Set of Five  Coin silver spoons made in Washington DC during the Civil War by Samuel Lewis.  What is the significance of the inscription March 1st 1864?   The civil war began April 12, 1861 and very few people could afford to have sterling items made late into the conflict, 1864.  Who was VCD Voss? Are the initials VCD? It is hard to tell.  What is the provenance? Were the spoons made for the recipient as a "gift" or reward for some service?

These spoons are from my personal collection. I bought them in Boston in the late 1980's while on a business trip.

5 Coin Silver Spoons.  Front of the handle monogrammed with ?VCD Voss (I think)  (the double SS ending is written in the old style where one S looks like an F).  The back of the handle is inscribed "March 1st 1864".  All spoons are identical and marked in the same manner.   Back is Hallmarked Samuel Lewis and another obscured mark.  There are 5 spoons in the set.  approx wt 5 oz unpacked.  Length approx 6".

According to the internet, Samuel Lewis had a shop 2 blocks from the White House and is known to have made items for President Lincoln and other prominent Washington area residents including the prior administration, President Buchanan in the 1850's,

To quote from online references: "Lewis apparently made silver "skippets" to hold the seals on official US treaties (such as the one used by Perry Expedition to Japan) I've also found him mentioned in the online diaries of Montgomery Meigs, one of the architects of the Capitol who later became Quartermaster General of the Union Army during the Civil War....According to Goldsborough (Silver in Maryland), Samuel Lewis was born in 1818, and was apprenticed to Samuel Kirk of Baltimore in 1833. Assuming the traditional apprenticeship of 7 years, he would have begun work in 1840....Re Samuel Lewis' having done work for the White House, the answer appears to be yes. The piece which stimulated my interest is a presentation piece inscribed from the President of the United States to the captain of a British vessel, the Hertfordshire, in thanks for rescuing all passengers and crew of an American ship, the John Gilpin, "from the perils of the sea" when the John Gilpin struck an iceberg in 1859 and sank near the Falkland Islands. My research into naval history confirms the accuracy of the sinking and rescue story. I inquired of the White House curator whether there was an extant receipt for the commissioning of the presentation piece. She was unable to locate one, but she says that the State Department did purchase skippets from Lewis during both the Lincoln and Buchanan administrations. "

Antique Sterling Clothes Brush approx 4 3/4" x 3". It looks clean and I see no damage to the bristles that were used to brush clothing,
Bristles are anchored in a white material used during the era.

The sterling brush has Hallmark Sterling & RW& S for Robert Wallace & Sons (I think this item dates to 1870-75 because of the history of the firm ie "Robert Wallace took in 1870 the entire control of the firm and the corporate name changed again to R.Wallace & Sons Mfg. Co. in partnership with his sons Robert B. and William J. and his son-in-law W.J. Leavenworth.
In 1875 was founded the Wallace Brothers, a co-partnership of Robert Wallace, his sons Robert B., William J., Henry L., George H., Frank A. and his sons-in-law W.J. Leavenworth and D.E. Morris. "

The Tray is large and beautiful , It has starberries in high relief, I see no wear or damage and looks like sterling. Makes a great tray for the clothes brush and to catch your pocket change, keys etc at the end of a busy day.

Tray measures about 10 1/2" x 8 1/2" and I see no wear or damage. The hallmark is faint on the bottom and I can see Made In USA and what I think says The Sheffield Co Made in USA,

Watson (they were mistaken for Wallace c1904 previously and King Phillip Pattern)

Age to be determined

Nine Spoons ... Set of 3 Large Table Spoons and six dinner spoons

Total weight of 9 pieces is 16 oz on postal scale

Monogram might be an Edwardian M

Hallmark on back is crown W lion  and Sterling

Preowned - these lovely sterling spoons still have decades of use left in them.  They are approximately 118 years old and the large serving spoons do show some wear to the leading spoon tips but I do not consider this "damage" for current use purposes.

????“King Phillip” pattern ... to be determined

Large spoons are 8 1/4"

Reg spoon is approx 7

Armorial Silver and Porcelain is a thing of beauty and curiosity. 

These are in my personal collection, I've had them for years. Found them in an antiques mall in Nashville TN USA.

I do not know their provenance.

