Help with Sterling Knife and Spoon

Hi, I am hoping you can help me with these 2 silver pieces a friend asked me to sell for her.

First is a knife, is it a butter knife? It measures 7" long. It is marked on the back with a small symbol "Sterling J. H. Hutchinson.". I have searched and the only reference I found was on ebay. They say J. H. Hutchinson was from Portsmouth NH and worked around 1900. This seems possible because the decoration on the knife looks like from around that time. Is this information correct? Would it be correct to say the decoration is chased?





Next is a serving spoon, it measures 7-7/8" long, the bowl is 2-1/4" wide. What kind of spoon is this? My friend thought a berry spoon but she isn't sure because she thought they usually have holes.

The back is marked 925 over 1000, a tiny symbol that kind of looks like a lion standing inside a J or T and "Sterling". I think it's by Towle, the Rustic pattern, is that correct? Silver is not my thing so I would appreciate confirmation before I tag this spoon.

Any help I can get on these pieces would be extremely appreciated!

 

The last one is Towle. Check sterlingflatwarefashions.com for the pattern.

 

Hutchinson was the retailer of the knife (could be fish or master butter.) I would look at Wm. B. Durgin as maker (the bird in flight surrounded by laurel wreath.)

 

See the Durgin marks here. http://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.com/Silversmiths/SSD6.html

 

Your Towle pattern is Rustic, patented 1895.

http://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.com/Patterns/Towle6.html

EDIT: I clearly needed to read your OP more carefully! You already knew that!

 

Not sure if you've seen WEV's entry about John Holt Hutchinson of Portsmouth. He gives an end date a tad earlier. I suspect your knife is earlier than 1900/

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~silversmiths/makers/silversmiths/201359.htm

 

WOW! Thank you so much!! Like I said, silver is not my thing so I really appreciate you confirming Rustic by Towle.

And I will check out Durgin. I had no idea Hutchinson was a retailer, I trolly appreciate that information

 

You're very welcome, Marie!

If you're selling the spoon on eBay, you might want to include the word casserole in addition to berry. The Victorians had a separate piece for every use, but us modern folks are more flexible.

 

I think place fish knife for the first, although master butter looks very similar. (I think it is the scalloped knife tip that makes the difference, but I forget why. Duh!)

And the spoon is for casseroles; berry spoon is rounder -- no wobbles on the sides. And, the spoons with slots, or holes, are more for drippy peas, or broccoli; one wants some of the goop with one's berries.

 

Ahem -- not my best worded, Emily Post, explanation, perhaps.

 

one wants some of the goop with one's berries.

Words to live by !!

 

Works for me

 

The knife has an Aesthetic period design, so I'd say it was more 1880 than 1900.