Norwich bulletin., 1912-02-09
COLONIAL SILVER ON EXHIBITION
Papers By George Curss of Merden and George S. Pal
mer Of New London Illustrated by Notable Loan Exhb-
cester Bond Facsimile Committee Secure Portrait of
Hon. David A. Wells

The midwinter meeting Of the New
London County Historical society was
held in the Peck library on Thursday
afternoon There was an exception
ally large attendance, which filled the
room to the limit Of it's seating ca
| pacity.
Loan Exhibit Of Old Silver.
Many were undoubtedly attracted by
1.-THE exhibit Of colonial silver, fine
( collection of which was arranged by
1 Mrs. Amos A. Browning and Mrs.
Elisha e. Rogers from articles loaned
/ for the afternoon by its possessors in
/ Norwich and New London. One case
/ was filled with spoons of all shapes,
/ sizes and makes, and of very ancient
| date, Another case had many choice
| pieces of silver brought from New
! London, among them a silver cup made
I by one of the first silversmiths in the
| state. A third case had beautiful
! pieces of hollow ware, loaned by Nor
( wich ladies, and there were also some
/ pieces from George S. Palmer's collec-
ton, which were used in illustration
/ To Secure Portrait of David A. Wells.
/ The president. Ernest E. Rogers OF
/ New London, was the presiding officer.
| In his opening address, he spoke with
| appreciation of the pleasure Of these
mid winter meetings in Norwich which
/ have been held with only two excep-
! tons for twelve years. A portrait OIL
I Hon. David A. Wells, a former presi-
( dent of the society, is much desired,
and Leonard o. Smith and Jonathan
TrumbulI were appointed a commit
/ tee to make further efforts to obtain
| one.
Early Silver in Connecticut.
| He then introduced George NJ. Cur
| tbs of Meriden, treasurer of the Inter-
national Silver company, and an au-
| thority on colonial silver, who read
an excellent paper on Early Silver OF
cut and It's Makers. There is more
| old silver in Norwich than any other
town, Mr. Curtis says These early
| jewelers. were generally called gold
smiths. Their art shows a gradual
evolution from the simple designs Of
4 the 18th century and from the few
articles then made, limited mostly to
spoons. cups and fiagons. Simple 1ow-
er designs were used in decoration. A
candle cup and a tankard were shown
as specimens of the period. These ear
ly tankards had fiat tops. The dome top
came later and the sprout was also a
later adoption. A silver retort, be-
queathed by a chemist in 1713, was an
unusual article. Dram cups are less
rare. These are sometimes erroneous
ly called wine tasters. We also find
platters, punchbowls, toothpiclls, hair
pins, buckles and hatbands made Of
silver.
In the 18th century there came a
large increase in the number of de-
signs and the variety of articles,
though they still kept to the simple,
graceful form and line.
Different from English Ornateness.
This was quite different from the
ford, ornate designs then being made
in Englandand which could have been
made by the colonial goldsmiths equal
: ly as well, had they wished to do so.
In 1876 teapots began to come into
general use, and were at first pear or
bell shaped. Later came tea sets, and
pretty one was shown in the CLASH
cal urn pattern, a fitting accompani-
ment to Heppelwhite or Sheraton fur
niture. He also illustrated this peri
. cd with porringers, steeple top pepper
I boxes, tankards and toddy strainers,
, and a sprout cup.
How Styles Changed.
Early 18th century spoons were rat
, tailed on the outside of the bowl. The
drop was substituted later, and the
bowl made oval This succeeded to the
2 pointed bowl and top. The coffin was
later top shape, and in 1910 came
the fiddle or tipped design, which is
still seen today.
Up to 1870 there were only three
, sizes of spoOns-the tablespoon, the
porringer spoon and the teaspoon
These last were very small, about like
our coffee spoons.
e Muscles and Brain Needed.
The goldsmith was a man of might
= It needed strong muscles, almost equa
to those Of a blacksmith. He was also
a man of knowledge. He must know
how to do all parts of the process nee.
essary TO a finished product, hammer
.. ing. latheing and stamping the die
2 with the drop press. No better worl
is done now. Indeed, the feeling which
? he put into this work is missing il
; the products Of the present day. HI!
: shops were only small and we're cas-
1 lily broken into. No large stock O
goods was ever kept on hand.
Mr. Curtis visited a shop In Eas
! Hartford in 1875, probably one of tn,
@ last goldsmiths' shops. The best worl
: in the country was done in Boston.
Norwich Had Second Shop in connee
ticut
The first shop in Connecticut was il
= Milford The next was that of Rem.
e Grenion in Norwich. The last smitl
= in the state was Robert Fairchild o
e New Haven, where was also that o
g Abel Buel. In Norwich there wer
{, Harfand. Greanleaf, Shipman. Cleve
9 land and Carpenter, and in New Lon
= don Pygan, Adams, The Tret family
# Gardiner Fallam and ChampliI
q Thomas FFarland was a famous clocl
Il maker Daniel Burnap learned O
Harland; Lewis Curtis learned Of Bur
nap. Two banjo clocks Of Curtis hav
Just been found which are superb.
I Historical Curio from C. P. Cogswel
a Jonathan Trumbuli then presente
= to the society in behalf Of Charles Z
?. Cogsweu on of the first railroad bonds
h issued in 1910 by the Norwich an
l. Worcester Railroad company. Thi
IS particular impression was one Of tn
S. ten struck off when the plate was de
Y, stroyed by the Bank Note company
t., and given TO the directors.