Save the Silver!

I have spent the fall and winter caring for Emma. This past Sunday was the first day off I have had away from the children since November 1. I was really looking forward to antiquing with my mom in Atlanta. We went to Scott's Antique Market. It is located just off either side of the 285 exit of Jonesboro Road the second weekend of every month - two huge buildings filled with most anything you could want, some overpriced and some incredible bargains! All beautiful!!!

I would have loved to buy these pale blue glass plates with the fleur-de-lis!

And I almost couldn't breathe over these GORGEOUS yellow Fostoria glasses.

Beautiful things, right? Well, we were headed there for silver. 

On this visit, the sterling silver pickings were slimmer than ever before. Some of our beloved dealers have quit coming. Dealers selling by the ounce have replaced them. Sterling patterns are often thrown together in torn plastic freezer bags. They are haphazardly piled about. Many of the new dealers have no idea what they have, they just know what it weighs and what they will sell it for. And that was really depressing. Sterling prices have risen steadily, but now vintage and new pieces are disappearing. 

Forever.

We inquired from one dealer about a pattern we didn't recognize.We'd never met him in the past, and we were immediately put on our guard that he didn't know what the pattern was. It was simply marked State House Silver, and there were 6 teaspoons, 6 soup spoons, 6 salad forks, and 6 dinner forks. (I managed to identify it through Replacements. It is Inaugural, discontinued in 1942. I have posted a link to a picture here. http://www.replacements.com/webquote/SHSINA.htm Look at the forks. They are so pretty. *sigh*) I remarked to my mother how easy it would be to put this classic pattern on the table with mother-of-pearl knives. 

Get ready to be shocked.

The dealer snatched up the silver and put it on the scale, telling us at 36$ an ounce, it was coming in at just under a thousand dollars. As the mother of a sick child who has stayed home, (and not worked much), since the beginning of November, that was not an amount I was going to spend. I hedged politely. The man became angry, threatening to melt it for that much. "I'll melt it right in front of you. I don't care!" He growled at us! He was aggressive, leaning towards us, holding two soup spoons! "You don't care if it gets melted?!" He carried on. Was loud. And louder. He was shaking the spoons and his fist!

And he bent the two soup spoons in front of us, destroying them forever. Who has ever heard of such of a thing?  

Needless to say, we moved on.

As we browsed the decent dealers, describing the incident, we heard the same story over and over. They can't move inventory at these prices. They have to sell at the melting price or they can't replace their inventory. They talked about the great silver meltdown of the 1980's, (Hunt brothers), that destroyed the silver value. It is sickening to think of the destruction of these precious items with such artistic and unique value. 

One justification for buying silver is that it will always be worth something. People are certainly discovering that in this time of high silver prices. But I think the cost of the destruction of tons of silver heirlooms is even higher. I realize that silver needs care. And it's easy to make a quick buck right now pawning off grandma's goodies. 

But how can you part with these precious pieces? They may be some of the only things you own of real value, both in terms of the silver itself, but also in terms of the design, artistic merit, sentimentality, and historical significance.

For instance, my pattern, Sir Christopher (begun in 1936) by Wallace, is named for Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. The motifs on the silver mimic his most famous works. The pattern is notable because it was designed by William Warren and is one of his masterpieces to carry a discernible pattern on the front and the back of each piece. He also designed Grande Baroque, Rose Point, Stradivari, Romance of the Sea, and Grand Colonial. One brief source on the history of Wallace Silversmiths is Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Silversmiths_Inc..

I understand the practicality and ease of stainless. I have several stainless patterns in addition to the silver patterns in our house. There are some really amazing designers in the world of stainless. The first that comes to mind is Stanley Roberts. But the more you use your silver, the less you have to polish it. And can stainless compare to the timelessness and beauty of silver?

  

One last thing:

The day was not a total loss! We made friends with a new silver dealer from Americus, Georgia. We discussed New York theatre and classic plays and films for at least a half hour. I am currently trying to save Apollo by Alvin (1900). And my mother and I saved pieces of Blackinton's Cherry Blossom (1903) and Reed & Barton's Francis I. 

Francis I is Emma's pattern, and the pieces were gifts because she was not allowed to go due to her illness. The first was a gold-washed master salt spoon. We got a good price because the dealer knew we weren't melters. Most good dealers have a soft spot for those of us who treasure the silver for its intrinsic value.

But the second item we bought for her was somewhat of a mystery. The sweet dealer knew and loved his silver, but this fork was a mystery to him as well. It appeared to be a well-worn piece. We asked around and did our research. There were some strong contenders for what kind of fork this was, but we had a hard time verifying any of our guesses with Reed & Barton or any other image on the internet. We guessed a ramekin fork, a lobster fork, and a lemon fork.

In the end, we learned it is a lemon fork! Thank you, again, Replacements, for picture of items you do not have in stock!

What a fun mystery to solve and a wonderful piece to add to her collection. So, we are doing our part trying to save vintage silver and its dealers one piece at a time.  Feel free to help us!