Heirloom Silver from the Brereton, Vincent, or Barnett family...Add this conversational silver to your dining collection or If you know anyone in these families, please let descendants know this is available, 

Forks (5) Large (8" long and heavy ) Silver plated 

(I GAVE THEM A LIGHT WIPE WITH WRIGHTS SILVER CREAM AND THEY GLEAMED... SOME OF THE PICS ARE BEFORE I POLISHED THEM AS THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE DRAWER FOR A FEW YRS).

 Hallmarks for Elikington & Co of Birmingham England which was in business 1840-1897.  Also hallmarked for EM CO for Elkington & Mason in business 1842 to 1864 so these forks date 1842 to 1864.  ELKINGTON is known for having helped to pioneer the development of the new electroplating process in c 1840's. Made by Elkington, these have held up well and I don't see any major wear or damage . Perhaps they were not used everyday and perhaps became a treasured family heirloom that was more for conversation and admiration than for daily use. 

1810 OSP Silver Meat Dome Canadian Military Officer Neil B MacLean

C1800 Silver Overlay (OLD Sheffield Plate Method) Meat dome dedicated in 1927 to Colonel MacLean with military embellishments on all sides. Beautiful.. a "Downton Abby" feeling.   Hallmark is the Bell for ?Roberts in the roof the dome and under the removable handle.    Heavy dome is tinned inside consistent with early OSP pieces Roberts bell mark is also under the removable heavy handle. The handle and the dome are both numbered 2 so they appear to have started life together. The Bell mark on the underneath of the handle also has a sliver moon mark. 

For the serious collector of unique quality Military related items/antiques.  OSP is collectible in it's own right also because of the workmanship that went into each piece,  the provenance, the maker, the age (most date between 1786 and 1840) and the fact that the items were made from sheets of sterling fused to a base metal (usually copper).

These items in great condition are hard to find.

 Although the meat dome predates the dedication by almost 100 yrs, this item was once owned by the estate of Lieutenant Col N. B. Maclean ( Neil Bruce Maclean b1883   pic is added here) and dedicated to Maclean in 1927 by his cadets.

The Engraving on the end says "Presented to Lieut: Col. N. B. Mac Lean D.S.O  By the Officers and Cadets of the University of Manitoba Contingent  Canadian Officers Training Corps  March Twenty Sixth A. D. 1927"

 I see no wear to the exterior of the Old Sheffield Plate ("OSP" a thin layer of sterling silver metal was fused to a harder base metal.  This popular method was used between 1786 and about 1850 when silverplating was discovered and took over the market as a cheeper and easier method to plate other metals).  OSP is actually a thin sheet of sterling metal and thus it is much more endurable for use.   The attractive 3 added military crests/ emblems are bolted on with little attached sq nuts that can be seen on the inside of the dome.

Dome 13 1/2" x 10" x approx 6 1/2" high (not including the handle ht.)

 according to the internet a collection of Col MacLeans medals (5) sold in 2012 for 1400 pounds sterling and the following information was provided:

 Neil Bruce Maclean, who was born in Bruce County, Ontario, in April 1883, completed his education at the University of Toronto and joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force in June 1915.

Advanced to the temporary rank of Major in May 1915, he was embarked for France in August 1916, where he joined the 52nd (North Ontario) Battalion, Canadian Infantry. Two months later, however, he returned to the U.K. ‘for the purpose of transferring to the Siege Artillery at Shorncliffe’, in which role he returned to active service as C.O. of 268th Siege Battery, Canadian Garrison Artillery, in February 1917, and won his D.S.O. and a brace of “mentions” (London Gazettes 11 December 1917 and 28 May 1918 refer). He ended the War with an appointment as Lieutenant-Colonel, 2nd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery.

After being demobilised in July 1919, MacLean became a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Montreal, but he retained his military links with an appointment as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Canadian Engineers (Militia); sold with an original portrait photograph, together with copied service record and confirmation of the recipient’s entitlement to the Jubilee 1935 and Coronation 1937 Medals.

A Great War D.S.O. group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel N. B. MacLean, Canadian Garrison Artillery, late 52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (The North Ontario Regiment)

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (A. Lt. Col. N. B. MacLean); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, very fine and better (5) £1200-1400

Mappin & Webb Silverplate collectors.,,,,

This post is for one fork but the photo shows them all for comparison ,
Burwoodhallantiques has been selling on ebay since 2003. We have collected items from all across the country in our travels. Retired, we are now posting many items from our collection. We are burwoodhallgolfbnb. We are also developing a homeschool program to teach history to youth through the research and investigation of antiques and collectibles. Antiques Academy can be reviewed burwoodhallgolfbnb.

