Featured Thanks to all Contributors!

Is there a good website that shows the shape and sizes of various sterling utensils and there uses? Not patterns, just their uses.

I retired a few years ago - To keep active I have been purchasing items from auctions both in person and through various online sites.

I purchase mostly sterling items and silver coins. The thought behind it being is that silver has an absolute value, so if the item does not sell on its own merit it still has a "melt value" although I hate to use the latter option.

I have posted several item inquiries on this site and I am overwhelmed by the expertise and generosity of the people here. With their help I am getting pretty good identifying most British hallmarks, other countries are next but still baffle me sometimes, but there is always help here. I wish to learn enough to eventually help others on this site.

I recently purchased a huge lot of miscellaneous silver flatware most of which I was able to identify.

Now here is the funny part!

I know in the Victorian era and pre if you didn't have a grapefruit spoon for your guests you could be shunned by the upper aristocracy.

Maybe it is a good idea we have dwindled it down to about 5!

I have about 200 (Not souvenirs) spoons for example most of which are different sizes and shapes.

 

Yippee! My favorite thing! In answer to your question, Replacements.com is rather good at shapes and sizes, but there are always oddments which appear. Or variations which vary...considerably, or differences from hemisphere to hemisphere, or peculiarities in nomenclature which help greatly in the understanding of some unrelated art. (T. S. Eliot's coffee spoons, for example. When I learned that that's what the Brits call what we call demitasse spoons, I suddenly understood how he was "measuring out" his frustration.

Post pictures and sizes here, and we will all try to help.

 

You can also look at the Utensils section of Sterling Flatware Fashions.

https://www.sterlingflatwarefashions.com/Utensils/1Utensils.html

 

Here are a few of which I have identified the Makers. From left to right 5", 5", 4 3/4", 3 1/2", 3 1/2" - I guess the first 2 are some sort of variation of the 5 o clock spoons - The other 3? Maybe salt or condiment spoons? Thanks.

 

The first from left with those 2 small notches in the bowl is more likely a version of fruit spoon, than 5 o'clock.

The fifth from the left looks more ladle-ish than I am used to seeing for salts - could be "master salt" though. Is the bowl gilded or goldwashed?

At 4 3/4" I think number 4 is an egg spoon for eating soft-boiled egg still in it's shell.

 

Left to right (and going by your estimation of the proper length for a five o'clock spoon): small jelly spoon (breakfast for two size), #2 & probably #3 = 5 o'clocks, #4 is either as Bakers said, an egg spoon, or for advocaat (Yummy!!), #5 = (aBs) master salt, and #6 - dunno about that little fellow!

 

Hm. Number 5 to me, is mustard, as would six be here.

 

"Five o'clock spoon" is not a term I've heard before. Is it American parlance for what others would call a "teaspoon"?

 

Hi,
Reminds me of a joke we Anglican Episcopalians used to tell. A man want to see what Hell consisted of. The devil was taking him around. The first stop was a large gathering of people standing in a muddy pond. The man said what did they do? The devil answered that they were Jewish who did not keep Kosher. They went to another room and there were a lot of people standing around dodging bread crust thrown at them. The man said what did they do? The devil replied they were Catholics who ate meat on Fridays. They next came to a room full of people being hit with chains and boards with nails sticking out, the people were all bloody and screaming. The man said to the devil who are they what did they do? The devil said they were Episcopalians who used a teaspoon instead of a Five o'clock spoon.
greg