posted 05-03-2015 10:24 PM            

This is a piece that likely would have ended up being scrapped mostly because of the engraving. Here is what it looked like unpolished:

And here it is polished:

It is a really beautiful piece and polished up well (there are still a few places I need to redo). It stands 8 3/4" tall and 6 1/4 across (without the handles) and is marked with the L-A-G, A2210, 3 1/2 pints and the date letter F.

I have two questions:

1 - The date mark is F which means it was made in 1873 but the engraving is May 11th 1907. Any guesses as to why the long time (34 years) between the date mark and the engraving?

2 - Is the engraving hand engraved or machined? Here are two pictures (sorry for the reflections):

I tried looking up WH Silverthorn and found one from NY who was president of the Railway Steel Spring Co. in 1907. If anyone can help find out more, let me know. I am hoping the family who sold this will come back so I can ask if they have any more information.

posted 05-04-2015 10:00 AM            

(Hand engraved) 99% sure of it.

posted 05-04-2015 10:26 AM            

quote:

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[IMG]https://image2.findagrave.com/photos/2014/16/78157505_1389969545.jpg[/IMG]

William H. Silverthorn
Male 1849 - 1921 (71 years)

Birth Jun. 11, 1850
Death: Aug. 13, 1910
Painesville
Lake County
Ohio, USA

William H. Silverthorn, president and a member of the executive committee of the Railway Steel-Spring Co., New York, died at his home in Painesville, Ohio, on the morning of August 13, 1910. Mr. Silverthorn, or "Silver" as he was familiarly known to a host of friends, was identified with the railway supply business for many years. For the last 30 years, which period ended on the day of his death, Mr. Silverthorn was associated with Julius E. French, now chairman of the board of the Railway Steel-Spring Co. Those who knew Mr. Silverthorn well will recall that his first work in the railway supply field was with the old Paige Car Wheel Co., of which he was general manager. This concern was, in 1897, consolidated with a number of other makers of wheels into the Steel Tired Wheel Co., and Mr. Silverthorn became a director and general manager. The Railway Steel-Spring Co. was incorporated in February, 1902, and acquired the plants of several makers of springs for railway service, among them the A French Spring Co., with which Mr. Silverthorn had been identified for a number of years. In June of that year the Steel Tired W heel Co. was merged into the Railway Steel-Spring Co., and Mr. Silverthorn was elected a director, and, later, vice-president and a member of the executive committee. In March, 1906. he succeeded Julius E. French as president of the company. Mr. Silverthorn at the time of his death was also president of the United States Light & Heating Co., and a member of the board of directors of the Casualty Co. of America, the Chicago-Cleveland Car Roofing Co., and the United States & Mexican Trust Co., as well as the Railway Steel-Spring Co., and United States Light & Heating Co. Mr. Silverthorn was buried at Cleveland, Ohio, on August 16. Cause of Death: Carcinoma of the liver.

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quote:

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Railway Master Mechanic, Volume 34

William H. Silverthorn, president of the Railway SteelSpring Co., died at his home in Painesville, O., Aug. 13. He was 61 years of age and had been ill since last spring. Mr. Silverton was a son of J. H. Silverthorn, who conducted a hotel at Rocky River, near Mentor, O. He gained his early education in the common schools and high school and entered the local shops of the Lake Shore railroad, at Mentor, as a machinist's apprentice. At off hours he learned bookkeeping and, when the Winslow Roofing Co. was organized to manufacture a metal roofing for freight cars, Silverthorn became a traveling salesman for the concern. Later he became connected with the Paige Car Wheel Co., and, when it combined with others into the Steel Car Wheel Co., he became manager of the new company. When the Railway Steel-Spring Co. was organized he was elected president.

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posted 05-04-2015 07:06 PM            

Here is a close-up of the hallmark:

As you can see the F is very distinguishable. If it was made in 1906 there should be key or a pair of scissors for 1907.

The handles are fluted with ribbons wrapping around and include a little bow at the top:

posted 05-04-2015 10:44 PM            

The A prefix with these numbers is an indicator that the piece was made after 1898.

posted 05-06-2015 10:21 AM            

As for the 1870's, the Gorham marks and sterling mark were completely different in style and font.