posted 05-31-2000 01:04 PM            

Special Features
Expanding the handle for better grip is a very functional idea. According to Pickford, fiddle appears in the Esquiline Treasure of Late Roman Silver in the British Museum.
Certainly anyone interested in early American silver will be overwhelmed with fiddle which probably makes up 80% of the early coin silver on the market.

This American fiddle came to us through England via France where fiddle was the most popular pattern in the mid-eighteenth century. While isolated instances of fiddle can be found in 18th century England the vast majority of it dates after 1800 and by about 1840 it had supplanted Old English as the primary pattern. While the more ornate thread and shell varieties continued in popularity, simple fiddle died out in the early 20th century and is the only British classic pattern not still being produced.

Dating
The collector of the British variety will enjoy the benefit that there are the usual complete set of hallmarks


The piece shown below is interesting since rather than the more common London variety, the castle (replacing the Leopard's Head) indicates its' production in Exeter. Reading from left to right, the Victoria Head (1838+) can be seen clearly as well as the Lion indicating Sterling standard. Then comes the Exeter Castle. The date letter is hard to see in the scan but it is a Gothic "G"- which Checking Wyler "Old Silver" indicates 1843-44 for Exeter. The maker's marks are not clear but seem to have multiple M's.

Pieces Available (L to R)
item...................size..................Our cost......Notes
Teaspoon............5 7/8"...............$3.00.........Handle Turned down
Dessert Spoon.......7 1/8"...............$7.00.........Handle Turned Down
Tablespoon...........8 7/8"...............$55.00....... Handle Turned Down
Dinner Fork..........8"....................$65.00...... Handle Turned Up
Dessert Fork.........6 7/8".................$7.00...... Handle Turned Up

The $3.00 & $7.00 prices are not typos. The fun of collecting is knowledge and I found these in an antique mall where they were under priced since they didn't say "Sterling" anywhere. I was able to get a couple of each and sold the extras on e-bay for an average 800% profit. The Exeter Dessert fork went to a knowledgeable British collector for $70.

Photo:

Key Pieces
All the above are readily available in the British variety. The American Coin collector will find the forks a challenge.

Comments
The pieces are placed on the table as shown in the photo with the spoon bowls facing up and the tines of the forks facing down. The French began the custom of placing the forks with the tines down, ostensibly so that King Louis wouldn't get his frilly sleeves caught in them. However their spoon bowls were also placed face down. Hence all the handles were "turned up". This tradition was followed in 18th century British Hanoverian.

With Old English the tradition was changed as we have here with the spoon bowls facing up and the fork tines down. Hence the handles "turned down" for spoons and "turned up" for forks. According to moderator WEV, this is still the British custom.

While early American Coin appears to have followed this British tradition (see Early American Coin Kings on this Forum) somewhere between 1830 and 1850 the States went on our own and have all our bowls and tines facing up. You will note that the above American Spoons are inconsistent, some turned up and some down. I would be interested if anyone can trace the history of this practice of etiquette in the US.