About Michelle Lieberman Expertise My expertise is in the area of American sterling silver and coin silver flatware and holloware, including identifying silversmiths and makers, types and patterns of flatware and their usage. I am unable to answer questions pertaining to silverplate or foreign silver.
Experience With over 25 years experience in selling vintage silver, I now devote much of my time educating others in this field.
Education/Credentials BA California State University Los Angeles
Question I recently got some items from my grandmother's house, and among them were 2 pieces of Wm. Rogers silver flatware. One is a fork, and the other is a baby spoon (with a looped handle). They both have the same mark, which is " Pat Pend", then "Wm Rogers" (little m), surrounded by the eagle and star symbols. From what I've been able to find out, it seems that the spoon must be coin silver dating back to the 1800's, because it says that that mark was used for his coin silver spoons. What I'm wondering is did he make coin silver forks as well? Or is it more likely that the fork is silver plate from a later date? Also, I've looked through hundreds of patterns, and have not been able to identify either of them. They share some similar markings, but I don't know if they're from the same set. Is it possible that they are valuable? Thanks for your help.
Answer Hello Molly.
This is a loaded question without a simple answer. :o)
Yes, William Hazen Rogers did produce silverware in coin silver. You'll find his coin silver marks under his name on this page:
Beginning in 1853 the Wm. Rogers factory switched over to silverplating, and the Wm. Rogers line continues to be strictly silverplate. So if your mark doesn't look like those in the link, it begins to be doubtful it's coin silver.
Now as for your pieces, my gut feeling is that they're silverplate. This is mainly because of the Pat Pend notation (which is short for Patent Pending). Design patents were first issued in the 1840's, but you don't start seeing them for silverware until about 1855, after Rogers' switch over to silverplate. The loop on the baby spoon also makes me think this is a later piece, as I don't recall ever seeing a baby spoon with a bent handle in coin silver
Still, it's all too close for me to say for sure one way or the other, and I'd be much happier if you went and had the pieces tested for silver content at a jeweler (this is a very inexpensive process).
Also, if you want to post a picture of the patterns, I'll see what I can find. This might help narrow things down.
