company/Wm. Rogers Mfg.Co. - Cambridge, Mass. - 1912


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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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QUAKER OATS - ONEIDA

A 1930 advertisement from the Quaker Oats Company offering flatware in the Mary Stuart pattern from Oneida:


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The Quaker Oats Company/Oneida - Peterborough, Ont. - 1930

In this advertisement the name of the manufacturer, Oneida, is not mentioned, but the trade name 'Tudor Plate' belonged to Oneida.

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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SKINNER'S MACARONI PRODUCTS - ONEIDA COMMUNITY

A 1916 advertisement from the the Skinner Manufacturing Co. offering flatware in the Bridal Wreath pattern from Oneida:


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Skinner Manufacturing Co,/Oneida Community - Omaha, Nebraska - 1916

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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QUAKER VALLEY Mfg.Co.

An 1898 advertisement from the Quaker Valley Mfg.Co. offering war memorial spoons:


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Quaker Valley Mfg.Co. - Chicago - 1898

The silverware issued by Quaker Valley Mfg.Co. was usually marked with 'Cuevee silver - warranted' and a device of a 'Q' overlapped by by a 'V'.

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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GULF OIL COMPANY - INTERNATIONAL SILVER

A 1969 advertisement from the the Gulf Company offering stainless steel flatware in the American Charm pattern from International Silver:


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Gulf Oil Company/International Silver - 1969

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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ARMOUR & COMPANY

A 1906 advertisement from the the Armour & Company offering a free silver plated measuring spoon:

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Armour & Company - Chicago - 1906

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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MOTHER'S OATS

A 1912 advertisement from Mother's Oats of Chicago offering a free silver plated spoon:

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Mother's Oats - Chicago - 1912

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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LEMCO - ELKINGTON & Co.Ltd.


A 1910 advertisement from Lemco offering spoons by Elkingtons:

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Lemco - London - 1910

Lemco was the trade name Liebig's Extract of Meat Company, 9, Fenchurch Avenue, London, and Longue Rue des Claires 21, Antwerp. They were manufacturers, shippers and importers of South American produce.

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=38212&p=197644#p197644

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Re: Identifying 'Premiums' Silverware

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ARMOUR & COMPANY - WM. ROGERS & SON

A 1909 advertisement from Armour & Co. offering Lily pattern spoons by Wm. Rogers & Son:

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Armour & Company - Chicago - 1909

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