posted 02-14-2011 02:24 PM            

Not exactly "lifestyles," but I'm posting here because it's not silver.

I recently found an unusual demitasse spoon. It's crafted just like a silver version, but it's made of aluminum. Not a cheap, stamped item, but carefully shaped and finished, and engraved with a monogram. Marked "PURE ALUMINUM," as if proud of the fact. The style says 1890s to me (anyone disagree?).

According to a book I have about aluminum--a catalogue from a museum exhibit a few years ago--aluminum was a precious metal until 1886, when a cheap and easy method of extracting it from clay was invented. My guess is that this spoon is from the transitional period after that invention but before aluminum became the go-to metal for cheapo mass production.

Any thoughts? And does anyone else have aluminum tableware from this period? This it the first spoon I've noticed, but I haven't been looking, particularly. (I did read an interesting thread here about an early aluminum silver alloy.)

posted 03-07-2011 05:57 PM            

These are tiny (approx. 1-3/4" long) Duhme miniature spoons with a wishbone design, from Mom's salt spoon collection, one gilt sterling, the other aluminum with "Xmas 1902" in the bowl - perhaps a promotional holiday giveaway?

1918 excerpt from a department store sales manual, detailing declining aluminum cost over the years:

1877 excerpt from a scientific journal on testing aluminum spoons for wear:

1880 excerpt from the Young Folks Cyclopedia on aluminum and its uses:

~Cheryl

posted 03-07-2011 06:08 PM            

1904 excerpt from an article on aluminum housewares - mentioning, "At the World's Fair in Chicago, in 1893, a large number of aluminum tea and coffee spoons were sold.", and going on to say, "...spoons of this kind were a dismal failure except for ornamental purposes.". Doesn't really go into why they were such a failure:

~Cheryl

posted 03-07-2011 06:25 PM            

1908 Thurnauer ad for "Veritas":

Coffee spoon, clearly not "Veritas" as it's marked only "Germany":

12 inch German ladle, from the pattern, would suspect perhaps teens or twenties? Has a trademark, but can't make it out:

~Cheryl

posted 03-07-2011 06:31 PM            

And an 1892 ad for a similar item in silverplate (from Rainwater's American Silverplate):

~Cheryl

posted 03-07-2011 06:42 PM            

Thanks for expanding my awareness. Brent first got me interested aluminum trays. Now, thanks to you and Polly I will have to keep a look out for aluminum flatware.

posted 03-07-2011 06:48 PM            

1898 ad for "Better than Silver" items, not sure if they're offering decorative combs or those for grooming:

1914 ad for rhinestone pieces:

1917 ad describing rhinestone decorated pieces as having, "the appearance of platinum and diamonds.":

1919 ad for all sorts of hair ornaments, including aluminum set with rhinestones:

And just for good measure, an 1891 ad for aluminum rings set with ruby, sapphire and emerald doublets:

~Cheryl

posted 03-07-2011 09:34 PM            

It's an aluminum alloy. Here's a blurb from Wikipedia:
Nambé (pronounced /nɑːmˈbeɪ/[1]) is an eight-metal alloy whose major component is aluminum. It was created at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1940s and is exclusively produced by the Nambé Mills, Inc., which was founded in 1951 near Nambé Pueblo, some 10 miles north of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The alloy has the luster of silver and the solidity of iron. Nambe has a lower thermal conductivity than silver. Nambé does not contain silver, lead or pewter (a tin and copper alloy) and resists tarnishing. However, it is susceptible to discoloration or pitting with acidic foods. It is not recommended any food be stored in Nambe metal or held for greater than a few hours due to these concerns (not health). Because Nambé's alloy is a trade secret, the Nambé company does not divulge the rest of the formula. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared Nambé safe for cooking and serving.

posted 06-04-2011 03:21 PM            

Cheers!