46 Pc Holmes & Edwards Inlaid Silver Plate Flatware Spring Garden Folk Art Chest

Description

Vintage 46 piece set of Holmes & Edward Inlaid Silver Plate flatware in the Spring Garden pattern (designed by Sol P. Kaufman, introduced in 1949) produced by the International Silver Company, complete with tarnish resistant folk art painted storage chest. Set includes 16 teaspoons, 2 serving spoons, 8 salad forks, 9 table spoons, 8 dinner forks, butter knife, & a sugar spoon. “The International Silver Company was formed in 1898 by various independent New England silversmiths that, between 1898 and 1903, joined themselves together to form a company that became the world's largest manufacturer of silverware. The International Silver Co. was organized with an authorized capital of $20,000,000 and included many companies each of which had won a place for itself in the silver world. Other companies became part of International Silver Company, either directly or indirectly through one of the initial companies. International Silver Company and its factories were active in the whole Meriden-Wallingford area becoming possibly the larger center for silver craftsmanship in the US. The peak of the production was reached in the late 1930s.
The production of sterling hollowware continued until 1976 while the silver plated hollowware business was sold to Oneida Silversmiths in 1981. Besides the marks bearing its own name or the name of one of the companies organized in the International Silver Company, the silverplate production was marked with a wide array of trademarks. The International Silver Company was sold in 1984 to Katy Industries Inc. changing its name to Wallace International Silversmiths, Wallingford, Connecticut.
This firm markets International Sterling flatware and silverplated flatware under various trademarks (e.g. 1847 Rogers Bros, International Deepsilver,).
In 1986 the business was purchased by a subsidiary of Syratech Corporation.
International Silver Co is now (2020) property of Lifetime Brands, Inc. owner of other historic brands as Gorham, Kirk Stieff, Poole, Towle Silversmiths, Tuttle and Wallace.” “The Holmes & Edwards Silver Co began its activity in 1882 succeeding to Rogers & Brittin. The initial business was the production of low priced plated flatware using its own blanks or simply plating blanks of other manufacturers.
The qualitative leap in Holmes & Edwards production occurred with the acquisition of the invention patents obtained by William A. Warner of Syracuse for a technique of inlaying blocks of sterling silver at the wear points on the back of spoons and forks prior to plating them.
Warner went to work for Holmes & Edwards and his patents (December 9, 1884 and March 2, 1886) brought to the firm a gold medal at the Columbian Exposition in 1893 and a prominent place in silverplate industry.
The Holmes & Edwards plant was taken over in 1898 by the International Silver Company, continuing to operate in Bridgeport until 1931 when it moved to Meriden.
In 1956 the trademark ""SILVER INLAID"" was changed to ""HOLMES & EDWARDS DEEPSILVER"" and in 1960 to ""INTERNATIONAL DEEPSILVER"".
Silver inlaid production was discontinued in 1972 and later marketed by Wallace International Silversmiths Inc.

Condition

Good Overall – Gentle wear from use; tarnish

Dimensions

Box - 16.75” x 11.5” x 3.25” / Largest Piece - 8.5” x 1.625” / Smallest Piece - 6.25” x 1.25” (Length x Width x Height)