Featured THREE STERLING TABLESPOONS....TWO FROM GRANDMOTHER....

OK, so two of these tablespoons, the ones with the MM engraving on them were from my Grandmother, and I believe my mother found the third which is ever so slightly smaller and the basket engraving is also ever so slightly different, with different maker initials. BUT basically they all match, to me and they aren't going anywhere until I depart this atmosphere!!!! BUT also, I would LOVE to know who the makers are so I could pass that along, as I DO have ONE great niece with the same initials (unless she decides to marry the guy and I don't care about that minor fact...love them both!!) SO, here are the images, don't recall hearing about 'Tenney', but maybe I just don't remember, the other one, I have NO clue, THANKING ALL in advance!!!!! MUCHLY!!!!! (P.S.....have NO clue what the star reflection is in the heel of the spoons )

 

Looks like coin.

 

William Ingalls Tenney?

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~silversmiths/genealogy/makers/silversmiths/149810.htm

 

J & IC is for John and James Cox of New York City (the I was often substituted for a J in the 19th century and before.

https://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.com/Silversmiths/SSC9.html

 

In my experience coin silver makers marks in a serrated (I’ve seen it called scalloped) rectangle are always early. As BG pointed out these are apparently 30’s. Not sure I’ve seen them much later than this and often earlier. Colonial era up to 30’s I guess. I might be corrected on this but when I see this mark I think early. I just bought one with 1808 engraved with family crest. I’ve seen a bunch with this style of mark from 18th c.

 

looks like it. https://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum19/HTML/000361.html

 

Pattern is known as ‘Basket of Flowers’ btw. It’s a desired one in the world of coin silver collectors.

 

Hey, Dagger. I'm curious who or what the BG is that you referred to above?

 

Thank you SO MUCH Both @Bakersgma & @J Dagger for finding this for me....I truly wasn't able to find it!!!! And now it's all saved in the archives!!!!

 

Wow, the Ingalls men didn't live too long, did they....or maybe that was just kind of typical for back then.....

 

Hunh. That did not occur to me since I never said anything about "30's" - and I would not even put a "Colonial Period - 30's" range on them. Coin silver was still quite common until much later in the century when new discoveries of silver ore made 925 more readily available.

 

How medicine and medical care has improved!! Living in NYC didn't help, either. It's really scary how many died of TB back then.


And you are very welcome, Sue! Glad to help, anytime!

 

So, NOT sterling either, huh???? Not that it matters much....they're beautiful and I love them!!!

 

Coin is still "solid silver," just at a very slightly lower fineness than sterling's .925.

 

Fine with me, thank you, Again!!!!!

 

Believe 18th century American coin marks in serrated cartouches would be rather uncommon (don't believe I've seen any Colonial era, maybe late 18th century, but can't recall, right off hand), they're generally found on 19th century coin, and were used well into it. The fiddle form of these spoons would also be 19th century, and the 'Basket-of-Flowers' motif would generally date from around 1820s-'40s in American silver, though it reappeared as a sterling pattern, late 19th-early 20th century. The fineness of coin varied, but these are likely right around .900; the pseudo-marks (6 point star-head-anchor) on the Tenney spoons are found on pieces by several New York state makers and were likely produced by a wholesaler...

Lovely spoons, Aquitaine!

~Cheryl

 

Hi,
People have forgot that years ago silver given to a couple always had the brides initials on the silver never the husbands. Times have changed.
greg

 

Maiden or married surname initial?

 

Hi Bronwen,
Her maiden name. The initial for married names did not appear until 1940s. That is why most initialed pieces has at least two initials pre 1940s. In the later years it usually only had 1 initial.
greg

 

The link you provided credits OPs mark to 31’-33’. Coin silver was used well past that range yes.