posted 04-29-1999 12:20 AM            

Watson Phoebe and Bacchante are two of the more mysterious patterns of the 1890's. Hagan lists them as two separate patterns, Dolan doesn't list either and Turner thought they were the same pattern just multi-motif. This is likely because he never saw a full place setting of either. They are among the most beautiful examples of art nouveau. It is however hard to think of this as anyone's serious dinner service. The question is what exists in either pattern.

Dating

Hagan gives the dates as 1895, Turner agrees and lists Phoebe as obsolete by 1929.

Pieces Available-Phoebe

Shown are L-R
item length our cost
Flat Butter 5 �" $65
Luncheon Fork 7" $85
Dessert Spoon 6 �" $85
Teaspoon 5 �" $90
Demi Tasse 4 �" $20
Are there Dinner forks? Salad Forks, Knives??
Photo

Pieces Available - Bacchante

Shown are
item length our cost
Luncheon Fork 6 �" $85
Teaspoon 5 �" $65

What else is available?
Photo

Key Pieces
Anything that we don't have.

Comments
Obviously from our experience one can pay all over the map for these patterns, $125 being pretty common for a fork. Sometimes you get lucky.

One theory is that Phoebe was just a luncheon size service. Therefore there may be no dinner forks. But that wouldn't preclude salad forks and luncheon knives. Bacchante may have been just for 5:0clock tea. Note the even smaller fork and five-o'clock size teaspoon. The question is what other pieces have you seen. I have seen a couple of small serving pieces in Phoebe such as bon-bons or sugar shells.