Reed & Barton Sugar Tongs Unknown Pattern

[hpidaves]

These sugar tongs are made by Reed & Barton and somewhat resemble their Renaissance multi-motif pattern, but they do not match up with Replacement's image of the sugar tongs in that pattern. The pattern features a face or mask.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Synfulto]

I believe this is it .
Renaissance by Reed & Barton, Silverplate Sugar Tongs, Small, Active Pattern: No, Circa: 1886, Size: 3-1/4"

[hpidaves]

Thank you for the reply.

I looked at the Renaissance pattern, but here is an image of the sugar tongs from that pattern:



What I have is most likely a bon bon tongs (3 1/4"), which I cannot find a photo of. But the imagery on these bon bon tongs doesn't seem to match up with imagery from any other pieces from the Renaissance pattern.

[hpidaves]

After some polishing, I noticed that after the Reed & Barton marking, there is a "2" and a cross (similar to a plus sign). Previously, I had thought it was "24". My guess is that it would have something to do the quality of silverplating. Not sure if this means anything, but I thought I would add it.

[Traintime]

Compare face to mustached man on this plate: https://restaurantwarecollectors.com/RW ... le=Griffin

That company happens to have been a known user of Rennaisance pattern. Could there been something in that? A big stretch at this point.

As to number & cross...Rockford Silver Plate Co. placed on flatware their number (troy ounces used to plate per gross) before a six-point version of a mullet (an actual star seen on most pieces probably came later?). So this might just be an innocuous symbol rather than an actual plus sign.

[hpidaves]

There is no image of it, but the Italian pattern's sugar tongs are the same length as my piece -- 3-3/8". This pattern is my best guess so far. I have found images of my piece through a Google search labeled as Renaissance, but based upon the photos from Replacements, I'm almost positive it's not Renaissance.

I'll keep searching for an image of the Italian sugar tongs.

Thanks.

[Traintime]

Could it be a case of a non-flatware design found only on holloware? If the tongs were only available in a set with the bowl, then there's no guarantee of a match to flatwares.

[hpidaves]

I thought that might be the case as well, but I was hoping not.

[Traintime]

Bumping for additional considerations.

Note: Vendome (1884), Italian (1885), and Rennaisance (1886) are all design related in that the basic fluted lines are used on various pieces from all three patterns. Additionally, the back handle tip detail from Vendome is also carried over onto some pieces in the latter designs. The second and third patterns are by the same designer, so we might find that Vendome was also created by his hand. On a large serving spoon in the Rennaisance pattern (from a group in a current listing), there is an added face that covers the entire bowl area. It seems different from the ones on the handles, so perhaps there’s more interchangeable parts to this pattern?

[Traintime]

The final patent granted date for Renaissance flatwares was November 30 1886. In the application for the earlier filed Italian pattern, the designer Jackson has descriptive notes that cover all the visible elements. One thing he mentions clearly “are longitudinal flutes” that are “crossed by a band”. These are seen on several of the patterns and don’t seem to be one of the functional parts of the actual patenting. But they are on many pieces in the normal Renaissance line. (And here we have the official description of “flutes” or fluting by a subject of the Queen no less. It seems to be the primary element of Vendome flatware as well as on a long gone listed teapot by R&B that was supposedly marked for one of the Vendome hotels…couldn’t see the backstamps in the lone side view ghost image. In some of Trev’s postings, IIRC Mappin & Webb, it is mentioned that this style has become very popular in the 1880’s era.)

[Traintime]

Just an additional note on Vendome: Unlike the other patterns, this one must have remained in useage for an extended life cycle. I have a pickle or seafood fork in this pattern but carrying the ARNBE brand (R and B, get it) and backstamped with a logo for The Sands in Las Vegas Nevada. [ARNBE seems to be a commercial wares mark from about the 1930’s onward. The Sands resort/casino would of course be a user, with the actual supplier left out. But we do know that Dohrmann reached out to this region from their western bases.] So Vendome was still around mid-century for production purposes, but possibly only by special request. What happened to the related or derivative patterns is a good guess.