Norwich bulletin., 1917-11-03
COIN vs. STERLING SILVER

BLING SILVER those made in the third quarter of the eighteenth century by Samuel Parmele; others which are the work | Made by I. H.";; the pattern common I from 17So to 1900, made by Thomas Norton and bearing his. mark; the | rattern with the so-called coffin Jchn P. Trout; the tipped pattern used after 1910, made by Merriman & Bradley; the type common after 1II0 I t0 17S0, made by Joseph Loring of of Barziilai Benjamin; types of 1S0O- 1915, made by Nathaniel Shipman - which bring the interest very near to l Norwich; while two illustrations show 1 tie transition in the bend of spoon handles in the third quarter of the 1 18th century the curve being very decided between 176070.
 Ornaments on the back of spoon l bowls and handles were impressed by dies forced together by drop presses, or under screw pressure. This is ab- sclutely proven by the exact duplica- tion of the pattern on sets of spoons Accurate measurements show that these ornaments were not hand work l for there is not the slightest deviation | ip dimensions.
 The slversmith of Colonial times l earried little manufactured stock. It was the general practice, MT. Curtis states, to take to the smith the coin which it was desired to have fashion l sd into plate. These coins were nsNlt- | ed in a crucible and. poured into a | skillet to form an ingot, which was l then hammered into sheets of the cor l rect gauge.
 I This explains the usual practice at 1 that time of valuing a porringer or a I tankard. or other plate by saying that | it contained so many Spanish dollars, | CT English coins
 Probably most of the early plate ! was fashioned from Spanish dollars, 1 once so generally in circulation in l this. country. They were not up to I sterling standard, being only 300 ! rarts fine, while sterling is .925 fine. Nevertheless, early plate seems to be winter in color than that manufac- l tured today.
 Perhaps this is the explanation: hand hammered or forged silver must be annealed very frequently, and in the old days this was done with the aid of bellows in the open air. instead i Of in a furnace. as is done today. As was formed, which was removed by riunging the article into what is call eG plckling bath-a hot diluted so lution of sulphuric acid. This op would tend to make the Surface all most fine silver; hence the white color.
 Most of the ancient smiths impress ed the plate they made with their initials in a shaped shield ? or in heart. with some emblem above or be- tow.
 Later marks were initials or the eraved rectangle. or oval. In the early part of the last century the word Coin" vas added. and about 1865 the word Sterling was employ ed to denote the correct standard. Mir. Curtis explains that when the
 United States Mint was established, in 1792. the standard of si1her coinage
 the standard was raised to 300 fine.
 Therefore Coin" stamped on plate
 does not indicate .S25. or Sterling"
 fire.
 This fact will proba bly prove a dis
 appointment to collectors of old sil- yer. who have prided themselves on their "Coin' specimens. fancying them equal to the Sterling in fineness.
 In the series of illustrations in Mir.
 Curtis beck are shown some of the most striking types of other examples Of mid-efghteenth century plate, in
 eluding belf-shaped tea pot. a pear shaped tea pot, a sauce boat, can- d.e-stick and a tankard with domed top.
 On these types the ornamentation is very simple although naturally show ing greater tendency toward elab- oration than on types of the century before.
 h the same category appear exam pies of three types of pepper casters. beakers, pepper boxes with single iiendle. a two o-handled cup of type fl frequently repeated by later smiths, a silver can or mug minus any beak, and rather ornate porringer handles, in conventionalized scroll or leaf de- sIgn.
 Later in the eighteenth century. the writer instances a tea service which must be the delight of it's owners heart. In general, it is of the urn type, popular at that era, and while the lines are rather severe al- though extremely graceful the band
 With these examples of late eighteenth century work is pictured a punch bowl by Paul Revere. wbo, as generally known was craftsman of =renown before he won lasting fame by his celebrated ride in April '75.
 Shown with this is a tea pot made about 17e5 which is of 6 short, rather sduatty and inartistic shape, some thing on the pagoda, order, with ugly spout. chased handle and it's bowl adorned band evidently of some flow CT design, threaded by a waved rib bon.
 Doubtless, many readers of The Bulletin possess treasured silver of Colonial times which will answer to the description of these types des' cribed in MT. Curtis valuable manual.
 THE DICTAGRAPH,