Sterling Silver Flatware Trio With Plique-A-Jour Enamel

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Three early 20th century American sterling silver utensils with vivid plique-à-jour enamel decoration. All three specialty pieces of silver flatware … Read more Three early 20th century American sterling silver utensils with vivid plique-à-jour enamel decoration. All three specialty pieces of silver flatware are marked STERLING with New England maker's marks. The grapefruit spoon (with pointed bowl) bears the maker's mark of the International Silver Company of Meriden, Connecticut. The lemon or pickle fork bears the mark of Robert Wallace & Sons of Wallingford, Connecticut and the sugar spoon (with rounded bowl) bears the mark of the Watson Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts.

The highly-specialized plique-à-jour technique allows light to shine through enamelwork creating a stained glass effect. All three examples feature pierced handles filled with cells of translucent enamel in shades of red, green, and blue. These elegant designs were crafted during the Art Nouveau period—at the close of the 19th century through the beginning of WWI—and were exceedingly popular with travelers as souvenirs and gifts.

All three pieces are in very good condition with a few shallow scuffs and scratches. The grapefruit spoon measures 5.88 in. length, the sugar spoon measures 5.44 inn. length, and the lemon or pickle fork measures 5.44 in. length. See less