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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 American Sterling Silver
 Interesting gorham nut pick
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| Author | Topic: Interesting gorham nut pick |
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hello Posts: 200 |
posted 09-05-2005 06:56 PM
  
[26-0649] Here is what appears to be a cast nut pick with an indian at the top, a man leaning on a anchor, and an angel on the back. Has the year mark for 1893. I am pretty sure I've seen another spoon like this before, but can't be 100% sure. It is 6 5/8's long(which seems a little long for a nut pick). Also note the use of the mirror by the angel, a symbol of vanity? or something along these lines, can't remember exactly read in a book somewhere. IP: Logged |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 09-06-2005 06:56 PM
Why do you think cast? THe double-sided die would be the most likely answer. Cast flatware is ALMOST unheard of in any production flatware, and I'd suspect this might have some sort of souvenir history--you mentioned the date 1893, which puts the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in mind. The crispness of the detail on this says "steel die" and not "casting." IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 09-06-2005 08:19 PM
That is a very attractive nut pick. Does it have a makers mark on it? The picture on the right seems to show that something is imprinted on the flat surface, but I cannot quite make it out. Would not a cast item be more breakable? I would think that the annealing process would add strength, but maybe that also is done with cast items. IP: Logged |
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asheland Posts: 935 |
posted 09-06-2005 09:03 PM
It does appear to have the Gorham mark (upside down) sterling, then the 1893 hollowware year mark. That is interesting, I don't recall ever seeing a hollowware year mark on flatware. Has anyone else seen this? Can you post a close-up of those marks? asheland IP: Logged |
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hello Posts: 200 |
posted 09-07-2005 01:01 PM
I am out of town till at least tomorrow, but they are indeed the year marks for 1893, as well as lion anchor g and I sort of assumed cast (still learning don't really know how to tell  , but knew that alot of cast things were made 1890-93. Exposition may be some explanation, but a nut pick? I personally have never seen much else but spoons(and I'm sure there are others) as souvenirs.IP: Logged |
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asheland Posts: 935 |
posted 09-07-2005 10:18 PM
After looking at the top, it does have the look of the cast pieces. I once had a Gorham Round-bowl series souvenir spoon and it looked similar. There is a website dedicated to souvenir spoons, and if you email them a picture, they would probably be able to help you identify it. I'll look it up and post a link. asheland IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 09-08-2005 12:21 AM
I suspect a date would indicate that this was a piece made to go with a hollow item, and never sold separately. Perhaps there was a bowl of some sort that came with these picks. IP: Logged |
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FWG Posts: 845 |
posted 09-08-2005 11:52 AM
Hello, hello! (sorry, couldn't resist) It is an interesting design, although to my eye doesn't relate directly to the Columbian Exposition -- the emphasis in most pieces from that really is on Columbus more than anything else. The juxtaposition of a Plains Indian head and what may to be Poseidon/Neptune would fit, but I'd be more inclined to think this design was influenced by the Exposition iconography, but for another purpose A cast piece certainly can be tempered, by hammering or pressure -- they come out of the mold really soft -- but I'd be surprised if it were not die-stamped. To me the interesting aspect is the size. As noted in your first posting, 6.625" is rather long for a nut pick. On the other hand, although I don't have one handy to check, it seems a bit small for a cheese pick, and those seem usually to have a twisted bit. Are there other single-tine picks? IP: Logged |
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FWG Posts: 845 |
posted 09-08-2005 01:21 PM
Oops -- the answer was obvious, I must have been suffering a brain spasm.... As soon as I looked at the Towle catalog reproduced in Hagan's Sterling Flatware, there it was: At that size, a butter pick. Like cheese picks (which are a bit bigger, and not included in the catalog in Hagan) they usually have a twisted bit, but not always.... IP: Logged |
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hello Posts: 200 |
posted 09-09-2005 11:09 PM
Whoa, thanks for all the responses. I now remember why I thought it was cast- the background of the handle is textured. I'm not sure if this means anything, but have seen some items that I KNOW are cast and they seem to be similar. I have not seen a straight butter pick(that was my first guess when I saw length) if anyone knows of a pattern with one would you mind posting? Also, here is that close up I promised  IP: Logged |
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