Yale University R. Wallace

[Traintime]

Shape similar to patterns from first quarter 20th Century..early deco grapevine design added to plain handle. Backstamped for Yale and plated at 8 ( dwts.). Custom pattern?

[juantotree]

I have always known this pattern as Old english Coffin End.

Martin

[Traintime]

A great description of the shape considering we're in the Halloween month and the connection of Skull & Bones Society to Yale.
However, given that it is close to a plain and non-threaded version of Alamo (1913-) with a special design added, I would suggest that, if we go the route of naming these like found orchids, then Alamode or Alamodern might work. Perhaps even Yaleamo.

[Traintime]

The reference to pennyweights should have included a question mark. Wallace information seems to indicate they plated only as high as triple. It would seem unlikely that the number 8 on a teaspoon, corresponding either to quadruple plate by symbolic meaning or 8 troy ounces per gross of teaspoons, would seem to fit with their known standards. However, being an apparent custom order, we have no way of knowing if they went higher in grade. And without a like piece to compare numbers, we cannot rule out either a factory control number nor an inventory mark, however unlikely.
Suffice it to say, the firm guaranteed for Hotel wares that the R. Wallace mark was quality. But they also pushed that the 1835 mark was their highest grade (presumably never beyond triple). Advertisements for the other two standard patterns using this coffin-end shape and showing the lines they were produced in are found in the Contributor's notes section.
Some holloware with another design, possibly custom, and marked for Yale dining halls was spotted on-line. Perhaps this was a normal practice for them to have special designs on platewares.

[dragonflywink]

If present, plating standard marks on American flatware were pretty much the same regardless of manufacturer - you say this is a teaspoon, and standard plate on a teaspoon would bear a '2', double plate a '4', and triple plate a '6', seems reasonable that a heavier plate, typical of hotel or institutional ware (or 'quadruple', though most makers stopped using that term by the early 20th century because of its wide use on sub-standard plated ware), would bear an '8'.

The grapevine motif is most likely a stylized version of Saybrook College's badge, and should date no earlier than 1933 - can dig out my copy of Davis & Deibel in a day or two and check if the flatware pattern is noted...

~Cheryl

[Traintime]

Thanks for narrowing that down..got tired of searching all that vintage stuff out there looking for a clue. This link, hopefully not commercial, confirms the use of the grapevine motif in the dining hall: http://saybrook.yalecollege.yale.edu/ab ... -and-badge
Dining Services history indicates the school's re-organization of colleges and dining halls begining around the late '20's and into the cut-off period you note.