R. T. Reynolds spoons

[sheerluk]

Any help or additional information regarding this silversmith would be appreciated. The expected area of operation is NY/NJ.

http://www.ilovegenealogy.com/0913141812_sm.jpg

http://www.ilovegenealogy.com/0913141918_sm.jpg

http://www.ilovegenealogy.com/0913141919_sm.jpg

(admin photo edit - images too large - link only - see Posting Requirements )

[WesternPA]

The Ovid Bee (published in Ovid, Seneca, NY between 1838-1870), had a notice dated May 7, 1851 that talked about Rochester Melodeons (musical instruments), and mentioned that one such instrument has been left at "R. T. Reynolds' Silversmith Shop in this place..."

Links below are to a digital copy of that newspaper, and the Library of Congress site related to the Ovid Bee:
http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%202 ... 200262.pdf
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83031494/

Hope this helps!

[dognose]

Great sleuthing WesternPA! And welcome to the Forum.

For those who don't like to click on links, here's the transcript:

ROCHESTER MELODEONS.–It is with pleasure that we now have an opportunity to speak of these splendid Instruments, manufactured in Rochester, N. Y., by M. Miller. For beauty of finish, excellence of tone, and for the cheapness in price, we presume to say that these Melodeons have no equals, and all those wishing for a beautiful piece of furniture, an instrument, whose tones may be softened down to the sweetest warblings, or be made to ring aloud with the wild melody of the hunter's horn, at a price ranging below all others, we would direct their attention to the various sized Instruments, from which they could hardly fail to select the suited to their minds.

From a personal knowledge of Mr. G. H. Jayne, who is an acting partner in the establishment; we can confidently recommend him as worthy of the patronage of the public, and to him all orders or letters on business, should be addressed. An Instrument has been left at R. T. Reynolds' Silversmith Shop in this place, and the public are invited to call, to verify the above statements.

Messrs. Miller & Jayne, are manufaturing Pianos, also, and those preferring a Piano to a Melodeon, undoubtedly can be suited, as regards the tone, style or price.

Source: The Ovid Bee (Ovid, Seneca County, N.Y.) - 7th May 1851

Trev.

[silverly]

Great sleuthing WesternPA! And welcome to the Forum.

I echo Trev's sentiments. This is one that I was not going to find soon if at all. However, because of WesternPA's excellent work, I can say that RT Reynolds was Roswell T Reynolds who was born in about 1811 In New York. Roswell was a dentist who by 1850 was in Philadelphia where he died in 1858. It appears Roswell's brother Robert L Reynolds born about 1823 in New York who was also a dentist and a jeweller contined the business in his brother's name after Roswell moved to Philadelphia.

[wev]

From the Ovid Bee

[sheerluk]

Thank you all for your help on this. The R. T. Reynolds referenced in the Ovid Bee fits nicely with what I already know. The spoon belonged to Peter Ditmars. He was born in Somerset County, New Jersey, but moved to Ovid, NY in about 1821. He lived, farmed, and raised a family in Ovid until 1869, when he died at age 74.

Does anyone know what the star-D-star in the marking denotes? Is this some reference to the former owner of the shop, named Davidson?

Thanks again!

[dognose]

Hi,

The 'D' may well stand for 'Dollar', referring to the silver dollars used for the supply of the material to make the spoon. It was stuck to denote the standard of the silver.

Trev.