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tline3open  Durgin pattern -help ID please!

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Author Topic:   Durgin pattern -help ID please!
nutmegr

Posts: 58
Registered: Jun 2005

iconnumber posted 04-23-2008 03:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for nutmegr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
[26-1641]

I was hoping someone might be able to help me identify this Durgin pattern. It is on a sugar sifter I just bought this weekend in New Orleans. It looks to be a scene from Greek mythology. I have found reference to a pattern called "Athenian" but I have not found any pictures to compare this to. Is anyone familiar with this pattern? Thanks for any help!

(To introduce myself - I have lurked on these boards for at least the last 5 years, I have never posted because of my fear(terror) of posting pictures. If I mess it up, please be kind!! I'm just a mom of 4 kids who loves old silver, I've been collecting for about 9 years. I primarily focus on silver from the 2nd half of the 19th century, although I've recently become quite interested in the Arts and Crafts era. I look forward to participating more if I can conquer the photography issue!)

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Lisa

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Scott Martin
Forum Master

Posts: 11520
Registered: Apr 93

iconnumber posted 04-23-2008 04:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Scott Martin     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Welcome.

I am sure everyone would like to see the marks. June and I don’t see this pattern very often. I am not near my references, but if I am recalling correctly the pattern is called Undine. There is also a pattern by Wood & Hughes called Undine but it is very different.

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jersey

Posts: 1203
Registered: Feb 2005

iconnumber posted 04-23-2008 05:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jersey     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hello nutmegr!

Welcome to the forum, and what a magnificent piece to start with. Enjoy it. That's my kind of pattern.

Jersey

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nutmegr

Posts: 58
Registered: Jun 2005

iconnumber posted 04-23-2008 05:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for nutmegr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Scott -Thank you so much for your quick response. The only one of my pattern books that even mentions (Durgin's) Undine is the Jewelers Circular, and it doesn't have a picture. Following (hopefully!) are pictures of the marks and of the whole piece.


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Lisa

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Polly

Posts: 1970
Registered: Nov 2004

iconnumber posted 04-23-2008 10:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Polly     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Welcome, Lisa! What a beautiful sugar sifter!

I wonder whether the pattern name "Undine" is a reference to the German Romantic novel of the same title, by Friedrich, Baron de la Motte Fouque. It's about a sea sprite named Undine, who marries a mortal man to gain a soul (similar to Andersen's Little Mermaid).

My grandfather had an old copy of the Baron's next (or possibly previous?) novel, "Sintram and his Companions," for some reason, translated very badly into English. My brother and I used to read it out loud to each other, laughing our heads off at the impossibly long sentences and grammatically awkward sentences. I wonder if I can find it?...Yes! here's an example:

"At this instant there flew into the hall, his hair standing on end, with an anxious scream and closed eyes, a deadly-pale boy."

[This message has been edited by Polly (edited 04-23-2008).]

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Dale

Posts: 2132
Registered: Nov 2002

iconnumber posted 04-24-2008 12:28 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Dale     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Welcome nutmegr. Look forward to seeing more of these impressive items.

Perhaps your children could do the photography for you. Seems like kids are much more computer and electronic savvy than us older folks. When I first had my cellphone I needed to turn it off at the library. Did not know how. Asked a lady in the hall and she was having the same problem. So, we tracked down her twelve year old daughter who very patiently explained, speaking slowly and enunciating sharply, how to do it.

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nutmegr

Posts: 58
Registered: Jun 2005

iconnumber posted 04-24-2008 08:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for nutmegr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I just wanted to thank everyone for the warm welcome. I nearly passed on this piece because I couldn't reach a price with the shop clerk on Friday, so I left. I just kept thinking about it all weekend, so on Sunday before we left I dragged my poor husband through at least a dozen shops because I couldn't remember exactly which one it was at. Luckily I found it, and got a much better price to boot!

Dale - good idea about using my kids to help with the technical issues. I'm actually not too bad with the actual photography - my problems come in getting pictures uploaded (to the computer and then to the website.) My eldest is 16 and he is so much more capable than I am (of course, so is my 5 year old!)

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silverhunter

Posts: 704
Registered: Jul 2007

iconnumber posted 04-25-2008 04:49 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for silverhunter     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Beautiful piece of silver, pattern and design. I will look for other work from this silversmith you showed. I think with this flatware it's good dinner. Candle lights (by the same silversmith?) and a good glass of wine. Enjoy this kind of silver.

Only the two man standing right at the pattern, who are these two, the woman I recognized!

Greetings Silverhunter,
andre

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shelby68

Posts: 6
Registered: Apr 2005

iconnumber posted 04-25-2008 07:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for shelby68     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I hope no one takes this piece of art as pornographic.

I don't know the pattern, but it appears to be depicting The Sirens of Sirenum Scopuli in Greek mythology. This picture shows the deadly and beautiful Sirens luring Ulysses and his companions to their island and their death.

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silverhunter

Posts: 704
Registered: Jul 2007

iconnumber posted 04-25-2008 09:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for silverhunter     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I don't ... art is beautiful!

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