A Jelly Spoon Worth Its Weight in Silver

Q: This ornate spoon was purchased to expand a collection of unusual serving pieces. I believe this one is for poached eggs. It is 9 inches long. The bowl has a gold wash. I think the stem is horn. I’ve tried researching the hallmark, and I believe it is from Whiting Silver Co. I was wondering if this spoon could be attributed to Charles Osborne. If it is, how do I authenticate that, and how would that affect its value?

A: This is a sterling silver jelly spoon with an ivory handle, designed by Charles Osborne for the Whiting Silver Company. Osborne worked for Whiting from 1871 to 1878 and again from 1888 to 1915. Between 1879 and 1887, Osborne worked for Tiffany & Co. The griffn hallmark identifies it as being made by Whiting; it also bears the word “Sterling,” and a pattern number of “2888,” indicative of the “Ivory” pattern. There is no date code which establishes a date of production prior to 1905. Whiting used date codes between the years 1905 and 1924; your piece probably dates to around 1890.

Whiting produced approximately twenty-seven pieces in this line. Each piece was embellished with ornate fenestrations, repoussé decoration, and carved ivory handles. The ivory typically bears a brown tint at the proximal portion of the handle, which is reminiscent of the warm chocolate brown of well-aged meerschaum.

Your jelly spoon bears all the classic ornate designs of Osborne, particularly the fenestrated, repoussé embellishments along the shoulder, the tinted, carved ivory handle, and the gilt-washed bowl. It is worth noting that during the latter half of the 19th century, the use of ivory or “white gold” in flatware was highly prized and used by Whiting, Tiffany, and Gorham as well.

Your jelly spoon might sell in the $350.00 to $400.00 range, and that’s a lot of jelly.

 

Our guest appraiser is Dr. Anthony Cavo, a certified appraiser of art and antiques and a contributing editor to Kovels Antique Trader. Cavo is also the author of Love Immortal: Antique Photographs and Stories of Dogs and Their People.

 

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