Japan International (WT in a circle) tongs?

[chgo-barb]

I know that International Silver bought up a lot of other manufacturers over time, so many pieces have double markings, but I can't find anything that might match these tongs. Not really even sure they're silverplate!

These sugar or ice tongs are marked "Japan International" and there is then a mark with a W and T inside a circle (maybe it's VV?) My best guess is that they're post-1950's, and American, but I can't figure any more out about them. Sorry I don't have a better picture of the entire tongs.




Any idea what the "WT" could be?

thanks!

[dognose]

Hi,

The company's name is World Tableware International. If I understand it correctly, this was the old Hotel Division of International Silver Co. that was sold off in 1972. Following that date, World Tableware International appear to have a very complicated history of ownership.

It would appear that your tongs were imported, which is no surprise, as the Far East dominated the flatware market at this point in time.

Trev.

[chgo-barb]

Thanks for that info!
That this was a "hotel" division of International makes me wonder if these weren't "accidentally" picked up from a hotel visit at some point in time! :-)

They are pretty generic looking so I suspect identifying the pattern will be difficult, but the search is on!

[dognose]

A few more clues regarding 'World Tableware':

International began to phase out its production of higher quality stainless steel table flatware in Meriden in 1978, but continued to domestically produce one line of lower quality flatware, amounting to * * * pieces a year, for * * *. International's executives have pointed out that, as a domestic producer, the firm could not match the costs and prices of importers. Although the company reported that it was reluctant to close its stainless steel table flatware operations in Meriden, because of the impact on its workers, the firm reported that it had begun to consider this option in light of the Presidential decision not to impose import restrictions on flatware in 1978 as its costs continued to increase. The Taiwan facility continued the production and exportation of lower and middle quality stainless steel table flatware to International. Domestic production of stainless steel table flatware in Meriden ceased totally in July 1983.

In July–December 1983, International, which was composed of two separate stainless steel table flatware divisions, was sold. The World Tableware Division, which served only the institutional market and manufactured stainless steel table flatware in Taiwan, was sold to American Silver Co. (American), Wallingford, Conn., a privately held company, in October 1983. International's retail division manufactured stainless steel table flatware for the consumer market. Wallace Silversmiths, a subsidiary of Kady Industries, in Elgin, Ill., acquired this division in November 1983, renaming the company Wallace International (Wallace). Wallace currently imports stainless steel table flatware from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan; all of its imports are of higher quality merchandise and are marketed through department stores and other high-end retail stores. Attempts were made to obtain production, shipment, and inventory data for International for 1978–1983. As a result of the recent sale, however, the information was unavailable.

Source: Stainless Steel Table Flatware: Report to the President on Investigation No. TA-201-49 Under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 - U.S. International Trade Commission - 1984

Trev.

[Traintime]

World Tableware International, Inc. was registered as a foreign (out of state) entity in California on 02 Aug 1972 for the purpose of importing flatware. This was clearly a wholly owned subsidiary and not a division. (Early marks need to be explored) It is not clear if domestic stainless production (Meriden) was so marked for World or the hotel trade in general. However, we can trace some old history through the Empire pattern. Appearing in silver plate, this design was used by Southern Pacific Railroad for it's Daylight Streamliner trains. Later, it appears in stainless steel with these markings...SERVET, SILCO, INSICO, and unmarked all with the word Stainless (and USA on all but knives). Some pieces are found with a Southern Pacific mark. Rock Island (which had joint services with SP) and Illinois Central marks are also found. The SILCO brand can be traced back to WWII on military canteens as a subsidiary of International Silver. A small butter knife in this pattern has been found marked TAIWAN and the WT circle logo before INSICO STAINLESS. The Empire design is molded on one side only. Finally, this design has been seen recently on lightweight Chinese made wares and named Classic pattern (possibly the Brandware made by Libbey's World Tableware). Similar to the contrails design of Northwest Airlines (on jet tails), the curves of Empire actually match the paint design on SP's steam locomotives and this may be the origin of a pattern that became a Hotel Division standard apparently. I expect INSICO was the last mark of domestic production with the WT globe (circle) reserved for imported wares. Let's keep looking!

[silverly]

From the USPTO online site:

Word Mark WT
Goods and Services (CANCELLED) IC 008. US 023. G & S: stainless steel and silverplated flatware; namely, knives, forks, and spoons; wedding cake knives. FIRST USE: 19570630. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19670630
(CANCELLED) IC 014. US 002 013 028. G & S: silver-plated candelabras, urns, and crumb scrapers; silver-plated hollow-ware; namely, coffee servers, tea pots, cream pitchers, sugar bowls, water pitchers, sauce boats, condiment servers, cruets, butter servers, wine servers, cake displays, samovars, water pitchers, vegetable dishes and covers, meat dishes and covers, bread trays, fish platters, seafood platters, soup tureens, cake stands, icecream bowls, oil and vinegar holders, grated cheese holders, wine coolers and stands, trays for dinner checks, placecard holders, jiggers, vases, finger bowls, chafing dishes, escoffiers, coffee urns, and punch bowls, candlesticks; silver-plated kitchen utensils; namely, serving spoons, serving forks, ice tongs, food tongs, lobster cracks, tureen handles, lobster picks, snail tongs, snail forks, sugar tongs, gravy ladles. FIRST USE: 19570630. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19670630

