posted 06-26-2010 08:23 PM            

April 1, 1967
Dear Mrs. Buhler,
In answer to your letter concerning the signature appearing on item #101a -- Beaker by Samuel Shethar in "An Exhibition of New Haven Silver" I would say that the signature appearing on the bottom of this piece is very crude and probably not done by him. Surely, if he did the engraving on the Beaker (pictured on the cover) he would have done a much better job of engraving his own signature on the bottom of his piece.
CORRECTIONS --
Item 23 should be Dessert (pair) Spoons -- you just have to look at them!
Item 61 Beaker should read "AD 1807 on base" -- not 1806 -- and should be listed under Marcus Merriman & Co., pg 37, because it is marked with the mark appearing on pg,. 37, except for the pseudo mark* and is stamped twice on the bottom, although the & Co. is not too clear. The same Beaker is pictured on pg. 73 - lower right corner and should have the mark appearing on pg. 37.

I notice the errors on Item 61 when cleaning the silver for the Exhibition, but the catalog had been passed on and gone to press.

-- several paragraphs of family news --

Trust you have kept well and will be in our vicinity again soon -- all the lovely shrubs are in bloom.

Very sincerely,

Carl R. Kossack

* Kernan states this is "City of New Haven" mark, but this is absolutely not correct as it is part of the Sate of Conn. Seal.

crk

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Nov. 5, 1980

Dear Kathryn,

Thank you for your help on my B. Hurd tablespoons -- it would not help any to see the basin and tablespoon as they have the BH marks. I called the Garvin office at Yale and asked if they knew what happened to the B Hurd tablespoon(s) that Wm Garvin owned -- its not in the Yale collection list -- and they had no idea where they went.

I strongly feel that when a new book, especially on silver, is published, it should be carefully examined by as many competent people as possible to pick up errors and items left, etc. This happened with the N. H. Catalog -- Kernan cared little about whether marks had been substantiated and there are many obvious errors. The 3 spoons he put as Phineas Bradley are so obviously too late to be his work -- they are crudely made and probably Phineas Bushnell of Branford, Guilford. What was he thinking? Also in Exhibition Utica 1972 items #161-4 by Willard are 4 distinct different touches. No mention made of this in catalog. I also sent a large ladle marked B & P plus pseudo marks -- I thought it might be Barton & Porter. They rejected it and Barbara Franco said in her letter my ladle was by Burger and Prichard of NYC!?! I wrote back a coffin end ladle could never be made in 1775!!! They were unmoved. Such Stupidity -- these are people in charge of exhibitions and do American silver a great disservice! I now believe this ladle was made in Halifax N. S. by Black & Parker, w. 1809-1810. I wrote to confirm with Mr. Mackay about it, but, unfortunately he passed away last spring.

Pardon the wretched writing -- gardening and raking leaves all day -- my arms and muscles are tired, but I did want to write you anyhow. So glad you are enjoying the CRK 1956, use it up as it will evaporate if you don't and I hope to get up to Boston to see the Church Silver Exhibition and will have another bottle -- don't keep it as long as the other one! Wine was made to drink, silver to look at!

Kindest regard to you from everyone at #128

Carl