www.925-1000.com

I have three set of spoons of different sizes but the same pattern, 12 of the large, 6 of the medium and 12 of the small. They all have much the same style though the middle size ones look rougher.

Would these have been part of a large dinner set with forks and knives as well?
Is this a very common pattern which was widely used hence the medium sized spoons being different?



The large spoons have the following marks



So I think it is made by L. Berth of Copenhagen in 1895 though the other similar spoons range from 1895 to 1900 in date.

The medium sized ones have only


and the smallest spoons



perhaps also L. Berth though there are not dots in the makers mark. Again there is about a 5 year range in the ages of the spoons.

Try this link http://www.925-1000.com/denmarkA.html

Qrt.S wrote:Try this link http://www.925-1000.com/denmarkA.html

That's where I got the L Berth and LB results. The ES could be E Soerensen but because the ES is the only mark on the spoon I wondered if it was something else.



Would it be common that a set of cutlery was actually made up of items fabricated over a 5 year period?

Very common, few people could afford to purchase a whole canteen in one hit, they often built it up over a period of years. But that may not be the only reason for multiple dates, stock may have been held by the silversmith, the wholesaler, the retailer, some lines move fast, some slow, it is quite possible that some items were held in stock for years.

Trev.

ES is Erik Stridbeck born approx 1770 he is a "fri mester" (free master i.e. he is not member of the guild and as so no permitted to Work) in 1811-1814. He dies 1842.

So that gave you something to Wonder :-)

off to job could be I return later :-)

Hose_dk wrote:ES is Erik Stridbeck born approx 1770 he is a "fri mester" (free master i.e. he is not member of the guild and as so no permitted to Work) in 1811-1814. He dies 1842.

Thanks Hose. So the 6 ES spoons are actually quite a bit older than the others even though the pattern is almost identical.

and it's an interesting story. While he was not officially allowed to work he obviously was a skilled silversmith who produced some quality material, probably quite a lot since you know of him.

Hmmmm, could be or not (sorry Hose). When you have only one mark (ES) and nothing else, the possibility of him being Strindbeck or Danish or even silver is a 50/50 situation. I would preferably state that he might be Strindberg but no guarantees can be given.

No its him. Its a long story, and lot of it is related to the behavior at that time. Still at work, but what you have is the spoons, coffee spoons and desert spoons. You miss mocha spoon (smaller spoon) and soup spoon ... larger spoon.
You don't have grødske, salt spoon, mustard spoon, strøske, berry spoon the hole lot of tagtøj.
My oldest piece is from 1790ties and it was produces long into 1900ties 200 years of production.

As i wrote this calls for a history lesson. And still at job.

The case is. In last half of 1700 the Old Sheffield Plate (OSP) was invented. OSP was made by mistake. The inventor used a penny when working with silver. When he was finish the copper penny had fastened to the silver. He realized potential and developed the OSP. At these days the value of a silver item = the value of the metal (silver) the Work and craftsmanship = 0. Or very close to 0.
Now one could by a "silver item" OSP for a fraction of the Price of a similar silver item. The silversmith considered this competitive material a danger to their business.
The OSP was a layer of silver on a copper plate. Looked like silver but you could not engrave. When you cut into OSP the copper plate becomes visible.
The silversmiths developed the Deep cut engraving. When cutting Deep into item - you must use silver and not OSP. This pattern of your spoons is one of these patterns.

In Denmark your spoons are named "Empire" empire pattern was developed somewhere late 1700hundreds. I have a fish ladle - checked year 1799. The pattern has been produced until only a few years ago.
Late 1800 electroplating was invented - many af these spoons forks ladles etc. was also made in EP.

Danes are a poor people. we don't have much. So you bought a spoon or fork at a time. A girl whose parents had Money could buy 1 or 2 spoons at a time for their daughter. Or they could get 2 - 4 or 6 at their wedding. Around 1750ties you expect 1 or 2 --- 50 or 100 years later maybe more.
The silver was collected during a life time. Or through 2 or 3 lifetimes. Inherit from your parents and the collecting to get a full set.

During Victorian times - in Denmark late empire - a full set of 12 pieces would be:
Sugar spoons. desert spoons, Soup spoons, lunch forks, dinner forks, 60 pieces.
Knives are very rare. You would use knives of iron - with handle of Wood, stone, bone or porcelain. A silver knife would be to soft. I have some knives - for cheese and for fruit.
To the set would also be grødske - very big ladle (36 to 46 cm) Very common.
Sugar ladle, salt spoons, as mentioned more rare mocha spoon. You could have the spoons instead of coffee spoons. Marmalade spoon, mustard spoon
Here is a mustard spoon approx anno 1810



Here is a set of 12 sugar spoons anno 1806

Regarding the maker. Its him. You had to be a member of the guild. The guild took the initiative to open for a master, but only very seldom. This was a closed World and it was a limited tuber. For a educated silversmith to become master - almost impossible. He had to find a master and Work for him. When the master died a silver Smith could marry the widow and thereby be permitted to go to a test. He would have to make a masterpiece and that would cost several years pay.
In early 1800 the guild system was weakened- and a limited number could Work as a free master. The hallmark would guarantee that the silver Smith was responsible for the silver content 12½ part of 16. But the guardein mark, the city mark - he could not get because he was not a master with citizenship. The tax mark - he could properly get, but he would do his utmost not to have this. Because tax mark = pay tax.
Regarding the master - the book writes he was one of the more skilled fri mestre. But that all, nothing special about him.
Later the guild system disappeared. And a Smith could set up his business. The guild lost influence.

So to get a full set - you would use several years. But pattern same for between 200 and 300 years.

Thanks for all that Hose. You've really built the picture.

I've since found 2 more desert spoons and a fork of the same set and a small ladle with the empire design but a different maker.

Presumably there are more forks somewhere else but perhaps they were given to another arm of the family at some stage.