Maker of Unmarked Gothic Pattern Spoons, San Francisco

[SilverSurfer]

(Note: this is a follow-up to an earlier thread, hopefully simplified with extraneous info and false hiccups eliminated.)

The following pattern of spoon was made by a number of San Francisco silversmiths in the late nineteenth century ("Gothic" by Eaves&Nye, Vanderslice, and Koehler&Ritter; "Eureka" by Schulz&Fischer), but there are two variations of the pattern as impressed at the drop, shown at the left of the below composite photo:



The drop pattern at the top, marked "V&CO.", I have seen with the following marks:

V&CO. (Vanderslice and Company, San Francisco maker)
F.R. REICHEL (S.F. maker)
KOEHLER&RITTER (S.F. makers)
W. CUMMINGS (S.F. retailer?)

What I'd like to know is the maker of the pattern of the second, unmarked drop pattern above. I have not seen it with a S.F. area maker's mark, only with the following retailers' marks:

M.M.BALDWIN (S.F.)
BARRETT&SHERWOOD (S.F.)
M.M.FREDRICK (Virginia City, Nevada)

I have also seen this pattern and drop marked

T.STEELE&CO. COIN PATENT 1861 (Hartford, Conn. maker)

Might someone be able to identify the maker of this pattern retailed in S.F. sans maker's mark with the lower drop as pictured above? TIA!

SS
.

[SilverSurfer]

Still looking to identify the maker of the San Francisco flatware Gothic pattern variant (with drop pattern at lower left of the photo in the first post). I recently obtained a number of dessert spoons in this pattern variant, marked only "STERLING". I note that this mystery maker's pattern at the drop is the same as that of the Gorham Cottage pattern, from which all these S.F. Gothic patterns (and Schultz&Fischer Eureka pattern) were obviously copied for the most part, with the most notable exception of an inside "corner" in the stem threaded edges as they curve in towards the tip, not present in the original Gorham design (patent 1861), where the edges curve in smoothly with no kink. Cottage was a very successful pattern for Gorham, and was apparently widely copied with minor variations, such that Gorham sued one manufacturer, which led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision in Gorham's favor in 1871, reversing a lower court ruling:

http://supreme.justia.com/us/81/511/case.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The hunt continues!

SS
.

[SilverSurfer]

I was just reviewing the excellent article, "Nineteenth-century California silver" by Edgar W. Morse, available on the Argentum-The Leopard's Head website (link no longer working, click on Argentum Notes near the bottom of the page to see article), and came across what may be the solution to the question. I was hoping to find either the mystery pattern with a San Francisco maker's mark, or else with a non-SF maker's mark along with a SF retailer's mark. I've gotten close to the former, not a SF maker's marks per se, but rather a unique "STERLING" mark.

The six dessert spoons I recently received are so marked, notably with a clipped "S", the top right section missing. According to Mr. Morse, this stamp is associated with the firm of Schulz & Fischer, and so this Gorham Cottage pattern variant is likely the Schulz & Fischer Eureka pattern, differing mainly from the similar Gothic pattern as used by other San Francisco makers in that S&F directly copied the Gorham configuration at the drop, whereas the other makers used a different pattern. It was indicated in the article that Schulz & Fischer often left their flatware pieces unmarked, or marked only "COIN" or "STERLING" (the latter with a distinct "S").

So I believe I've found the perpetrators, though I'd still like to see a specimen actually marked "SCHULZ&FISCHER". However, I suppose this silver horse is dead enough to stop kicking.

SS
.

[dognose]

Just moved and bumped this excellent post. I wondered if anyone can add anything new to it?

Trev.

[SilverSurfer]

I was just reviewing the excellent article, "Nineteenth-century California silver" by Edgar W. Morse, available on the Argentum-The Leopard's Head website (link no longer working, click on Argentum Notes near the bottom of the page to see article), and came across what may be the solution to the question. I was hoping to find either the mystery pattern with a San Francisco maker's mark, or else with a non-SF maker's mark along with a SF retailer's mark. I've gotten close to the former, not a SF maker's marks per se, but rather a unique "STERLING" mark.

The six dessert spoons I recently received are so marked, notably with a clipped "S", the top right section missing. According to Mr. Morse, this stamp is associated with the firm of Schulz & Fischer, and so this Gorham Cottage pattern variant is likely the Schulz & Fischer Eureka pattern, differing mainly from the similar Gothic pattern as used by other San Francisco makers in that S&F directly copied the Gorham configuration at the drop, whereas the other makers used a different pattern. It was indicated in the article that Schulz & Fischer often left their flatware pieces unmarked, or marked only "COIN" or "STERLING" (the latter with a distinct "S").

So I believe I've found the perpetrators, though I'd still like to see a specimen actually marked "SCHULZ&FISCHER". However, I suppose this silver horse is dead enough to stop kicking.

SS

Recently I just happened to see a spoon on-line that had the final piece of the puzzle as referenced in bold above. Though not on an S&F Eureka pattern utensil, it still does directly tie the clipped "S" STERLING mark to SCHULZ&FISCHER:


Unfortunately the previously referenced Edgar Morse article indicating this connection appears to have disappeared from the like referenced Argentum website with no forwarding address. A quick search identifies no new home in the ether. However, another article linked below also mentions the S&F broken "S" sterling stamp, though likely just a reflection of the original Morse article:

(admin edit - see Posting Requirements )

So, in conclusion, a number of early San Francisco silver flatware makers ripped off the popular Gorham Cottage pattern, but to avoid lawsuits akin to the one Gorham won in the US Supreme Court based on patent infringement, the SF makers altered the pattern slightly, adding a kink or shoulder in the outline near the finial (see below):


Additionally, Koehler&Ritter, Reichel, and Vanderslice also altered the pattern at the drop (overall pattern now known as Gothic), while Schulz&Fischer used the original Gorham pattern at the drop (overall pattern now known as Eureka).

And now the horse is not only merely dead, but is really most sincerely dead!!!