-Andrea


Sharing at:
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/
http://www.ontheverge6.com
http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/
http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
http://iloveprettylittlethings.blogspot.com/
http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/
http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/
http://ljm-alacarte.blogspot.com/
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/
http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/
http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/
http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/
http://www.dittledattle.blogspot.com/
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

http://makingtheworldcuter.blogspot.com/

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

If Andy Warhol Can Do It... (Recipes to Follow)

Food as decoration - I do it all the time! And not just on the plate!


Valentine's has been gone long enough, and I was in the mood for some red. Maybe it is because Sunday was cold enough to get one last wear out of winter clothes.

Also, I really do try to use each tablescape for a real meal, and this was thrown together for supper. Pardon the lighting, but it was nearly dark outside.

I grabbed the nearest things handy:

Shelf 1

More red books. Some are cookbooks, some are just filling in for color.

Shelf 2

Campell's soup cans. I love popart. This was the first decision I made. I knew I was making a couscous for dinner, so the table was already set with individual soup tureens (soup terrines). These nifty little items were $2 at BigLots. They are in stores where we live right now.

The rooster plates are from a thrift store in Stockbridge, GA. The plates are a pattern by Maxcera. They say, "Bonjour," "Buenos Días," and "Good Morning!" around the rim. They were $3.03 each. I wonder who priced them at $3.03. Why not $3.00? Or $3.05? Strange.

For depth, I used small glass liqueur glasses in different colors that I picked up at an antique show as a teen. (I guess they are liqueur classes. Or very tiny flower vases. :) )

Shelf 3

My fancy $2 red salad plates from Dillard's. The shape is really unusual and they were reduced from $15. 

The foreign phrases in the rooster plates got me thinking about travel souvenirs. Along with the popart them, I added the Coca-Cola bottles in Arabic from Morocco.

And I added Emma's little camel. A man we met in the street in Tethouan was so charmed with her that he came and found us again later in the day and gave it to her as a gift.

Emma in Morocco, April, 2006

  

On the ends, I added red heart-shaped glass votives. But because they are on a high shelf, you can't tell they are hearts.

Top

I added a red glass candy dish and vintage bowl.

For color, I took a plate off of my children's art shelf.  Emma made this plate at a friend's birthday party in first grade. And luckily, her kindergarten graduation picture has a red background. The Russian nesting dolls were a gift from my grandmother-in-law, Irene.

On the table, I added a Pier 1 pitcher filled with garden greenery with red placemats and napkins. The white dinner plates are my Dollar Tree specials, and the crystal is Longchamp by Durand. I bought these glasses at Dillard's years ago, but this crystal is very common and inexpensive. You can find a ton of it on eBay.

For dinner, I made a very quick 10-minute couscous. Using some of the left over lemons from my mom's Travelscape this week, I also made some hummus, pita chips, and steamed broccoli.  Delish!

10-minute Couscous

Box of pre-flavored couscous

OR 

Box of plain couscous

1 can chicken broth

AND

1 can sweet corn and/or miscellaneous veggies you have on hand

1/2 cup of feta (if on hand)

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (if on hand)

Ready-to-eat grilled chicken (if on hand)

Cook couscous as directed, adding about 2 T. butter or olive oil if the box doesn't tell you to.

While the couscous cooks (in about 5 minutes), open a can of corn, combine it with the chicken, and heat it in the microwave for about 2 minutes.

Rinse and cut up the sundried tomatoes. I actually prefer one of those hand choppers or a food processor.

Combine the corn, couscous, tomatoes, and cheese. At this point, I usually heat it all in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften the cheese, but you can top the warm mixture with the cold feta if you prefer.

This recipe is perfectly fine with just the corn. But the more you add, the yummier. 

Fast Hummus

1-3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped fine OR garlic salt to taste

juice of 1-2 lemons

1-2 cans chick peas (garbanzo beans)

olive oil for consistency

salt to taste

I start with the garlic in the food processor. I add the garbanzo beans and a tablespoon or two of olive oil. I squeeze the lemons separately. (First, I roll them with all of my weight on the counter top. Then, I cut them in half and squeeze. It's much easier that way.) I add the lemon juice.  I salt to taste.  I like to cut up fresh red pepper and other veggies for serving , though my family also likes melba toast and tortilla chips. Tonight, they were stuck with pita chips, which I love and they tolerate. Hummus is also good on hard bread sandwiches with chicken and lettuce. 

Enjoy!

-Andrea

Sharing at:

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com

http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

http://www.thegypsyscorner.com/

http://www.thethriftyhome.com/

http://apronthriftgirl.typepad.com

http://www.savedbylovecreations.com/

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com

http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/

http://www.frugalityisfree.com

http://www.ontheverge6.com

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

http://iloveprettylittlethings.blogspot.com/

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/
http://frenchcupboard.blogspot.com/
http://ljm-alacarte.blogspot.com/

http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

http://www.dittledattle.blogspot.com/

http://makingtheworldcuter.blogspot.com/

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

http://www.thegypsyscorner.com/

Is it Winter or Spring? (With recipes!)

