Unusual Rogers/Meriden Silver Tea Set w/ Character Scene

[veggieguy]

Hello! I have this unusual silver plated tea set with a full dramatic scene depicted in the pattern.  All but one of the pieces are marked "Rogers & Bro", with the lone other marked "Meriden B. Company".  All pieces share the same pattern number of 886. The scene shows a group of four figures, most if not all are girls, seemingly flying or floating.  A bit away from them sits a character that looks like a dwarf or leprechaun.

Based on company histories, I'm guessing these date from the mid- to late- 1800s.  I have not been able to find any similar pieces online or in my few books, and no reference to this pattern number.  I have not found any other character-based patterns either.

What do you think? Is this as unusual as it seems? Anybody have a magical reference book that might have some info?  A few pics attached.  More available via Dropbox at this URL: http://bit.ly/1j6m20v

[KC]

This style is what I have seen in the late 1800's to early 1900's.  Believe it from the 1800's though.

Can you please post a picture of the bottom marks?

Maybe this article can help you in your sleuthing...
http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_5439726_history-rogers-brothers-silver-company.html

Really busy today...but will search more later!

This might be one of those patterns that Replacements LTD could help you with.  Let them know you are interested in "adding more pieces" to this treasured family set...and they could most likely help you with pattern/dates!

[veggieguy]

Thanks, KC. Bottom mark photos attached here.  Additional photos are also available at the link in the first message.

[KC]

Well we know it was made after 1874 because they only made flatware up until that time.  They were absorbed by Meriden-International in 1898 (aka International Silver Co).

This page on the Vintage Silver Plate site has the best explanation of American silver makers history on the Rogers...for simple minds like me! 
http://vintagesilverplate.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=3&chapter=5

Trying to find out when they stopped using this mark...

[veggieguy]

Thanks for that link.  It is a pretty helpful one.  So many Rogers in that time period, and so many companies with similar names.  It's hard to decipher sometimes, and most books I've read do not do a good job of it.

That is a novel suggestion you had about contacting Replacements.  Had not occurred to me, but I may just give that a try! :-)

[KC]

Are there other scenes that you can post between the maidens dancing and the other?

i'm trying to figure out if this is a part of Greek mythology, the wood nymphs that were seen by the lone traveler (he/it has a canteen and walking stick).

[mart]

I have looked everywhere for a pattern with leprechauns and fairies but haven found one yet !!  Going to check Kovels !! That number 886 is not a pattern number but had something to do with the Meriden Brittania company !!

[veggieguy]

Those are the only two scenes, and they are the same on all of the pieces, repeated around the surface.  The only thing between them are plants that look like bamboo.

[veggieguy]

Appreciate the effort, mart (and KC)!  I know the feeling. I have searched everywhere I can think of online, with every keyword I can think of to no avail.

I'm surprised that you don't think 886 is a pattern number? I know sometimes they can be piece/part numbers, but they usually vary between the pieces of a set when that is the case.  These all bear the number 886.

What else might it represent?

[veggieguy]

I can't decide if they are fairies or not.  They don't seem to have wings, yet they are clearly flying or floating above the ground.  Nymphs, perhaps? I think they are holding hands in a circle. I suppose it's possible they are just normal girls jumping?

That dude watching them sure looks like a fantasy character of some kind, though.  Leprechaun, gnome, dwarf ... something!

[mart]

That number was on an article I tried to read !!  Dial up doesn`t want to do what I want sometimes !! Still looking for info !!  Fairies was the only thing I could think of that flew !!

[veggieguy]

If there are articles that seem relevant but won't load for you, feel free to post links here. I will gladly follow up on them. Possible they will load on a faster connection or from a different location.

[mart]

OK I eliminated the Rogers Bros and searched using the Meriden Brittania Co and found that they did many engraved pieces !! Although I did not find this one yet I found others that were totally engraved just different scenes,,mostly florals !! Its possible that these were made during the transition over to Meriden from their patterns !! Rogers really did little engraved work,, !!

[KC]

I even searched maidens, girls, etc.  Remember this was the time of the MayPole.

Do leprechauns carry canteens?  LOL

[veggieguy]

Well, leprechauns are Irish, so maybe it's filled with whiskey. 

I followed mart's lead and started searching for engraved patterns by Meriden, and found much more than I had before.  As he said, mostly floral with a few birds, but nothing like this pattern yet.

Here's an 1886 catalog I found on Google Books: http://bit.ly/1fLcUGp