posted 08-07-2002 12:49 PM            

The Howard Sterling company is not as famous as such companies as Shiebler or Gorham, but many of their jewelry designs, if not their flatware patterns, rivalled, and sometimes topped, those of their competitors. Illustrated below are three wonderful examples of the company's silver jewelry, all dating to the 1880s.

1. The first piece is a brooch, depicting three Japanese maidens and Japanese-style lettering on either end. I think these three maidens are from some kind of Japanese folk tale, as I have seen them turn up on other period items, including trade cards. The quality is very fine, and the pin catch is actually very similar to the kind found on many Shiebler pins.

2. Next is a pair of cuff links. These are rectangular and feature a raised design of a young girl, almost like a Kate Greenaway character. One of the company's specialties was lever cuff and collar buttons, of which this pair is an example. The lever mechanisms on these cuff links are also marked with a Howard Co. mark, as well as an 1881 patent date.

3. Finally, here is a large belt buckle. With seaweed, sand, shells, and a crab, the decoration is similar to some Gorham marine life designs of the 1880s. The piece is very heavy and well made. It's one of my favorite pieces. An identical buckle is illustrated in the SMP Collector's Eye on buckles & pins.

The company's jewelry is signed with either of the two following marks.

posted 08-07-2002 02:45 PM            

Great stuff: thanks for sharing. I would wager that the Japanese brooch actually depicts the "Three Little Maids From School" from Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado". It opened in New York in August of 1885, and was , and remains, very popular. Sometimes the parts are played by men in drag, which would explain the decidedly non-Asian, masculine appearance of the characters on your brooch.:-).

posted 08-07-2002 11:45 PM              

Based on the information in this discussion, it seems more likely that the maker is Howard & Son. Rainwater & Redfield (4th edition) states that Howard & Son of Providence disposed of the electroplated goods branch of its business to Parks Bros & Rogers in 1891 but kept the silver goods portion of the business and at that point changed the name to Howard Sterling Co. If this history is correct, than it suggests that sterling jewelry with the four-leaf clover mark is, as you say, Howard Sterling Co. or The Sterling Co., another name used by this company, rather than Parks Bros. & Rogers.

Another jewelry maker which used a four-leaf clover mark is H.F. Barrows & Company of North Attleboro, Mass.

posted 08-08-2002 10:47 AM            

quote:

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The [horseshoe] mark in my experience appears less frequently on buckles

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posted 11-12-2016 06:28 PM            

Honor to the Trade.

We present our readers this month with a portrait and sketch of Hiram Howard, of Howard & Son, Providence, R I, who on the 18th of November, received the unamimous nomination of the local Democratic convention for the office of Mayor of Providence. Hiram Howard was born in Woodstock, Conn., Nov. 26th, 1834. He received a common school and academic education in his native town, and when 18 years of age he went to Providence, and obtained employment with the firm of Moulton & Rodman as bookkeeper. His ambitions being more metropolitan than could be gratified in his adopted city, he went to New York and engaged with T. B. Bynner, the well known jobbing jeweler, remaining in his employ until 1858, when he was admitted to a partnership, the name of the firm being changed to T. B. Bynner & Co. He remained a member of the concern until 186 r, and then enlisted in the 2d Regiment Artillery, New York Volunteers, and was honorably discharged after three years’ service. He again engaged with T. B. Bynner in 1864, as traveler, was soon admitted into the firm, and remained a partner until 1874. From March 1 of that year until January, 1875, he was with the firm of L. A. Kotzow & Co., selling their product of solid gold chains. He then formed a partnership with Mr. Nicoud, under the firm name of Nicoud & Howard, importers of watches, which relations lasted until 1880.