Featured Let's play a game, perhaps the hardest one yet

Good evening everyone,

As promised, I have another post this week (and maybe even a few more this weekend, I've been busy busy)...So, on to a new game. For this game, you get one single photo, that's it. I'll give the details on why after some folks give it a crack, but I didn't ask for any additional photos. Your goal: try to find a sterling pattern from the photo, good luck for those who are daring enough to try!

 

Oh, I guess I didn't understand your game.
You want us to name the pattern. Not show which is sterling. Duh! I shouldn't be on the board late at night, comprehension is in the low teens.

 

I can tell you that you're looking at the correct stuff now can you find a match?

 

Is it Whiting/Gorham King Albert?

 

Good guess, but notice the shape of the handle is different.

 

Yes, I saw that after I posted. I think the pattern name is on the tip of my tongue because I sold a piece of it in the past. I listed a long(ish) spoon, someone bought it and then wrote to tell me that it was a chocolate muddler. I guess implying that if I'd known that, it would have been worth more. Oh well.

Does the pattern name start with a P?

 

No, at least I don't think so...This is where the search gets weird....I'll just say this, I found a match on a site showing Gorham patterns, but the set is not Gorham....Hopefully that's a big enough clue for someone to find the same match I did. Maybe I just got extremely lucky, but I'm also wondering if the makers name on the back of these was a company absorbed by Gorham and the pattern now attributed to Gorham...

 

Does the pattern name start with an N?

 

Does the pattern name start with a P?[/QUOTE]

No it doesn't. I think for this one maybe a game is too hard. It was luck in a way, as now that I've looked at the Gorham pattern I matched (not quite a match) the pattern is slightly different but it still got me to score a huge find.

I'll ask you guys, should we continue guessing on a similar (but wrong) Gorham pattern or just reveal what I got?

 

Without a closer view of the pattern details, it's definitely tough. The picture makes it look like the center of handle is undecorated, but I suspect it does have something there.

 

No pattern in the center, I'll just show what I got. Some games are funner than others, and I suspect this is too much of a 'needle in a haystack' exercise.. Not to mention that the pattern I found is incorrect but led to sterling...Photos and details in a few minutes

 

And while you're at it, what does it say on the handle backs?

 

Ok, so let's start with the background story and why I felt confident gambling without additional photos.

1. The pattern looks obscure to me. The forks and spoons look small (a good thing in my opinion).

2. See the little pickle/olive forks in that pattern? See the little ornate serving spoon in that pattern on the carpet? In my opinion, these less common serving utensils are more likely to be made in a sterling set than a plated set. I'm not claiming this as fact, just an observation of mine.

3. Another subtle clue is the connection of the handle of the knives. Some of the silverplated knives will have a pinched end, but almost all sterling knife blades have a straight connection. Not a huge clue, but just one more for the others.

So there was a bit of a delay between me sending my original inquiry and the sellers response. So while I was waiting I figured I would go out and try to solve the puzzle by looking for the pattern. This is where I got lucky...as I found a very close pattern but not the actual pattern. I matched this (incorrectly) to Gorham 1914 Marion found here:

https://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.com/Patterns/Gorham13.html

So, I used that to make the purchase on the belief I made a calculated gamble. Well I was wrong on the maker, but very right on the result. The other set on the right side of the photo was plated, here's the real stuff below. I decided to scrap the knife handles which yielded 270 grams of silver, so counting what's in the photos below I snagged 2,328 grams of sterling silver! True pattern name is HAS1...

 

Did you know the pattern or just go on your gut?

Looks like a Hallmark/United Jewelers pattern - unknown name, 1915 patent D47512...

~Cheryl

 

Oops - see you already revealed it...

~Cheryl

 

For clarity - 'HAS1' is not the pattern name, just a code typical of those used by Replacements for unknown patterns...

~Cheryl

 

First, your guess is insanely accurate...

2. I thought I knew and was confident. I was wrong, but really happy to be wrong. Without matching a pattern (even the wrong one) I doubt I would've taken the risk without more photos. I was concerned that asking for extra photos would lead to the inevitable "oh i didn't realize what I had" conversation so I was trying to avoid that.

 

Here's the patent:

~Cheryl

 

I don't quite understand what you mean in trying to ascribe "pinched end" verses "straight connection" to a determining factor between silver plated and sterling. Could you be clearer on this point? Are you talking about the "bolster?"