Mappin & Webb Silverplate Flatware ... 7 1/4" fork. I only have 4 forks available

according to the internet this might be Acanthus Pattern
Age Unknown... Length 7 1/4"

Preowned but I don't think these forks saw much use.

Ercuis is apparently the French Brand.

SIX spoons in the 18th century Fiddle Thread design made by Ercuis. I think they are silver plate.
spoons are 7.25 " long.

These are marked in the bowl. High end silver flatware manufacturing company. The mark looks like it has GO or 60 under the centataur.

Heavy antique style spoons I do not know the pattern but I'd call them "fiddle thread" similar to 18th century spoons., I see no damage. Heavy silver finish these are quite lovely,

Great for entertaining. Weddingns? Parties? Celebrations?

Wt unpacked 2 lbs 13 oz

stands 12" tall and is 12" across top of bowl, Base is a huge 7" diameter.

Hallmarked on the rim of the base (worn hallmark looks like a square with a triangle in it and then a capital I/O. is this WMF? of Germany?

Photographed with a standard Milk Jug to show you the scale, This is a large impressive piece, It probably once had a glass bowl liner. I use a standard bowl when putting fruit in it to protect the silver plating. I see only a couple of spot of wear in the bowl which is attached to the base with a screw as shown, I see one spot of polishing wear on the base but to me it is not a noticeable issue.

I use this with both silk flower arrangements and with fresh flowers (housed inside a bowl for water issue). I also use it for fruit,

From the internet:

WMF - WURTTEMBERGISCHE METALLWARENFABRIK: HISTORY

In 1853, Daniel Straub, a miller from Geislingen, joined forces with the Schweizer Brothers to form the "Metallwarenfabrik Straub & Schweizer" in Geislingen. As early as 1862, the young company distinguished itself by winning a gold medal at the World Exhibition in London.

Mappin and Web Hallmarks

"Mappin & Webb (M&W) is an international jewellery company headquartered in England. Mappin & Webb traces its origins to a silver workshop founded in Sheffield 1775; 247 years ago.[1] It now has retail stores throughout the British Isles.  Mappin & Webb has held Royal Warrants to British monarchs since 1897. The company's master craftsman Mark Appleby is the current Crown Jeweller of the United Kingdom."

8" long COIN silver knife that once belonged to L. T. Mallory

Found in Nashville TN antiques mall and mistaken for silverplate but marked COIN on the blade. No other makers marks due to it's age in Colonial silversmith tradition of the era.

Mallory Valley is named for John Mallory, son of revolutionary war veteran Roger Mallory. John Mallory moved to Williamson County in 1812 where he met and married Sarah Crocket. The couple built their home on a 109-acre tract of land and lived there until his death in 1860. The home burned in 1912 but a springhouse can still be seen on Mallory Lane.

69 grams on postage scale, this is a heavy and sturdy silver knife, luncheon or master butter. Beautiful example of early american silversmith workmanship, probably southern. No makers marks simply marked COIN on the blade. All one piece solid silver.  Some one unknowingly thought this was silverplate and impressed Oregano on the blade which could be removed by a professional silverrsmith or left as a symbol of its "life" through history.

Greenock Scotland

Large silver plated and lidded tankard with a hand holding whist cards. Used as a club trophy.

Engraved on a front shield several names as winners, by year beginning 1863.  Also engraved Greenock Whist Club Instituted 1863 Members Challenge Cup Won by " and then the list of names and years (some names repeat as they won more than one year).

Winning Names: James Steele, John Rennie, James Reid, John H. Ballantine, Roderick MacDonald, J.D. Macintyre

Are one or more of these men associated with building "tall ships" (sailing ships) that were purchased by buyers from other countries mostly for tea trade between china? Did Rennie design the famous Cutty Sark, supposedly a very fast ship? It is odd but there is a break in the clubs activity between 1872 and 1882 when Ballentine won it again , followed by Macdonald and then Macintyre.  MacIntyre was the last in 1886-7 (or at least there are no engraved names for the missing years). It is curiosity why the vacant years.

According to Caroline Gurney (carolinegurney.com), Cutty Sark was built at Dumbarton in 1869, not Greenock in 1863. Hercules Linton designed and built the ship. John Rennie was responsible for her sail plan.  There was a John H Ballantine in Greenock UK who was a sugar refiner.