posted 03-01-2014 01:41 PM            

The service consists of five pieces, marked "sterling," "middle Georgian," what must be a pattern number "L475" and signed with the letters "EB" inside a circle. It was a wedding present from my grandparents to my parents in 1941. It came with a silver plate tray that was not part of the set, marked "made in England" and "PP377."

Except for connecting the signature with Edward Ball Co. of New York, there seems to be little information about Edward Ball on the internet. One post in this forum speculated that he might have been George Edward Ball, born in England in 1875, son of Charles and Clara Elizabeth Ball and brother of Percy B. Ball.

I thought I would share what I know about Edward Ball.

He was born in New York state between 1880 and 1886, the son of German immigrants. His wife was Edith V. Ball; it seems likely he was the Edward Ball who married Edith V. Herman in NYC on 10 July 1906. They apparently had no children. He died between 1930 and 1940.

In 1910, Edward and Edith lived in Manhattan, when he was a silver ware merchant. In 1920, they lived in Islip, N.Y., when he was a silver manufacturer. In 1922, the Edward Ball Co., silversmiths, had offices at 1328 Broadway, and his home was in Brightwater [sic], L.I. In 1930 they lived in Brightwaters, L.I., when he was a silver salesman. In 1940 his widow lived again in Islip.

posted 03-01-2014 06:32 PM            

There is a (terrible) photo of one of the pieces on the Greensboro, NC, replacements website. Someday I'll figure out how to post a photo or two here.

There are a few other pieces, most easy to identify, from Alvin, Caldwell, Hirsch, Manchester, Schofield, Stieff, Tiffany, Wallace, Webster and Whiting. Others will take more to work to identify; some may be English, Dutch and German.