(CANCELLED) IC 021. US 002 013 023 034. G & S: hollow-ware; namely, coffee servers, tea pots, cream pitchers, sugar bowls, water pitchers, sauce boats, condiment servers, candy dishes, utility dishes, cruets, butter servers, wine servers, cake displays, samovars, water pitchers, vegetable dishes and covers, meat dishes and covers, bread trays, fish platters, seafood platters, soup tureens, cake stands, icecream bowls, oil and vinegar holders, grated cheese holders, wine coolers and stands, trays for dinner checks, placecard holders, jiggers, vases, finger bowls, chafing dishes, escoffiers, coffee urns, and punch bowls, candlesticks; kitchen utensils; namely, serving spoons, serving forks, ice tongs, food tongs, lobster cracks, tureen handles, lobster picks, snail tongs, snail forks, sugar tongs, gravy ladles. FIRST USE: 19570630. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19670630

Mark Drawing Code (3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS
Design Search Code 26.01.02 - Circles, plain single line; Plain single line circles
Serial Number 74217755
Filing Date November 1, 1991
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition December 8, 1992
Registration Number 1754911
Registration Date March 2, 1993
Owner (REGISTRANT) World Tableware International, Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE 10 Fairfield Boulevard Wallingford CONNECTICUT 06492
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record Akiba Stern
Prior Registrations 1073075;1559578
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Cancellation Date

[Traintime]

The earlier mention of Kady Industries should read Katy. Wallace was sold (1959) to Hamilton Watch Company, went into (1971) H.M.W. Industries, and wound up (1983) in Katy Industries. Not sure if this was owner of Missouri, Kansas, & Texas Railroad (Katy for short) which was diversifying their interests prior to divestment of railroad (now part of Union Pacific).

[dynamicduoinaz]

I was reading about the item Taiwan International Ice Tongs, with WT in a circle. I have one of these pieces and everything that is said about it here matches the idea that I have perfectly except for a reference is made to the word Japan being engraved on the inside however mine has Taiwan engraved instead. I've read through this right and I understand that they are associated through companies that buy companies however my question is what's the big difference between the ones that say Japan and Taiwan Viet collector item other than the fact that it just has different Engravings.

(admin edit - see Posting Requirements )

[dognose]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum.

Please start a new topic with images of your item and the marks.

Trev.

[Traintime]

Minor update-The Servet name has now been traced back to at least as early as September 1942 in a newspaper advertisement for a Servet Stainless Steel holoware item ($2.99): (admin edit - see Posting Requirements )
Apparently this I.S. Co. brand (?) name was not limited solely to commercial ware sales. The additional name "GLO TONE" is sometimes found after the maker marks.

[Traintime]

Minor update-The Servet name has now been traced back to at least as early as September 1942 in a newspaper advertisement for Servet Stainless Steel Casseroles ($2.99): (admin edit - see Posting Requirements )
Apparently this I.S. Co. brand (?) name was not limited solely to commercial ware sales. The additional name "GLO TONE" is sometimes found after the maker marks.

[Traintime]

Now "Servet" name as far back as 1938 on 11 differing pieces...may match covered casserole listed eBay with Silvermakers Inc. name below SERVET: (admin edit - see Posting Requirements )
[Ad lower right corner, ZCMI Zions Cooperative Mercantile Salt Lake City]

[Traintime]

Correction...company was named "Steelsmiths Inc.", but cannot track down their history so far. ("Steelmakers Inc." of Chicago is not related.)

[Traintime]

World Tableware (Taiwan) silverplate--one known user..."Galatoire's" topmarked....a famous New Orleans restaurant in operation since 1905. Name is engraved (stamped) in full, although (currently) client also uses a "G" mark on their china.

[Traintime]

Galatoire's WT service matches the established DeSoto Pattern (1929-on) of International Silver's American lineage. So possibly, most of the WT production was just an extension of established lines rather than something entirely new.

[Traintime]

Added info.: Later era World Tableware marks have been found with Korea as the country of origin.

[Traintime]

More on Glo-tone...The name was also apparently used on items made by National Silver (an on-line listing, but photos were too poor to confirm what they claim). This would seem to indicate this brand mark belonged to an unknown third party who acted as the sales agent. In addition, a spoon (S.S. body) has come to me marked "GLO-TONE WARE" with the added mark of "LIFETIME" over-arced and "SERVICE" under-arced (no maker or country of origin). [It might just be coincidental, but Lifetime Cutlery Corporation (predecessor to the Lifetime Brands empire) was formed in 1945 in New York.] By 1958, "Glo-tone" has become a registered trade name in the textiles field, so it had likely been dropped from flatware somewhat earlier.

[Traintime]

Thanks for that info!
That this was a "hotel" division of International makes me wonder if these weren't "accidentally" picked up from a hotel visit at some point in time! :-)

They are pretty generic looking so I suspect identifying the pattern will be difficult, but the search is on!

No need to call Mr. Monk, but there's a break in the case. This tongs design is found in about a 6-inch length topmarked for "Henrici", the Chicago restaurant once run under the Philip Henrici Company. (Later used as a chain name "Henrici's", but main location closed in 1962.) The maker mark is the half-circle International-over-Silver Plate with IS inside. (Originally traces back to Wilcox Silver Plate Company designs with mark form introduced circa 1921....later produced in other IS plants.) The item code is stamped 651 directly below the mark. Given the history of the restaurant, these are more likely to be meant as pastry serving tongs rather than ice (?).

[Traintime]

The 651 Tongs (~8+") are also carrying half circle Meriden Silver Plate Company mark as well as straight line Victor Silver Company mark. Hotel (w/o 's) Statler topmark known.

[Traintime]

The same ends, but with a different side-handle design, turns up on tongs marked "DJ Japan". This company is noted in another thread as having been aquired by Oneida, which incidentally took over International's flatware. Who holds rights to the design, whether World or Oneida is probably a moot question at this point...getting kind of hard to tell if any these firms are still separate or part to one giant conglomerate.