Anyone here know anything about silver flatware?

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

Specifically, is there a way to tell the difference between a serving piece that is from the original design & one that is from the re-introduction?

I have two pieces of Reed & Barton's Love Disarmed which was originally manufactured in the early 1900s. It was re-introduced in the 70s. I've googled until I'm blue, but cannot figure out how to tell if a piece is original or a copy.


This piece which is the sugar spoon:



This is the markings, but I can't figure out what the heck is the second word. Patent approved? On the back of mine it looks like 'Patent Approved for Hess & Culbertson'. Could that be right?



Thanks for any help.

[Stinky The Clown]

1. The abbreviation is for "Patent Applied For"

Apart from that, I'm not much help.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

3. Thank you.

That gets me one step further than I was.

:yourock:

[Vinca]

2. Here's a link to a page with Reed & Barton marks, but I don't

see any of them on your silver. What a gorgeous spoon!http://www.925-1000.com/RB_Date_Code.html

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

4. Thanks you. There's some good info there.

I've bookmarked it to look at later.

The smaller spoon is probably 6 inches. On the back near the bowl is the marks, then Sterling, then Patent Applied for then Hess & Culbertson. - I think that's the last name. The marks, the word, sterling & the Patent Applied are all embossed & heavy. The part 'Hess & Culbertson' looks engraved. It's also monogrammed with the initial 'F' on the back of the wide part of the handle. I think it's an 'F': it's so damned flowery that I'm not sure. That might indicate an old piece since silver used to be engraved on the back. OTOH, the whole front of the handle is so busy that I don't know that they could have engraved an initial there.

The other spoon is probably 11 inches with 7 holes; one in the center than 6 surrounding it. I have no idea what it was used for. Vegetables, maybe? I use it for whatever I'm serving that it works with.

The markings are different on the back. It's got 'Patent Applied for' then the marks then Sterling, but no 'Hess & Culbertson' and no monogram.

I'm thinking that maybe the first is a 1900 piece & the second is from when they re-issued the pattern, but the small spoon is incredibly light compared to the larger spoon even taking into account the size difference of the spoon. I would think that pieces made earlier would be heavier weight.

replacements.com has several pieces available in both the 1899 & the 1970s, but no cheat sheet on how to tell the difference.

Thanks for your help.

:hi:

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

11. Mines the upper left 3 job doohickey.

Does that look the same?

[yy4me]

5. It is hard to distinguish the figurine on your spoon but if it is

Reed & Barton "Love Disarmed", you have a real goodie. Usually the best way to distinguish the new from the old is the weight of the piece. Older silver(pre WW11) is of a heavier guage, If this is comparatively heavy for its size, I would bet it is an old one. Google this pattern to compare your photo with what is illustrated. I do know that Hess & Culbertson was the retailer.
If you determine it is of the named pattern, check the price from www.replacementsltd.com

Just saw the other post. The spoon with the holes is for veggies to be served from a common covered dish.
http://www.replacements.com/webquote/RDSLOD.htm?s1=mshp&1219533&

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

6. The weird thing is that the smaller piece seems really light,

but it's the one that says 'Hess & Culbertson'. And the smaller piece is the one that I think 'might' be the original.

The larger piece weighs a lot. I'll have to get a scale out, but I don't have two pieces of the same size to really compare so I don't know that it will help.

And yes, they're both Reed & Barton's 'Love Disarmed'. Quite the OTT stuff, ain't it? :rofl:

:hi:

[yy4me]

7. H & C is still in business and I would suspect that it is the repro.

(the light one) Is this the pattern? If it is, look at the prices at replacements Ltd. You'll be shocked.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

8. Yes, this is the pattern.

In fact, the first link I gave was from replacements.com. And the prices are shocking. There's also a huge difference in price between the 1900 pieces & the 1970 pieces.

I've never seen a silver piece that had the store name engraved on it. That sounds odd. And it's not a repo really. Reed & Barton re-issued it in the 70s. It's got the R & B marks, the 'sterling' etc.

[yy4me]

9. I just typed a nice long post to you and I lost it. phooey. The gist f

of it is that many retailers had their store names on their silver. They did not manufacture the pieces but had their name embossed for resale advertising. Not uncommon at all. Around these parts, we rarely see silver flatware without a Shreve, Crump & Low, Tiffany, Bailey,Banks& Biddle, Bigelow Canard, you name it. It was a common practice years ago.

For your own use, you might pick up, By Dorothy Rainwater, her "American Silver Manufacturers" book. It is a huge help in identifying makers, retailers, dating etc. I did have a book with all american silver patterns pictured but lent it to my daughter. Haven't seen it since. It was the best reference book. I will check tomorrow to see what else I have in reference book titles that may help you in the future.

I understand about the reissue. The older pieces are still more desirable because of their age and for the proportionate weight of the silver in each piece.

Great score!.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

10. Found something about Hess & Culbertson.

CULBERTSON, Stephen Duncan, vice-presi-
dent and treasurer of Hess & Culbertson Jewelry
Company; born in Perry County, Pa., October
12, 1846; son of David Hayes and Mary Gal-
braith (Linn) Culbertson; left college in 1869 to
engage in stock business in Carroll County,
Iowa; in 1883 formed a partnership with Geo.
J. Hess in jewelry business in St. Louis. The
business was incorporated March 2, 1904.

http://www.archive.org/stream/historydevelopm02unkngoog/historydevelopm02unkngoog_djvu.txt

Still on the hunt for more, but it looks like they sold out to Zale's. Can't find out when, though.

[yy4me]

13. The correct title of Rainwaters silver book book is:

Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers
Dorothy T Rainwater
Crown Publishers Inc
NY

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

14. Thank you.

I'll look for that book. Do you think it will help me determine if either piece is from 1900? I know that both are Reed & Barton's Love Disarmed because the marks are right, just can't figure out the age.

[yy4me]

15. No way to tell the date from the write-up about Reed & Barton.

Marks are shown but not the date. I'd scan and e-mail you the pages from the book if you'd like to read about R & B. The retailer is not mentioned as a mfgr of silver. If you want to PM me with an e-mail address that will reach you, I'll send the info along. I do not know how to post a picture or info from a book on DU.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

16. Drat. I was hoping that would help determine the date.

I know it's R & B because of the marks, just can't figure out if it's from the first or when R & B re-issued it. I wonder if I could email R & B and ask them if there's a way to tell. Hmmmmm.

Thank you for all your help so far.

:hi:

[yy4me]

17. Ebay

http://catalog.ebay.com/Encyclopedia-of-American-Silver-Manufacturers_0517521458_9780517521458_W0QQ_fifptsZ1QQ_pcatidZ4QQ_pidZ2170690QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em271

Scroll down.

[grasswire]

12. what a pretty pattern! (eom)

[Virginian]

18. Replacements Limited

They seem to know a lot. They buy and sell so they could probably tell you what it is worth. http://www.replacements.com