posted 04-19-2006 09:04 PM            

I picked this up today at a place that was getting rid of all it's old silver. It was quite reasonably priced with the mark down and I just liked the cute shape. Even though the makers mark is rubbed it is clearly Towle to me, so I don't think it is all that old. I think it is a pickle fork? It has gold-toned tines. I say gold toned because it doesn't look quite right for gold wash, but it's pretty nonetheless. What would the gold color be? Is it a brass wash? I didn't know they did that. Would anyone happen to know it's probable age or pattern? The tines look like a corn cob in a husk and there appears to be a wheat sheaf for the design on the end of the fork.

They also had two tiny teapots (like the size of one cup of tea)that they said were very old solid silver with a matching creamer and sugar that were almost as big as the teapots. The guy said his father had picked them up at an estate sale a while ago. The only mark on those was a capital T in a square lozenge shape and a punched 5 pointed star. If they didn't want so much $$ for them I might have splurged a bit and taken a chance, but it was too iffy since I am a beginner. Any ideas at all on those?

I know, no picture.....
Well,
What would you look for in a very old little tea pot? They were about 6 inches tall and pear shaped with a little bit of floral decoration repousse around the bulbous bottoms with three feet with flattened paws. Other then the feet which looked late 18th century, the style of the body looked early/mid 1800's, American, but they were so cute and small!

ugh. I need to know how to tell very old from sort of old from new reproductions.

posted 04-19-2006 09:36 PM            

quote:

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ugh. I need to know how to tell very old from sort of old from new reproductions.

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posted 04-19-2006 10:01 PM            

I typed lettuce fork into google and sure enough it's a lettuce fork! And the example I saw had a gold wash that was mostly gone. This one has all of it's wash.

My DH says it looks like a gold wash to him, although in a satin finish instead of a shiny finish. I didn't think of that. Maybe that's why it didn't look quite right, the tines are satiny. It is a pretty contrast with the shiny handle and the satiny tines.

Cordova patented in 1902. Maybe it is a little older then I thought.
I think I did pretty good this time and it has a nice balance to it.

I may go and check those teapots again, veeery, veeery carefully. I think maybe those large items I best wait until I know more. I can see quality, though, and they are heavy and appear well made for their small size.

I agree that quality is more important then age. Towle maybe isn't known for having the quality of others, but this fork is nice, I think.

posted 04-19-2006 10:29 PM            

It is definitely Towle's 1902 Cordova pattern with a gold wash. If you check the various replacement silver websites or that unnamed auction site or do an internet search for that maker and pattern you will find what you are looking for.

If I am not mistaken a cucumber server is entirely different, (flat like a pancake)....so now you have another piece to look for.

Enjoy, and use it for whatever you can pierce.......rolls, potatoes........Balloons etc! (Forgive me, after income tax day I'm a little delirious).

Jersey

posted 04-19-2006 11:42 PM            

I am so glad that I can chatter on here about a silly lettuce fork. Buying items because they're pretty and are no longer used in our society IS an odd hobby.