Meriden B. teaset purchased - SMP Silver Salon Forums

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Meriden B. teaset purchased

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Author	Topic: Meriden B. teaset purchased
avery unregistered	posted 10-26-2003 08:48 PM [01-1283] Hello, I have been searching the web for information on a complete set I purchased today of pattern 1931. Heavily tarnished although beautiful intricate handles and spouts.... I am wondering if it is silverplate? How to clean? And I wondering if I should take to professional silversmith? Please advise. Kind regards. IP: Logged
Patrick Vyvyan Posts: 640 Registered: May 2003	posted 10-26-2003 09:22 PM So far as I know Meriden Brittania only produced silverplate - anyone have information to the contrary? The company was originally formed in 1852, apparently as a merger of several producers of brittania metal (essentially a form of pewter) and thereafter saw possibilities in silverplating. Later, in 1898, Meriden B was the inpetus in establishing International Silver. For cleaning, any gentle silver polish is as appropriate for silverplate as for silver. Thereafer, regular washing in soapy water will reduce the need for further polishing which ultimately in the long term will wear the silverplating. I can't see any need to take this to a professional silversmith unless any repairs are necessary. And, in this case I would look for someone with proven experience in restoring antique pieces. Many original pieces have lost some or much of their original plating, purist collectors seem against re-plating while others favour it. Good quality re-plating is not cheap, however. Regarding the pattern, the company printed a number of illustrated catalogues. Some, I believe have been compiled and reproduced in a CD. IP: Logged
T-Bird-Art Posts: 143 Registered: Mar 2000	posted 10-27-2003 05:56 AM Anyone know where these CD's are? I have found only 2 catalogs which are regularly sold. Pattern 1931 in not in the 2 available catalogs. I have found a dozen Meriden Britannia Company Trade Catalogs stored in the archives of the Hartford Conn Historical Society but they won't do anything with them. (Photocopy / scan etc. Some of these catalogs are 140 pages.) The Library of Congress has 1 catalog and they can't find it! IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 10-27-2003 08:16 AM You might want try the Silver Salon Search function. You never know what will turn up. quote: Meriden Britannia Company posted by: Stephen posted 03-11-2003 01:46 AM -------------------------- Rainwater indicates that this is true for Meriden B. Co.'s sterling: In 1895 M. B. Co. bought out a small silversmith's shop in New York being run by Wilcox & Evertson, successors to Rowan & Wilcox, making a quality line of sterling silver holloware, and moved it to Meriden. This was the start of a representative silver holloware line which in 1898 was taken over by the International Silver Company. In 1897 M. B. Co. produced its first sterling silver flatware pattern, Revere. M. B. Co. marks were used until the 1930s. IP: Logged
Dale Posts: 2132 Registered: Nov 2002	posted 10-27-2003 11:06 AM In the Dover reprint of the 1886 MBCo there is a reference to the firm's willingness to provide pieces in sterling on a special order basis. This seems to apply to flatware, but the text is a tad ambiguous. It may have meant that some hollowware could be made up in sterling if desired. A lot would depend on the actual processes of production. There does exist sterling flatware in some 1870's patterns, particularly Lorne and Newport. These have the marks of 1847 Rogers, MBCo and an indian head with feather pointed downwards. The situation would have been special order, and probably no records were kept of this. IP: Logged
T-Bird-Art Posts: 143 Registered: Mar 2000	posted 10-27-2003 04:34 PM Here is a Web Site showing the (Native American) Indian trademark on Meriden Britannia Sterling [<gone from the internet> souvenirspoons.com/silver.html] IP: Logged
T-Bird-Art Posts: 143 Registered: Mar 2000	posted 10-30-2003 08:42 PM Revisied the Web Site and just noticed International Silver also used a slightly different "Indian" image for a Trademark on Stering. IP: Logged
T-Bird-Art Posts: 143 Registered: Mar 2000	posted 02-22-2004 11:04 PM Your set is shown in the 1886 - 1987 Meriden Britannia Catalog. It is very pretty. It's Silverplated "White Metal" or "Nickel Silver". The complete set included: Coffee, Tea, Water, Sugar, Cream, Slop, Coffee/Beverage Urn (15 1/2 pints), Spoon holder, Butter, Syrup Cup. IP: Logged

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