Nana''s silver just for Glitterata

[diamondlil]

Okay, Glitterata, you requested pics of the silver. The pattern is pretty simple with the letter "E" monogramed at the end. It may be hard to see, but the 4 knives in the center are significantly larger than the other 8. The forks and spoons are all that way as well. It had to do with there being a ration on metal during WWII. I can''t remember whether she got the larger ones before or after the war. I''ll try to attach another pic of a few pieces next to each other that really shows the size difference.




DiamondLil

 

[diamondlil]

Here are a few pieces of the silver showing the size/weight difference. It's a little blurry, but I think you can see it.




DiamondLil

 

[glitterata]

What lovely, clean lines! Nana had beautiful taste. Thank you for showing us.

Here's an alternative theory for you: I wonder whether the smaller settings might be luncheon settings and the larger ones dinner settings? My grandmother's silver has smaller knives than I saw when we were registering, and the saleslady at the store told me that they were luncheon-size.

In the next post, I'll attach a (generic) picture of my/Grandma's silver pattern. It's still in production.

I seem to have inherited Grandma's taste in many things (which is very lucky, since I inherited a bunch of the things, too). If I were choosing china and silver, chances are I'd choose hers. Though your Nana's silver would be a close second. It's so graceful and unfussy.

 

[glitterata]

Here it is, my grandmother's silver pattern. She also collected random victorian silver at antique sales and estate sales, so I have a bunch of very dainty mismatched forks and spoons and a ton of mysterious things like oyster forks. Someday I'll have to plan a menu around the silver, serve lots of oysters and pickles and sugar cubes and grapefruits and other things that have their own serving utensils.

 

[diamondlil]

Oh, Glitterata, I love oyster plates, but it's kind of like diamonds -- hard to have just one.

Great photo of the silver. The pattern is so clear. Did you take it? I guess mine is so old and scratched, the "E" will not show up.




I'll have to talk to my mom about the luncheon settings theory. It's definitely possible. If it were a luncheon setting, would all pieces (knives, dinner forks, salad forks, soup spoons) all be slightly smaller? The only thing I have that is all the same size are the teaspoons. No one has ever noticed when I set the table using the two sizes mixed together.

DiamondLil

 

[KBerly]

Both of you have beautiful silver!!! I love all the pieces

 

[glitterata]

I didn't take that photo, I stole it off the web. Bad girl! But I imagine the manufacturer won't mind, since it's free advertizing for their product, right? It's Wallace Grand Colonial.

I wonder whether silver had military uses. I know platinum did, which is why you find jewelry manufactured during the war made of palladium instead of platinum.

Anybody know?

 

[Mara]

Glitter...have you started stealing toothpaste yet? I think you are totally on that path.

I love the patterns displayed here!! Very classy. Ours is from C&B as well, the hotel pattern...it's classic, heavy and works with both our Orchid and Platinum sets. I've never been a flatware person at all..polishing the silver and all that.

It's very functional for me, I spend more time admiring plates but then again we don't have any vintage silver, which would be fun if we did. I have often wanted to get display racks for plates on the wall but just never got around to it and now our kitchen really has no empty wall space (cabinets all raound), so it will have to wait til next house later down the line.

 

[glitterata]

Tee hee, Mara! I haven't stolen any toothpaste lately, but I did use some shampoo last week that belonged to a friend I was visiting.

Actually, if you use your sterling regularly, you don't have to polish it. Just washing and drying it keeps it nice and shiny.

When I got the sterling, I discovered that silver is an incredibly good conductor of heat. If you use a silver spoon to eat soup or stir your tea, it almost burns your fingers. I found that fascinating. My DH insists on using the stainless for hot soup.

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 7/28/2004 3:07:22 PM glitterata wrote:


Here's an alternative theory for you: I wonder whether the smaller settings might be luncheon settings and the larger ones dinner settings? -------------

Yep, silver comes in two sizes - luncheon & dinner. I have one set that's luncheon (Gorham Fairfield) & one that's dinner (Tara - Reed & Barton)

I use the Fairfield on a regular basis. Consignment shops & Antique shows are a good way to add to your collection at significantly lower prices than new. If your pattern has a monogram - the better as those are really discounted.

Gliterati made me laugh about all the mysterious utensils. They had a specific piece for *every* thing. I wonder if the silver companies still make these odd serving pieces.

 

[glitterata]

Ha! Fire&Ice--I knew you'd know.

I'm going to go take a picture of some of Grandma's beautiful old silver items.

Darn! camera's not working. Well, maybe DH can talk some sense into it.

 

[fire&ice]

Take those pictures. We can do "name that utensil". I even had a button hook in a silver pattern called "Carmel".

 

[glitterata]

Okay, here's a random selection of Grandma's oyster forks and tea strainers. I hope the picture came out okay.

 

[fire&ice]

Curious, what are the marks on the tea strainer - looks very nouveau - pretty!

I never can keep straight the tomatoe server and aspargus server.

 

[glitterata]

There are two tea strainers in that picture (I think)--I assume you're talking about the upper one, the nouveau one with the daffodils on it? Sorry the picture's so blurry.

There's a gothic "RW" (I think--could be "RM"). Then a deer's head facing left, with four horns. Then "& S." Then Sterling. Then 818, which seems to be stamped upside down. Mean anything to you?

If the sun comes out so I can take sharper pictures without the flash, I'll try to post some close ups. The one I'm really curious about is the nouveau-y spoon thing at the bottom. What was that for? I use it to fish tea bags out of my tea, but I'm sure that's not what it's meant for!

 

[glitterata]

Here's a closer look at those tea strainers--I hope!

 

[glitterata]

And here's the one I'm most curious about. What is it?

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 7/29/2004 2:17:05 PM glitterata wrote:


There's a gothic 'RW' (I think--could be 'RM'). Then a deer's head facing left, with four horns. Then '& S.' Then Sterling. Then 818, which seems to be stamped upside down. Mean anything to you?

----------------

It's American & the "&S" means & sons. I have drawn a blank on the name. It rings a bell; but, I will have to check my silver marks. It is period Art Nouveau though.

About the spoon, flatware has never been my specialty. Looks like some sort of condiment strainer. I'll check my books when I return home this weekend. But, they had special utensils for the most obscure of stuff.

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 7/29/2004 2:17:05 PM glitterata wrote:


There's a gothic 'RW' (I think--could be 'RM'). Then a deer's head facing left, with four horns. Then '& S.' Then Sterling. Then 818, which seems to be stamped upside down. Mean anything to you?

----------------

R. Wallace & Sons since 1871 but your tea strainer is probably circa 1898. Name changed to Wallace Silversmiths (obviously still in business).

 

[fire&ice]

...and your spoon is most likely a "bon bon" or "nut" spoon.

Ah...the life of luxury.

 

[glitterata]

Thanks, F&I!

Obviously somebody's telling me to eat more bonbons, right? Or are they telling me I'm nuts?