posted 10-04-2001 02:51 PM            

Your plates were most likely made by the J.C. Boardman Co. of New Haven , and later Wallingford, CT.. I'm not sure why your pieces say New York. The Boardman Co. was founded in 1953, and was out of business by 1992. They were prolific makers of pewter in the 50's, and had a full line of silverplate and some sterling hollowware. They were on a rather ambitious track in the 1980's, gearing up to produce sterling flatware and developing an extensive distribution network. I remember seeing their products in stores as recently as 1990. Still, something must have happened, as the company folded in 1992.

So...Your plates are most likely silverplate, or possibly highly polished pewter. They may be quite new, certainly no older than the 1950's.

I hope this helps!

posted 02-16-2003 10:37 PM            

quote:

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Boardman Silversmiths of Meriden
Oldest family-owned silver company in the world is located in Connecticut.

The Miss America Pageant, the U.S. Open tennis tournament, the Super Bowl, the Bob Hope Desert Classic, the Calder Cup – all have gleaming, unique trophies. And all these trophies were made by Boardman Silversmiths, one of the last remaining silver manufacturers in Meriden.

“We’ve always been know for making one-of-a-kind pieces,” said Burton E. Boardman, the company president.

The company’s, and the family’s, roots go deep into American silver and pewter-making. As far back as 1798, Thomas Boardman and his brother, Sherman Boardman, were making silverware in Hartford. As their descendants began to leave home and set up shop elsewhere, the name came to epitomize American silver and pewter.

Timothy Boardman worked in New York City in 1822; the Boardman & Hart and Boardman & Hall companies thrived in New York and Philadelphia, respectively; J. D. Boardman and Henry S. Boardman worked in Hartford in the 19th century. (Another relative, Elijah Boardman, founded the town of Boardman, Ohio.)

One of the most well-known family members was Luther Boardman of East Haddam, who specialized in so-called “britannia ware,” an amalgam of tin, copper and antimony that was extremely popular in the early 1800s.

In the 19th century, when it was known as “the Silver City of the World,” Meriden was home to dozens of silver manufacturers, many of which united to form International Silver in the 1890s. Now, besides a few silverware repairers, there are only two: Boardman, and Valerio Albarello Inc., which is located on Hanover Street in South Meriden. Employing 20 people, Valerio Albarello makes hollowware and specialty silver goods for Reed & Barton, Tiffany, and other firms. It has been in Meriden since 1978.

The present Boardman Company, which employs between 22 and 35 people depending on the season, was begun in 1985 when Burton Boardman purchased his father’s business, J. C. Boardman & Co., which was located in Wallingford not far from the Oakdale theater.

“The family tradition is that you don’t inherit the business, you buy it,” he explains. “And at the same time, you change the company’s name, if only slightly.”

Among the items manufactured by J. C. Boardman were the silver bowls that movie star Grace Kelly gave her bridal attendants when she married Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956.

In 1996, Burton Boardman moved the company to Meriden, where several ancestors had practiced the family trade. “I found that there was room in the old Parker manufacturing Building on Pratt Street,” he says. “The floors here are 16 inches thick, which is perfect for our needs.”

Today, Boardman Silversmiths limits itself to three areas of trade:

Sports and pageant trophies, including several NASCAR events, the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, tennis, football, the Jockey Gold Cup, the Seagrams Seven Crowns of Sports trophies, and more;

High-end corporate pieces, usually retirement gifts and awards for Fortune 500 companies;

And a limited line of jewelry for the country’s most exclusive stores. “We go after a fraction of the top 1 percent of the marketplace,” Boardman explains. “It tends to be inflation- and recession- proof, which is not true for the department store trade. No matter what, you’ll always see cars pulling up in front of Tiffany’s.” The New York jeweler is a customer, as are shops in Beverly Hills and other tony communities.

Although the company does make bowls, tankards, and other standard pieces, Boardman says he is most proud of his unique creations. “If someone says to me ‘It can’t be done,’ that piques my interest,” he laughs. And for some of his customers, price is no object. “If someone has the money, and they want a piece that won’t be duplicated anywhere else,” he says, “they come to talk to us.”

With silversmithing roots stretching back to the 18th century, Boardman has one eye on the future, especially since he turned 60 earlier this year. He and his wife have two children; one is an attorney, and the other works for a think tank. Neither, he says, has shown much interest in the silver business.

“But I’ve also got nephews and nieces,” he says. “I’m sure I’ll be able to get some family members involved.”

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posted 02-17-2003 01:07 PM            

Thomas Danforth (1784-1873), Sherman (1787-1861), and Timothy (1798-1825) were the sons of Oliver Boardman and Sarah Danforth (of the famous pewtersmith family). Thomas and Sherman trained as pewtersmiths under their uncle, Samuel Danforth in Hartford CT; possibly Timothy trained with him as well, but I have nothing to confirm it. As was noted, Thomas and Sherman set up shop in Hartford, while Timothy spent his short career in New York City. There is nothing to indicate any work in silver.

Luther Boardman was only distantly related (4th cousin) to the Hartford Boardman line. He was born in 1812, the son of Jason and Lydia (Deming) Boardman of Wethersfield CT. He married Lydia Ann Frary in 1838 in Meriden CT, moved on to East Haddam and became a leading manufacturer of britannia and silverplate goods.

Elijah Boardman (1760-1823) was again distantly related to all of the above - roughly a 3rd cousin. In addition to establishing Boardman OH in later life, he also served as a member of the Connecticut state house of representatives, 1803-05, 1816; a member of Connecticut state senate at-large, 1819-20; U.S. Senator from Connecticut, 1821-23, dying in office. His son, William Whiting Boardman, followed this political bent, serving as a member of the Connecticut state senate 4th District, 1830-32; a member of Connecticut state house of representatives, 1836-39, 1845, 1849-51; Speaker of the Connecticut State House of Representatives, 1836, 1839, 1845; and U.S. Representative from Connecticut 2nd District, 1840-43. No one in this Boardman line took up the silver or pewter trade that I have found.