posted 05-21-2003 12:23 PM            

Hello all,

The Lippiatt Silver Plate and Engraving Company has an important place in the history of American silver, though few people have heard of them. Lippiatt was the first company obtain a patent on the process of "stippling", or finishing of a piece of silver with mechanical brushes or pins to produce a pebbly or frosted surface. The process had been in use for some time in the jewelry industry, but Lippiatt was the first to apply it to silverware. Unfortunately, Lippiatt's patent applied only to silverplate, and was not broad enough to prevent others from patenting minor "improvements" to the process. As such, the history of the company was not a happy one. Incorporated late in 1870, the company apprently stopped manufacturing silverplate by 1872.

This footed mug is the first piece of Lippiatt I have seen. The patent date on the bottom of Nov. 1, 1870, refers to the patent on the stippling process. Surprisingly, this piece does not make use of the process at all. You would think thay would have used it on everything.

Anyway, this piece intrigued me and I thought I would share it. Does anyone else have pieces of Lippiatt in their collection?