www.925-1000.com

I have been unable to ID the attached sterling silver candlestick. I believe it is old, from the 19th century.

Similar mark shown in unidentified American section: https://www.925-1000.com/americansilver__Unk.html
Rainwater did list a Vinegar Bros. NY NY operating 1927 in silverware manufacture, but showed no mark...possibly further info. has come to light?

Unfortunately, my attempts to locate any netwide information on the Vinegar Brothers have hit diddly-squat thus far. A pierced sterling tray with your marks is on Worthpoint with a pure guess attributing it to the brothers...no concrete evidence in their listing information. It might require a search of old phone books to find them. Might be a small chance they left a paper trail in the hands of dealers in ephemera...rarely an easy search.

US Censuses from 1910 to 1930 list Benjamin Vinegar (born about 1880 in Russia) at various addresses in the Bronx area of New York. Occupations listed are Silversmith (1910), Silversmith (1915), Silver Spinner (1920), Silversmith (1925), Silverware Manufacturer (1930).

Phil

From what I can gather, Benjamin and Jacob Vinegar immigrated to the U S from Russia in 1893. Benjamin was born in about 1880 and Jacob about 1889. Both were silver spinners. Vinegar Bros changed their name to Ariston in 1927. In the 1940's Benjamin was working for Gorham and Jacob for Farber.

Not sure here, but page 11B column 1 near bottom has mention (1960) of Benjamin Vinegar of NY (having 3 brothers and wife etc.) deceased some six years after arrival in Florida (about 1954): https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00010090/01644/23j
Would be about age 80 if it's him. (Another mention several pages back of a married couple tied in to a jewelers business.)

The Benjamin Vinegar you are referring to was a son of the Benjamin Vinegar who partnered with his brother Jacob to form Vinegar Bros.

silverly wrote:The Benjamin Vinegar you are referring to was a son of the Benjamin Vinegar who partnered with his brother Jacob to form Vinegar Bros.

Because family members only record Jacob as Benjamin's brother and that is all that is shown in the 1900 census, I misled myself, the subject gentleman did die in Dade County, FL in 1960. It would be no surprise if the obituary was not entirely accurate.

silverly wrote:It would be no surprise if the obituary was not entirely accurate.

Or more likely, misleading.

Interesting that searching for Jacob brings forth the whole family tree including his brother, but going for Benjamin's name directly was almost useless. Jacob is noted as having died in the Bronx around August of 1966.

Hello everyone! My name is Scott Vinegar and Jacob Vinegar is my great grandfather. Yes, he and his brother Benjamin owned Vinegar Bros in Manhattan, NY.

I believe their business kept going through the Great Depression which made it hard for them to sell silverware. Luckily, they were able to stay in business. Then, they changed the name to Ariston when another person joined and shared ownership of the Vinegar business.

Then the brothers started to fight for many reasons. I think both of the wives hated each other and forced the brothers to give up. So, I guess Jacob left the business, and then later Benjamin decided to shut down the business.

That's the story I know. I wish there were more information about the Vinegar Bros. My family doesn't have any Vinegar bros silverware and the cousins don't have their silverware either. I believe Jacob didn't take any silverware when he left the business. Maybe Benjamin kept some or maybe he sold it.

My dream is to get a Vinegar silverware piece with the Vinegar bros stamp. I wish!!!!

Scott Vinegar

Hi Scott,

Welcome to the Forum.

Many thanks for taking the time to update the topic, it's appreciated.

Trev.