Top: Unknown Manufacturer Fish Server
Bottom: Gorham Medallion Asparagus Tongs
(Click To Enlarge)

On Saturday, June 21, many of you joined us at our facilities for “What’s Old Is New: Using Antique Silver in a Modern World,” an entertaining and informative presentation by Replacements, Ltd. silver specialist, Carla Zarse.  Carla's knowledge of antique and estate silver is remarkable, and she is a frequent contributor to our own Silver Magazine.  Her talk provided fascinating insights into the 19th century historical events that underpinned the significant growth in the use of sterling silver in American households, as well as events in the 20th century that signaled its decline.

“The classic table setting for a wealthy American family hosting a dinner party in the late 1800s was an elaborate and well orchestrated event,” Carla explained.  “A formal place setting could consist of up to 20 place pieces and numerous serving pieces, depending on the menu and the affluence of the host.”  Menus of the period were greatly influenced by new technologies of the time.  Rail transportation and the development of refrigerator cars made foods once available only locally to be distributed across country.  Silver makers responded to the growth of available foods with additional pieces to serve or to consume these sometimes exotic new items.

The “elaborate elegance of the American Victorian era,” Carla noted, was made possible by two major events.  The first was the discovery of the Comstock Lode in 1859 in Virginia City, Nevada.  This natural silver and gold deposit, “the largest discovery of precious metals in the United States,” Carla explained, fueled massive growth in the interest and availability of silver.  The second major event was man-made.  In 1873 the U.S. government passed “The Coinage Act.”  This legislation “embraced the gold standard” for U.S. currency, reducing the country’s dependence on silver for currency purposes.  The act, coupled with additional large finds of silver worldwide, resulted in plummeting prices for silver in the free market.  These falling prices placed enormous economic strains on U.S. silver manufacturers.

Gorham Chrysanthemum Asparagus Server
(Click To Enlarge)

A legendary figure in American history came up with a novel way to address this financial problem.  He was “John W. Mackay, part owner in the Consolidated Virginia and California Mining Company, which held a majority interest in the revenues generated by the Comstock Lode,” Carla said.  “Mackay, a man who had become a millionaire many times over, commissioned a custom flatware and hollowware service for his wife, Marie Louise Mackay....  Designed by Edward C. Moore of Tiffany & Company, the silver service took more than 2 years to create, and 1/2 ton of silver from the Comstock mine.  When it was completed, Mackay purchased the original dies from Tiffany and had them destroyed,” Carla said, so Tiffany could not reproduce the pattern for any other customer.  The marketing ploy worked.  Soon other wealthy families were having their own “custom patterns” made.

More designs, more legislation, and more entrepreneurs influenced the use of sterling silver in America into the 20th century.  Carla covered these topics brilliantly and eloquently.  She also described modern uses for antiquated pieces like butter picks, lettuce sets, ice tongs, bonbon spoons, asparagus forks, and tomato servers.  Patterns that Carla especially recommends for unusual, antique pieces are Gorham Chantilly, Kirk-Stieff Repousse, Tiffany & Company Chrysanthemum, Whiting Division-Silver Lily, and International Silver Vintage (silverplate).  Be sure to subscribe to Silver Magazine, where you’ll see Carla’s forthcoming expanded article, so that you can read even more about this interesting period in the development and use of American sterling silverware, and learn more about the ways antiquated silver can serve modern purposes in your household.

Click here to view our Event Archive!