Paul Revere Bowls

Q: I have two ‘Paul Revere’ bowls and would like to know if they’re sterling silver or silver plate. One bowl is marked ‘Wilcox, International Silver Co.,’ and the other, ‘Reed and Barton’ with a little chamberstick symbol.

A: The ‘Paul Revere bowl’ is a classic shape based on the ‘Liberty Bowl’ originally made by Paul Revere, the Revolutionary War patriot. Both of your bowls are plated silver, not sterling. Modern sterling silver bowls made in the United States are marked with the word ‘sterling.’ Wilcox Silver Plate Co. of Meriden, Conn., became part of the International Silver Co. in 1898. After that, Wilcox pieces were marked both ‘Wilcox’ and ‘IS.’ Reed & Barton, whose history can be traced back to 1824, used the chamberstick symbol as a date code for the year 1955. So that’s the year your Reed & Barton bowl was made.