Q: I found this Tiffany spoon at an antiques shop more than 40 years ago. In all that time, my research hasn't turned up any information at all on it. Can you help?
A: Your spoon was a major puzzle for us. The patent date in the mark indicates the year the design was patented. Tiffany used lower-case or upper-case date letter marks beginning in 1869 to indicate when the pattern was actually made. The marks were either raised or incused (hammered, pressed, or stamped). The lower-case "m" indicates that the silver was made c.1869-c.1875, when Edward C. Moore was head designer. After Moore's death in 1891, the initial of the last name of the president of Tiffany was used as the date letter mark. The lower-case "m" was also used from 1907-1947. Your spoon is a pattern called Lap Over Edge, designed by the superintendent of Tiffany's silver factory. It was introduced in 1880 and was an active pattern until 1904. It is a unique pattern because a complete set of Lap Over Edge silver includes many different decorations. Designs were inspired by Japanese design books and included animals, birds, insects, and plants. Special designs were made to order. Decorations were etched, engraved, chased, applied, or inlaid. The name of the decoration was hand-scratched onto the back of some pieces. Your spoon could sell for as much as $500.
2 comments:
Yesterday, I was at the Morse Museum, in Winter Park Fla. It has an extensive collection of Tiffany art, lamps, pottery & stain glass. Perhaps they can give you some info on the spoon in your article. Their email address is; www.morsemuseum.org.
Dear Kovel Komments,
This is truly a coincidence
I have inherited a small spoon ( several decades ago) that has (what looks to be & has an authentic "combined LCT mark" on it!) If it is original would it be valuable & if yes, how much?
PS. If you are interested I have very good pictures (of it) that I can email to you.
PS. PS. For many years (maybe over ten years) "until our economy went south" I really enjoyed receiving & reading your monthly newsletter! Thank You "Very much" !
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