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Quick question about this flatware. I see that they're all marked Reed&Barton. They all seem to be the Columbia pattern. My instinct told me they are Silverplate but many of the Columbia patterns I'm seeing online are Sterling Silver. Only the Tablespoon has a peculiar marking that I believe says "Pat. APPD for Reed & Barton PAT. Jan 30 1884". There's no indication that any are Sterling, but I'm mostly curious about the composition. Here are some photos:

Your silverplate pattern is 'Sierra', introduced in 1914, two years after the similar sterling 'Columbia' pattern. Not unusual to see the 'PAT.APPL'D.FOR' mark on this pattern, but very weird that it would bear the 'PAT.JAN.30,1894' stamp that should be on their silverplate 'Rex' pattern - can't imagine why it would have been stamped on a spoon in an unrelated pattern introduced 20 years later...

~Cheryl

dragonflywink wrote:Your silverplate pattern is 'Sierra', introduced in 1914, two years after the similar sterling 'Columbia' pattern. Not unusual to see the 'PAT.APPL'D.FOR' mark on this pattern, but very weird that it would bear the 'PAT.JAN.30,1894' stamp that should be on their silverplate 'Rex' pattern - can't imagine why it would have been stamped on a spoon in an unrelated pattern introduced 20 years later...

~Cheryl

I see. The "Sierra" pattern makes sense as to why those three seem like Silverplate.

The one that's got me stumped is the tablespoon. I believe the date reads 1884, which puts the pattern in line with other styles which are clearly not shown with this spoon.

Any clarity from the date reading "1884" rather than "1894"?

They are all silverplate. Frankly it looks more like '1894' to me, but more importantly, U.S. patents were/are only issued on Tuesdays - Jan. 30, 1884 was a Wednesday, while Jan. 30, 1894 was a Tuesday. Regardless, the style of the spoon is typical of its 1914 introduction date, and there is just no reason for that date to be stamped on the spoon - it's a mystery to me...

~Cheryl

Hm, okay. Interesting that they were only issued on tuesdays. Impressive work of decuctive reasoning!

Thank you for all your input. Regardless of the unsolved mystery, I appreciate the help :)

January 30 also falls on a Tuesday in 1934. Though Pat. Applied For is cast in here already, it appears that a date was stamped and then re-stamped later, or a dual stamping occurred blurring the mark. Was the old Rex patent renewed in 1934? I only ask this as I have two pieces for a single pattern and user (commercial) but with a later patent date on one completely replacing the older date.

Sorry, I meant was Sierra renewed, not Rex.