Vanderslice - Gorham?

[SilverSurfer]

I have a sauce ladle marked only "STERLING" and "VANDERSLICE&CO.". However, the hand engraved pattern is identical to Gorham Antique Engraved #8. Is this likely a Gorham piece retailed by Vanderslice? TIA for any info!

SS
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[2209patrick]

W. K. Vanderslice was both a manufacturer and retailer in San Francisco, California (1858-1906). They retailed a lot of Gorham and Whiting products. Can't say for sure if your ladle was made by Gorham because Vanderslice did copy some of Gorham's patterns.
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[SilverSurfer]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware that Vanderslice may have copied patterns of other makers. I also have another sauce ladle marked "W.K.VANDERSLICE CO" and also the Whiting maker's mark, in the Adam pattern (introduced 1907, I believe, and I understand Vanderslice went out of business in 1908). So I knew Vanderslice retailed other manufacturer's products towards the end of its existence, but didn't know it copied some patterns. I had thought that maybe the potential patent lawsuits were too intimidating by then. Thanks again!

SS
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[2209patrick]

You are welcome. I got the information from Rainwater's.
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 pretty much finished them off. What remained was sold to Shreve & Company in 1908.
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[admin]

Not just Vanderslice, but Eaves & Nye, Koehler & Ritter, and Schulz & Fischer all did this. According to the pattern appendix to "Silver in the Golden State", many California manufacturers took the liberty of making near identical patterns of a number of designs patented by east coast manufacturers.

Regards, Tom
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[SilverSurfer]

Thanks, Tom and Patrick. Is there any way of determining whether my ladle is a Vanderslice made (patent infringement) copy or an unmarked Gorham original?

SS
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[admin]

I think you can assume it is Vanderslice or another CA maker for Vanderslice. Ant.8 is a traditional plain old english pattern with hand engraved decoration, everyone had their own version of it and don't think anyone could claim a design right to it. Gorham has been known to leave their trademark off items retailed by others, but this seems to have been a very uncommon practice, they liked to mark their goods.

Regards, Tom
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[SilverSurfer]

Thanks again, Tom. BTW, do you know whether Gorham engraved the ladle bowl for its Antique Engraved #8 pattern? This particular sauce ladle has full interior bowl hand engraving in a four petal flower, leaf and stem pattern not matching the stem pattern. I appreciate your help.

SS
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[admin]

Sorry, no idea.
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[SilverSurfer]

I just received a copy of "Silver In The Golden State" and see on pp.104-5 the engraved wheat patterns that Vandersliced used (no mention that they were cribbed from Gorham), and so I suppose the best bet is that my ladle was in fact made by Vanderslice. Thanks again, Patrick and Tom, for your help.

SS
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