posted 08-08-2003 08:41 AM            

I have some price lists from 1918 for several Towle patterns.

The basic dozens are listed in several weights, running from trade to extra, extra heavy. They're also identified by numbers. The numbers get larger as the pieces get larger and heavier:

teaspoons range from, say 13-21
dessert spoons range from 24-32 in the same pattern (so I think the numbers represent a weight.)

Paul Revere dessert forks & spoons were available in trade (#24), medium (#28), and heavy (#32).

Colonial table forks are offered in #35 & #39; the table spoons in #36 and #41.

I have catalogs for four of these patterns from about 1899-1906, some of which list the numbers next to the picture of the pieces. For Georgian, I have price lists from 1916 & 1918 and catalogs from 1906 & sometime between then and 1916; the numbers are consistent though the heaviest weights were all dropped between 1916 and 1918.

I have looked at the pieces I have in Georgian -- about 6 dozen in all. I could only find two with numbers stamped on them, and they are small teaspoons, which only came in one weight! My scale is not accurate enough to check weights between pieces, but I can't feel differences in weight. Many of my pieces are from the same set or were bought as dozens, but I have dessert forks from four sources and so would think it likely that differences in weight would show up here.

So here are my questions:

• what do the numbers mean?
  I thought they might be the number of troy ounces per dozen but unless my scale or my conversions are way off, that's not it.

• did most jewelers just stock one weight? Would that be medium?

• does anyone know where I can find more price lists?
  These are fascinating! (I'd be happy to swap photocopies; I have the ones mentioned above plus Newbury, Colonial, Arcadian, Lady Mary and Merrimack).

Cynthia Teague