Wallace Sterling Silver 4798 Modernique Candy Nut Bon Dish Compote 102g

Description

Vintage 20th century Wallace sterling silver number 4798 candy / nut dish in the Modernique pattern. Pedestal style dish with a simple ribbed collar around the middle.

"Wallace Silversmiths, a prominent American manufacturer of sterling silver, is owned by Lifetime Brands. It was founded by Robert Wallace, born in Prospect, Connecticut, on November 13, 1815. Wallace was the son of Scottish immigrant and silversmith James Wallace and his wife Irene (Williams), who had immigrated in the late 18th century. The boy had only a limited education, such as the sons of the farmers of that period received. At the age of 16, Robert Wallace became an apprentice to Captain William Mix, a renowned spoon maker for the Meriden Britannia Company. A Meriden Britannia apprenticeship was highly sought after because the firm was the most successful cutlery and hollowware-producing firm in the Northeast. Having mastered the art of silver craft, Robert Wallace left his apprenticeship, purchased a dilapidated gristmill, and began to produce his own cutlery. By 1833, Wallace's silver shop was up and running. As Wallace was skilled in spoon making, Wallace's only product was Britannia (a pewter alloy) spoons. One day, while shopping in New York City, Wallace happened upon a piece of cutlery made of a nickel alloy called German silver that had been produced by Dixon and Sons of Sheffield, England. Impressed by the quality and strength of the piece, Wallace bought the formula from the German chemist Dr. Louis Feuchtwanger, who had a small bar of that metal from Germany for the then-unheard sum of $20 and went on to build these new nickel silver spoons. Later, Wallace found a man who had brought the metal recipe. Wallace purchased that, too. In his factory, Wallace then compounded the first German silver made in America and pioneered the new industry. In 1834 Wallace started the manufacture of spoons in German silver, supplying his production to Hall, Elton & Co until 1849. In 1849 Wallace entered in partnership with J.B. Pomeroy manufacturing German silver spoons on contract for Fred R. Curtis & Co of Hartford and Britannia spoons for Hall, Elton & Co and Edgar Atwater of Wallingford. Wallace moved a factory from Cheshire, Connecticut, to a point on the Quinnipiac River in Wallingford, Connecticut. There, Wallace increased production of spoons and cutlery. When the factory was in Cheshire, Wallace produced three dozen spoons per day. In Wallingford, the factory made nine dozen daily. Wallace realized the importance of diversifying his business and began producing a complete range of flatware using the nickel alloy formula. In 1855 was formed the R. Wallace & Co in partnership with Samuel Simpson, H.C. Wilcox, W.W. Lyman and Isaac C. Lewis (partners in the Meriden Britannia Co). In 1865 a new contract was made and the firm was organised under the name of Wallace, Simpson & Co. Robert Wallace took in 1870 the entire control of the firm and the corporate name changed again to R.Wallace & Sons Mfg. Co. in partnership with his sons Robert B. and William J. and his son-in-law W.J. Leavenworth. The factory added to its products sterling goods and high-grade nickel-silver-plated ware, both flat and hollow. Still later, by experiment, Mr. Wallace devised a new process of manufacture from steel. It made a less bulky, firmer, and lighter base for silver plating. In 1875 was founded the Wallace Brothers, a co-partnership of Robert Wallace, his sons Robert B., William J., Henry L., George H., Frank A. and his sons-in-law W.J. Leavenworth and D.E. Morris. The firm manufactured silverplate flatware on a base of cast steel and silverplated holloware. The holloware production ceased in 1879 and Wallace Brothers was acquired by the corporation of R. Wallace & Sons Mfg. Co. Robert Wallace died on June 1, 1892, and the sons and son-in-law continued the business. It grew to be the world's largest manufacturer of flat tableware. The firm opened a plant in Canada (Cookshire, Quebec) in 1924. The Canadian branch was incorporated in 1945 as R. Wallace & Sons of Canada Ltd (sold in 1964). The 1930s were spent improving R. Wallace Mfg. Co.'s mass production techniques. The company released a series of sterling silver patterns created by designer William S. Warren, including Rose Point (1934), Sir Christopher (1936), Stradivari (1937), Grande Baroque (1941), Grand Colonial (1942), and Romance of the Sea (1950). These patterns are called "Three Dimension" because the design of these patterns is apparent from the front, back, or profile. In 1956, R. Wallace and Sons Mfg. Co. purchased the Watson Company and relocated to The Watson Company's Wallingford, Connecticut factory. After the company's relocation, its name became Wallace Silversmiths. In 1958, they purchased both the Tuttle Silver Company and Smith & Smith Company. As a result of this growth, the Hamilton Watch Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, acquired Wallace Silversmiths in 1959. In 1971 it became a division of H.M.W. Industry and in 1983 a Subsidiary of Katy Industries Inc. In 1986 the business was acquired by Syratech Corporation (which also owned Towle Silversmiths) trading hands multiple times before ending up as part of Lifetime Brands in 2006. The company continues to design sterling, silverplate, and stainless steel flatware. The company used various trade marks. Among them DEERFIELD SILVER PLATE, LENOX SILVER PLATE LUXOR PLATE and MELFORD." (Wikipedia / Silver Collection)

Condition

Good Overall - Some tarnish/dents/warping.

Dimensions

6.5" x 2.75" / 102.3 g