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Porter Blanchard/David Carlson?? Help?

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Author	Topic: Porter Blanchard/David Carlson?? Help?
storms4 Posts: 6 Registered: Jul 2002	posted 07-20-2002 11:34 PM [01-0750] I recently got a 134 pc SET of Porter Blanchard Square aka Cornwallis. About half the pcs are marked 'Sterling Porter Blanchard' and the other half is marked 'Sterling David Carlson'. They are obviously the same pattern (to me anyways) and they came in the same set. Does anyone out there know who David Carlson is? Is he affiliated with Porter Blanchard? I attached pics. The first pic is 2 teaspoons, one says Porter Blanchard Sterling on the back and the other David Carlson Sterling on the back. The second pic is a close up of both handles (please excuse the ugly monogram...but it is hand wrought). The 3rd is the Porter Blanchard mark. The 4th is the David Carlson Mark. Any help out there would be greatly appreciated. Not much on-line about Porter Blanchard. Thanks to anyone who can help! Bryan IP: Logged
June Martin Forum Master Posts: 1326 Registered: Apr 93	posted 07-21-2002 12:49 PM David Carlson was a Master Craftsman of the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts and worked for a time in the workshop of Arthur Stone. George Blanchard, Porter's father, also worked in the Stone workshop and was a Master Craftsman of the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts. George Blanchard left Stone in 1909 to start his own shop and was joined by Porter who took over the shop around 1914 and moved it to California in 1923. It is reasonable to surmise that David Carlson knew of the Blanchards through either the Stone association or the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts and that Carlson did some work for the Blanchard shop. Using the Silver Salon Forums Search function for Blanchard, I was able to come up with several previous posts on the subject. For example: Porter Blanchard Cheers. IP: Logged
storms4 Posts: 6 Registered: Jul 2002	posted 07-21-2002 01:48 PM WOW! Thanks so much for the information. You have been of GREAT help! Thanks, Bryan IP: Logged
FredZ Posts: 1070 Registered: Jun 99	posted 07-22-2002 12:00 AM According to Dorthy C. Tracy of the Gardner Mass. Silver Commitee, David Carlson left the Stone workshop to work with the Blanchards in 1919. In 1923, David bought the Porter Blanchards shop and ran it until he died in 1931. At that time George Erickson took over the shop and tools. David had been ill with tuberculosis for several years before his death. Peter Erickson now uses the tools and has moved the shop to his house just a few houses down from the original address on Green Street. I have a few of Mr. Carlson's flatware and I love handling and using them. IP: Logged
Brent Posts: 1507 Registered: May 99	posted 07-22-2002 12:17 AM Just a few additions and clarifications: 1.) Mr. Carlson bought the "existing" Blanchard workshop in 1923, and ran it under his own name until 1931. The Blanchards themselves all moved to California and set up a new workshop, which was the source of most Porter Blanchard marked silver found today. 2.) I would bet that whoever originally owned your set bought the Blanchard pieces first, and bought the additional pieces from Carlson after 1923 to expand the service. 3.) The G on your Blanchard-marked spoon is quite interesting. According to a recent article about Richard Blanchard in Silver magazine, we know that Richard, when producing things in his brother Porter's shop, would sometimes mark his work with an R. We also know that father George Blanchard continued to work in the shop after effective control of the enterprise had been passed to Porter. It seems likely that the G stamp indicates a piece made by George Blanchard. IP: Logged
storms4 Posts: 6 Registered: Jul 2002	posted 07-22-2002 05:59 AM Oh man... you guys are GREAT! The lett 'G' appears on the teaspoons and 12" Large stuffing spoon, The letter 'R' appears on a 10" 2 pc chop set, and the letter 'H' appears on the coffee spoons 4 3/8" and on the ice tea spoons 7 3/4". there is no letter on the ice cream forks 5 15/16" or the carving set fork 11 7/8" knife 15". You know what the other letters might stand for? If you want to see mor pics let me know I can post them. Thanks so much guys! Regards, Bryan IP: Logged
FredZ Posts: 1070 Registered: Jun 99	posted 07-22-2002 08:01 PM This is an incredible group of folks here with an astounding amount of combined information. I believe I should be given the set of carlson/blanchard set since "Z" is my initial... IP: Logged
storms4 Posts: 6 Registered: Jul 2002	posted 07-22-2002 08:13 PM Fred, This has been VERY helpful and VERY interesting finding out the history of this silverware. I really do appreciate all the information people have given me. BTW it polished up beautifully! Thanks again to all and if anyone has any more info that would be GREAT! Regards, Bryan Storms storms4 IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2334 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 02-06-2015 10:10 PM The spoon above has the mark of David Carlson. This spoon is 12 ½” long and makes a great spoon for stirring martinis. Mr. Carlson hand hammered this spoon, but my photographic ability is not good enough to show the attractive patterns he created. He actually has a light touch for this spoon and the hammered look is only apparent in the right light and its appearance adds a bit of mystery to the spoon. Mr. Carlson died very young (I think at the age of 41) as I guess many people did in those days before there was good treatment for tuberculosis. IP: Logged
June Martin Forum Master Posts: 1326 Registered: Apr 93	posted 02-07-2015 02:17 PM Thanks for bringing this post back to life ahwt. It is one of those buried treasures of the forums. IP: Logged
asheland Posts: 935 Registered: Nov 2003	posted 02-09-2015 10:02 AM Great thread indeed! IP: Logged
middletom Posts: 467 Registered: May 2004	posted 03-27-2015 11:54 PM Is Bryan Storms still following this thread? If so, Bryan, might you live in New Jersey? I have a number of cousins named Storms from New Jersey. I don't know how common a name Storms is. Geoff Blake IP: Logged

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