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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 Continental / International Silver
 c1806 Construction of Knife/fork Augsburg Sterling
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| Author | Topic: c1806 Construction of Knife/fork Augsburg Sterling |
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burwoodhall Posts: 41 |
posted 11-17-2006 08:34 PM
  
[26-1261] In my quest for 18th century and federal pieces, a period which I love, I found these wonderful specimens that appear to be from Augsburg c1806 I think. I wanted to share these lovely antiques made by Fredrick E. Dossdorf. I have been waiting for these to arrive by USPS as they were bought in Florida in September 2006 but I could not bring them back home on the airplane. I can't help but wonder how they found their way into a heap of silverplate flatware in an antique mall. If they could only speak. Here is what they look like - Set of 2 Knives & Forks Augsburg Town mark c1806, I think. IP: Logged |
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burwoodhall Posts: 41 |
posted 11-17-2006 08:50 PM
1. Does anyone know the �style� of these handles and forks? I thought it was "hanover" but when I checked my flatware style books, I couldn't find it. I'm wondering if more were made that could be found to complete a set? Did the Augsburg silversmiths keep a "catalog" of their styles or items that they made? 1b. This is a strange looking fork, more like a sharp pitchfork. Did this style have a name? Would the fork tines be carbon steel at this date, looks too dark to be silver but they have no sign of rust? The knife blades are made by H. Muller in Wurzburg (whom I could not find on the internet) and appear to be sterling or would they be "closeplate"? Would Muller also be a silversmith and why would he make the blades and Dossdorf make the handles in another city? 2. I am wondering how these blades were made, are the blades Sterling, and why there appears to be a sloppy silver line on the blade as if the silver had been poured in a mold? Did they cast blades from silver, wouldn�t that make them brittle? Note what appears to be an extra layer of silver along the edge or was this just puddling of silver in the manufacture of the blade? 3. Below Makers Mark FED. Note the only ornamentation to this style is this series of little lines around the edge of the handle. 4. Town mark Pine cone over R. Wondering why they would repeat the same series of date letters for years in a cycle which would make dating confusing as the letter would reappear again 26 years later. Can I buy commercial fixative or pitch to put the blade back in the handle? How does one do that? Do i pick out the old pitch? Thank you all...Hilda IP: Logged |
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adelapt Posts: 418 |
posted 11-17-2006 10:24 PM
If the forks and knives are the date you suggest, then there's quite likely not a definite pattern name for them, and they are likely to have been generic of the period. The style of fork is only strange because it is not what we've been accustomed to for a hundred years or more. In the 18th and 19th centuries it wouldn't have looked odd at all. The knife blades would probably have been close plated, with maybe an additional layer of silver close to the cutting edge, because of the expected wear pattern. As knife blades were made by specialists known as cutlers (hence knives are cutlery), it would be quite normal for the blades and handles to be from different makers, and different towns or cities. To re-fix blades into handles it would pay to consult a good silversmith, rather than do something irrevocable yourself with a fast setting cement and maybe get them out of alignment. The pitch would be best removed, which is again a job for the silversmith, as it involves heating, but not over-heating. Finding matching pieces would probably be possible, but more likely in Europe than USA, where they would have probably been taken by immigrants. IP: Logged |
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FWG Posts: 845 |
posted 11-22-2006 11:58 AM
Judging from the photos -- not always reliable -- I'd say the blades appear to be good quality carbon steel. Some of the patterning you see would result from the process of folding and forging the metal (for the best examples of such see Japanese swords and Indonesian krises, along with the finest "Damascus" steel). I've had good luck resetting the blades in such pieces by carefully heating the handles in a boiling water bath to soften the pitch. But don't walk away and leave them in to boil, or the pitch will melt and run out into the water! [This message has been edited by FWG (edited 11-22-2006).] IP: Logged |
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burwoodhall Posts: 41 |
posted 11-24-2006 04:35 AM
Adelapt, thank you and FWG for the feedback. I will try the hot water trick to see if the pitch softens and if I can then re-seat the knife blade into the pitch. You can't really tell from the pictures but the blades do look like they are covered with silver if not solid silver. However, where the blade has worn near the tip, I do not see a different color metal peaking through. Do you know if exposed carbon steel of that period would show signs of rust? I don't see rust anywhere on the blades. Thank you both again and hope you had a great Thanksgiving. Hilda [This message has been edited by burwoodhall (edited 11-24-2006).] IP: Logged |
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adelapt Posts: 418 |
posted 11-24-2006 01:40 PM
Carbon steel blades would only show sign of rust if they were rusty... If they've been well kept and dry there probably wouldn't be obvious rust spots. With close plate you'd notice the worn areas around the blade edges and at the base of the blades would be most susceptable. Rust under the silver coating shows as blisters, deforming the overlying metal. IP: Logged |
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