Coin Silver Pear & Brother Boston, MA Serving Spoon, ca. 1868

Description

Replacement
Sterling 925
A Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business
Since 1974
Presents…
a coin silver serving spoon crafted by Pear & Brother of Boston, Massachusetts.  There is a monogram on the reverse handle tip that appears to be “D.C.”.  It is in good estate condition with typical minor surface scratches.  It measures 8 1/4″ long and weighs 47.9 grams.
The pictures are part of the description
and all items are presented as found.  Please ask questions prior to
bidding.
Code
# KJK
(LL/XZ)
7-27
-2021.
Thank you for purchasing or considering one of our coin silver
offerings.  We wanted to share with you information regarding your
selection.  More likely than not, your purchase predates 1870.
There is a difference between coin silver and sterling. 
Coin Silver is 90% silver and sterling is .925%.  There is a
difference of 2.5%.  It is the same composition as American
coins made prior to 1964.  Part of the reason silver of all
types tarnishes is due to the copper alloy contained in the piece. In coin
silver there is 10% copper to give it strength.
From our colonial times until recently, silver signified
affluence.  For the most part coin silver flatware demanded a degree
of hand craft by a city/town silversmith.  After the 1870’s and the
establishment of the sterling standard silver mass manufacturing became
prevalent.  Perhaps one of the leading examples would be the Gorham
Silver Company which started at 1 Steeple Street in Providence, RI as a
silversmith in hand crafted or lightly manufactured pieces.  After
1870 the craft of hand production was eliminated except for special
orders.
The Gorham company owned their own mines and after the
Civil War had mining interests in the American Southwest or wherever a
profitable mine could produce adequate silver for its endeavors. The Comstock
Lode of 1859 catapulted the industry into mass manufacturing and by 1870
sterling had all but replaced coin silver.  The small, local
silversmiths were replaced by jewelry shops and ‘fancy goods’
merchants; these shops retailed sterling silver made in large, mostly Northern,
factories.
Collectors today are hindered by the lack of available
pre-1800 silver which is rare due to the fact there was a smaller
population of affluence.  It wasn’t until the industrial revolution
that silver manufacturing became more affordable and was proportionate to those
who were obtaining modest to great wealth.
We have heard repeatedly that coin silver is inferior to
sterling. That is simply not the truth. The 10% alloy of copper makes it
stronger.  It is the gauge of the metal thickness that makes coin
silver apt to bend and dent more readily then sterling.  Your
purchase has a real place in our country’s history.  It was a craft
originally found in cities and towns.  It later became as many other
items a mass produced commodity by a group of large manufacturing
companies.  We recommend “Sterling Flatware Fashions” as a resource
to identify your treasures.
You may want to consider collecting coin silver made in your
state or in and around city centers prior to 1870.  Remember this
material will always retain a degree of value as gold and
platinum.
Other Information
We will combine shipping on multiple items.
Sales tax applies for South Carolina residents.  A valid
resale certificate is required for tax exempt sales shipped with in South
Carolina.
Please keep our troops and veterans in your prayers and thoughts.