War Emergency or Austerity in Canada?
War Emergency or Austerity in Canada?
According to Rainwater/Redfield IV Revised, the "Rogers Nickel Silver" block letter mark came from Wm. Rogers (Hartford) one of the divisions of International Silver. They had previously taken into the fold the Wm. Rogers Mfg. Co. Ltd. of Niagara Falls Ontario. The two spoons, found together, suggest that both the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Pacific Railway had aquired wares from the northern factory which used a backmark like the Connecticut plant. "Stain Resisting" has been added but these are not stainless steel products like the ones Insico produced under the Silco name. When found, one of them was very tarnished (since cleaned) giving the impression that there was a layer of silverplating. I'm not so sure now as it seems to be unlikely that they would plate plain Windsor wares during a period where mass production was more important. To bring in a complication, CPR did use Oneida/Wm A. Rogers for some regular useage production, but those pieces are always topmarked with logos or better letterings. This one looks to be stamped in a general rush to get out flatware, possibly for troops trains. We already have a sample of silverplated holloware made for the R.C.N., but a non-coated service could have also been placed in service for some facilities (training post, commissary, medical ??). Any info. on these is welcomed.
Re: War Emergency or Austerity in Canada?
Until reading Trev's linked post on Insico/Rogers war work I had not even considered the possibilty that this could be from the First World War era. Would they have used "Stain Resistant" slogans at that time? Article here: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=36151&p=119121&hil ... ec#p119121
Re: War Emergency or Austerity in Canada?
Canadian Pacific's document on their activity in regards to war eras showing additional expansion into production (conversion of facilities) which might also explain the needs for aquiring basic flatwares if they were feeding workers. Also mentions carrying of troops to duty stations. File found here: https://www.cpr.ca/en/about-cp-site/Doc ... nd-war.pdf