Can Anyone Identify What this Is?

[vintagepuzzle]

This set is a puzzle to me; I'd like to put it up for sale but since I don't know what it is, that's a bit of a challenge  and after trying to research it online I'm still not sure what it is... 

It's Sterling Silver, the bowl/basket is J.E. Caldwell & Co (also marked as 'Sterling' and '7384') and the little saucers are marked 'Sterling', 'Fine' and '335C' as well as another marking that I can't make out. The basket has an opening/ hole in the bottom of the center which seems to fit the base of the saucers perfectly so I THINK they are a matched set but not for sure. There are 12 saucers and the bowl/basket. Anyone have any idea what these are for? At first I was thinking these might be egg cups, but they don't seem deep enough for that...

The size of the saucers are about 3 inches rim to rim and the basket/bowl is about five inches wide and 4 inches tall.


Pic attached..any help would be appreciated!

[KC]

This is a silver pierced mint basket.  People would take out a small amount to have for after dinner and place on the individual service pieces.

Some people would like to refer to this as a "bride's basket".  However, you don't see them with smaller pieces for individual service.

Very good find - especially to have this set together!!!!!!!

[vintagepuzzle]

Thank you for the input KC!

Curious though, the basket itself is just to use as a carrier for the little saucers then? Because the open hole in the bottom of the basket would make it useless to hold anything...or is it missing something larger that would fit in the bottom of it? 

[railman44]

A missing glass insert perhaps?

[KC]

Not unusual for baskets to have a liner!
With this quality it was a glass liner like railman44 suggested.

Here are a few similar....however, yours is more valuable with the matching 12 servers.

Tiffany
http://www.stephan.net/dds/product/65389.html

Caldwell
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/bary/item/RL-2602

[vintagepuzzle]

Thank you very very much KC & railman! 

Would never have found this on my own so I really appreciate you taking the time to help!

[KC]

You're more than welcome.  We love the "what is this" items....have had quite a few to ponder over time!

Hope this did you some good!

Thanks also railman44!  Always fun pondering with you!

[cogar]

I agree, there was probably a glass liner bowl for the basket. First time I ever seen the little "servers" such as those. Although we once did have a tin Planter's Peanuts bowl with 4 or 5 little "servers" to match. It was a cute little "Advertising" set.

Ps: the botom of the basket matches the base of the saucers ... most probably because they used the same "stamping" die to form both of them.