Antique Meriden Silver Plated Civil War Aesthetic Period 6 Piece Coffee/Tea Set

  

I found this set years ago at an antique shop in Massachusetts and it just looked unique and amazing. The six piece silver plated aesthetic style coffee and tea service is marked Meriden Company on five pieces and Rogers & Bro on the sixth piece (the tea waste basin). It is similar to another aesthetic style Victorian period tea coffee service on display at the Smithsonian that was used during the Lincoln presidency.

The design is distinctive and all pieces are marked with either the pattern number "1881" or "1884" (the last digit is difficult to confirm). The oval shape of each of the pieces each supported on four slightly splayed legs and the incised engravings of Fuchsia flowers are. Unique aesthetic period Victorian details. It is interesting (and maybe not accidental) that the four legs on each piece predate a design element that was later used in the Faberge eggs commissioned by the Tzar of Russia.

If you look at the covered sugar, you can see this similarity most clearly. Coffee pot: 10 1/2" high 9 1/2" long (spout to handle) and 5 1/2 wide. Tea pot: 9 1/2" high 8 1/2" (spout to handle) long and 5 wide. Waste basin: 5 1/4" high 7" long (handle to handle) and 6 1/4 wide (back to spoon rest).

Creamer: 6 1/4" high 6" long (spout to handle) and 3 1/2 wide. Covered sugar: 8 1/2" high 7 1/4" long (handle to handle) and 4 1/2 high. : 5 1/2" high 6" long (handle to handle) and 4 high.

I find that all pieces are in good shape physically; the only damage I was able to ascertain was one 1/8 tip missing on the tea pot lid crown. The engraving of the fuchsia flowers is deep and clear and there are no dents of abrasions in the metal.

That having been said, the set is very heavily tarnished and some pieces may require re-plating or perhaps the application of one of those silver renewing compounds that I have seen advertised. The item "Antique Meriden Silver Plated Civil War Aesthetic Period 6 Piece Coffee/Tea Set" is in sale since Tuesday, March 13, 2018. This item is in the category "Antiques\Silver\Silverplate\Tea/Coffee Pots & Sets". The seller is "marshdeals" and is located in Hellertown, Pennsylvania.

This item can be shipped to United States.

1. Age: 1850-1899
2. Composition: Silverplate