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| Author | Topic: Porter Blanchard pattern I can't identify |
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stanrussell Posts: 4 |
posted 11-25-2012 01:58 PM
  
Hi - I inherited a set of silver flatware from my grandparents in southern California. It is a Porter Blanchard set, but I can't identify the pattern. Over this past Thanksgiving one of the dinner forks disappeared. I went through the garbage piece by piece twice, to no avail. My guess is that it either went home with someone's serving dishes, or slipped behind something. I hope to find it. If not, I'd like to know what the pattern is so that I can keep an eye out for a replacement. Any help on what this pattern is, what the story is behind the pattern? Attached is a photo. Thanks - Stan IP: Logged |
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jersey Posts: 1203 |
posted 11-25-2012 05:32 PM
Hello Stan. Could we please marks marks that are the back, Thank you Jersey IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 11-25-2012 05:51 PM
I do not know, but the design is a common one found on many makers' silver. The generic term for it is Greek Key. I know that Porter Blanchard did make a pattern by this name so unless someone comes along knowing for sure, I would start looking for an image of the Porter Blanchard Greek Key pattern to see if that is it. IP: Logged |
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stanrussell Posts: 4 |
posted 11-25-2012 06:58 PM
STERLING PORTERBLANCHARD HANDMADE W
IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 11-25-2012 07:53 PM
A search on the internet for "Greek Key Porter Blanchard" does produce several hits, but the results indicate that this pattern is rare. None of the replacement houses even had a picture to confirm the name, however a set did come up for auction some time ago. Perhaps you could contact them to confirm the name or one of the replacement houses. You did the right thing of looking for it before throwing out the trash. We have had several instances where guests insisted on helping us clean up only to find silver in the trash after their work. I lock the kitchen now if that is what it takes to get them to leave the table as is. IP: Logged |
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stanrussell Posts: 4 |
posted 11-25-2012 08:47 PM
Hi - What do you think the chances of replacement pieces coming up? I don't need it any time soon, but it breaks my heart to lose a piece of silver I used 50 yrs ago as a boy with my grandparents. Thanks for your replies. Are you fairly certain this is the "Greek Key" design? Hard to know without seeing a picture. Thanks - Stan IP: Logged |
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jersey Posts: 1203 |
posted 11-25-2012 09:00 PM
The other thought I had is that the W might be the work of Lewis Wise. Perhaps Randy Stromsoe might have some insight as to this flatware. Jersey IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 11-25-2012 10:03 PM
You can monitor the Web for “Porter Blanchard Greek Key” by going to your search engine’s alert section or whatever they call it. Put in your search query and you will get e-mail when a hit occurs. At the same time put in a request for simply “Porter Blanchard”. That may get more results than you need, but it will be useful where the person listing the silver doesn't know the name of the pattern or Greek Key is not the right name. Your thread reminded me of why we started looking for a Pottery Barn pattern named Fiddlehead. We lost some at a dinner party in much the same way you did. Luckily my wife saw a pattern that was like it in a retail store and we replaced the lost ones. Your lost is much greater as you do have a rare pattern and family memories to go with the lost fork. IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 11-27-2012 11:33 AM
quote: As I said, I do NOT know if this is the Porter Blanchard Greek Key pattern. That is only a thought of one possible direction you may want to go in looking for the name of this pattern, or until someone comes along here and can positively identify it. The term 'Greek Key' is only the generic name for a design where you have that kind of spiral squares design. The fact that there is a Greek Key pattern mentioned for Porter Blanchard and that it is uncommon to the point of there being no images of it on the major silver replacement websites provides further suggestion that this COULD be the pattern, but there is no way to tell for sure until you can get some definite proof. One way might be to look in the books that have been written on California arts and crafts silver smiths. Or you might try to find someone or some library that has old Porter Blanchard brochures and sales catalogs - I understand that the Smithsonian likely has the largest collection of such materials in their Archives of American Art which you can see by making a special appointment there. Or to find someone who studied under Porter Blanchard himself such as Randy Stromsoe who is a talented silversmith and who stops by this forum once in a while and ask him if he might know. If you are unable to find any for sale, you might try to find out who has the copyright to Porter Blanchard's designs and see if you can find an expert silversmith to make replacements. Of course there may be a fee to use one of his designs if they would even let you, and the markings on the back would not be the ones Porter Blanchard's shop applied to your original flatware. You would also need to understand that you would be commissioning an exceptionally trained and talented artist to make such replacements and the price for his or her time and skills along with their workshop costs and the silver itself would not be inexpensive in such an undertaking. There are very few silversmiths left in the world who have the training and ability to do this kind of work and you would need to be willing to compensate such an artist appropriately. IP: Logged |
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jersey Posts: 1203 |
posted 11-27-2012 01:08 PM
As I said earlier, Randy Stromsoe is the one who worked for Porter Blanchard & has many of his tools & dies. Jersey IP: Logged |
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