posted 06-18-2001 09:06 AM            

Special Features
Having converted their factory to steam machinery, in the 1850's Gorham of Providence RI took a bold step forward from their English fiddle and tipt patterns and brought out a line of four unique patterns which we might consider the seeds of domination of the silver industry. Among them was Josephine which was a leaf variation and by far the most available of the four. The history of this period seems to be hidden in the shadows of inconsistent company policy and our small collection seems to have no two pieces with the same markings. This would make a great bit of research from someone with access to the records, and if it has been published I would like to know.

Dating and Marks
Hagan gives the date of the four patterns as 1855, confirming Turner. The marks do make the dating confusing.The first piece shown is the dinner fork which is quite hefty and marked "Pure Coin...Gorham & Co. , with no date

The second shown here is the tablespoon of lesser weight says "Patent 1855 Coin" , but does not have a manufacturer's or retailers mark


To add to the confusion the dessert fork of better weight says "Patent 1861 Coin" with a retailers mark but no Manufacturer's mark., I cannot find any difference compared to the 1855 version. Could you patent the same pattern twice?


Now to round things off, the teaspoon has a very current Lion Anchor G, no coin, no sterling.


Note that the lion faces right. According to Rainwater, the company now states that the trademark was used as early as 1848, and from that date to 1865 the Lion faced left rather than right! OK so may this is an after 1865 piece.

Just to add some interest there is a little pastry fork that has a very clear Albert Coles mark!


Closer inspection indicates some slight differences in the pattern which I did not notice on purchase. This is certainly the pattern listed in Hagan and Turner as Schiebler Leaf given there as 1880. See if you can spot the differences in the picture below.

One might thus conclude that the pattern was popular from it's introduction in 1855 through the 1880's.
Pieces Available
item...................size..................Our cost
Teaspoon............6"....................$25.00 ..Lion (right) Anchor G
Table Spoon....... 8"................ ... $35.00 Patent 1855 Coin
Dinner Fork.........8 1/4"...............$50.00 Pure Coin Gorham & Co
Dessert Fork .......6 7/8" .......... $35.00 Patent 1861 Coin
Pastry Fork..........6"....................$50.00 Albert Coles

posted 06-18-2001 12:53 PM            

Key Pieces
I have not been able to find a dessert spoon which seems to be a tough piece for me in this era. The pastry fork may not exist.

Comments
This is a most historic set and priced modestly. I would like to hear from anyone who has some other marks to share in this pattern or even some in Sterling, which would exist if it did make it into the 1880's. Sets like these are what make the hobby fun.