LDA Souvenir Spoons

[silverly]

Just a little bit of information about this souvenir spoon manufacturer. His full name was Louis David Anderson. He was born in Reading, Berks, Pennsylvania in 1876 and died in Pinellas Florida in 1945. His business L D Anderson Jewelry Company is listed in Reading City Directories from at least 1901 to at least 1943. (Rainwater sites city directory entries up to 1944.)

[silverly]

(Rainwater sites city directory entries up to 1944.)

cites

[Traintime]

--American Spoons Souvenir and Historical (Rainwater Felger 1968)...three samples for Reading PA and/or Klapperthal Pavillion, all circa 1891. No references to L.D.A. for spoon samples or anything else.

--Encyclopedia of American Silver (Rainwater)...had as existing circa 1910. Listed directories 1914-39, maker jewelry & souvy spoons. Re-listed 1941-44. End of records. Nothing known of the store by her.

Congratulations on filling out a big chunk of the missing spots!

[silverly]

Thank you.

[pferra]

Hi, for info i have 3 L.D.A. spoons, all the same Hotel Arcadia, Santa Monica, CA picture bowl souvenir spoon with very pointed bead pattern handle, markings slightly different stamped each spoon, and one also has additional markings for Roger Williams Silver Co of Rhode Island (c. 1900-1913) for some reason!

[Traintime]

Photos would certainly help, but the 1894 Washington pattern first produced by Howard and then successor Roger Williams seems a possible for those spoons (full beading, angling out and then in, and sharply terminating at a point). The Hotel Arcadia itself is both of extreme historical interest and great mystery, so anything related to it can be a potential aid in filling out the story of this place. Why an east coast jeweler would be involved is quite a curiousity. The hotel closed around he 1910 era.