For just a few hours here and there over the weekend, there was rain, wind, and falling temperatures. Only to be followed by a beautiful, bright sun! It was muddy enough that the kids could not play outside, and boring enough that they didn't want to stay in! Both the air conditioning and the heater ran Saturday!

As for me, I am eager for the brightness of spring, but the chill has put me in the mood for some homemade soup!

This table was an impromptu design bringing in the spring colors and my desire for some yummy soup. I have added a few of my recipes below.  

I really hadn't intended to do a tablescape. However, I was cleaning the kitchen and polishing the silver. First the tureen, then the goblets...I got carried away.

The tureen is a new treasure from eBay. This is the first time I have used it. It was a great find. This was the eBay description:


"This auction is for an antique English silverplate soup tureen by Henry Wilkinson & Co., circa 1850.  This beautifully styled piece measures 10 1/2" tall and 16" wide from handle to handle, and is marked as pictured below.  Structural condition is excellent, with no dents, dings or restorations what so ever.  There is however a small amount of pitting on the lid, visible in the photos, and on the interior of the tureen.  Still, nothing out of the ordinary for a 160 year old piece of silverplate."

This is a picture of the maker's mark:

This is the site where I verified the information:

http://www.silvercollection.it/ENGLISHSILVERMARKSXHDUE3.html#918ING

The goblets are part of a dozen that were purchased on lay-away at an antique show in Savannah while I was in college.  That was before the price of silver soared. :) They were already engraved with the correct letter.

The butter paddles below are one of my favorite pieces of flatware. I am not a huge fan of passing butter around with a master butter knife balancing precariously. It is incredibly awkward, even for adults. I treasure these useful little items!

The dinner pattern that I chose fifteen years ago still goes with everything. I really wanted something with color, but I listened to my mother and selected a timeless pattern first. I will say, though, that not every silver pattern works perfectly with Tuxedo by Lenox. But my silver, Sir Christopher by Wallace does.

The soup bowls were a steal. I found them at a Lenox outlet and purchased the last six. I have eight now. They are the pattern Republic, and there are little red enamel dots around the rim. They blend with many patterns.

Let's see...what else ended up on the table?

The flower vases were another Lenox outlet find. The Jacquard Gold oval vegetable by Lenox was purchased for me by my mother as a gift many years ago in Las Vegas. Once upon a time, there were Lenox outlets everywhere! (Our pre-travel conversations go like this: "What do you want me to bring back as a souvenir for you from _______?" "China, silver, or crystal.")

You may recognize the thumbprint goblets from the Mardi Gras table. They are faux carnival glass and were one of my eBay bargains.

The yellow and rust embroidered placemats and the table runner were purchased at Target on sale a few weeks ago. The napkins are part of a set that were used in our very first post.

The crystal butter dish is an old TJ Maxx find.

The Alvin art deco silver bowl was a birthday present I picked out at an antique show as a teenager. Think of all of the things my friends received when they turned 13, 14, or 15! I wonder what happened to all of the clothes, cassette tapes, and curling irons, etc. I never asked for anything of the sort! I knew then I didn't want to waste money on things that wouldn't be around. :)

Finally, I have used a matching cloth napkin in a silverplate bread basket.

So, if you sat down at the table to join us, this would be your view:

Thank you for coming by! The recipes are below. :)


- Andrea

Fast and Easy Homemade Chili

This is another one of those "I don't measure" recipes that I throw together when short on ingredients.

Ground beef - 1-3 lbs.

1 can of tomato paste and water per pound OR I standard size can of Tomato sauce per pound OR both

(either way, you will may have to add enough water to cover and/or cornstarch to thicken if the sauce is too thin)

At least one can of kidney beans (or not if you don't have one!)

Spices on hand: salt, pepper, cumin, chili pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder, and garlic salt.

Fry and drain meat. Mix in spices while cooking - in any combination of you have on hand.  (Whatever you end up with will taste great, even if it's not your dream chili.) I usually sprinkle each across the the entire top of the meat as it is cooking. Some I like to "see,", like the peppers. Some I go a little lighter on, like the cumin, until I get to taste-test stage.  I stir in the addition of each spice. I drain the meat and add to a pot, along with whatever tomato base I have and enough water to cover and the kidney beans. I bring the mixture to a boil, and taste test. I add whatever I think it needs - spices, cornstarch, sometimes a little flour, etc. A warning about the cornstarch and the flour: if will lump up if you aren't careful. You can always dissolve it in a small cup of water first and then add.  Or you can make a little roux and add it.

Easy Crock Pot Potato Soup

I found this on at: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/slow-cooker-creamy-potato-soup/Detail.aspx

It is yummy!

• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 5 large potatoes, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 
  

• Place bacon and onion in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until bacon is evenly brown and onions are soft. Drain off excess grease.

• Transfer the bacon and onion to a slow cooker, and stir in chicken broth, water, potatoes, salt, dill weed, and white pepper. Cover, and cook on Low 6 to 7 hours, stirring occasionally.

• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and half-and-half. Stir into the soup along with the evaporated milk. Cover, and cook another 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

Sharing at:
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/
http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/
http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/
http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2011/03/55th-table-top-tuesday.html
http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/