A hundred-years ago, sterling silver flatware was considered a desirable luxury item, and it was frequently given as a wedding gift. Couples often listed their silver pattern on their wedding registry. They hoped several wedding guests would choose to purchase a place setting or two as a gift, and that they would end up with a full set of the flatware plus some serving pieces.
The September, 1925 issue of Ladies Home Journal had a very wordy two-page advertisement for Towle solid (sterling) silver. Here are some excerpts:
Your lovely trousseau, with its charming gowns and dainty little frocks, its film underthings, and bright stockings, has its few bright months of glory.
And, the furniture and hangings for your new home, however you may lavish care upon them, will inevitably wear out after a few years.
But, your wedding silver – your very own solid silver – you will have that always. So its choice becomes the very most important of all choices because you will want to be as proud of your pattern in twenty years as on your wedding day.
What a fascinating privilege this choice is. What a joyous occasion, when you set out to the jeweler’s.
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Watch how proudly the jeweler shows it to you. He knows TOWLE Silver!
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TOWLE patterns are permanent
By starting with TOWLE silver, you can make sure of perfect silver harmony, for relatives and friends will undoubtedly want to match your chosen pattern with such charming and useful pieces as sauce and salad-dressing bowls, plates for jellies, candies, sandwiches, cake, fruit, desserts, etc., candle-sticks, trays or a coffee and tea service. They will be glad to know which TOWLE pattern you have selected, and your jeweler can show them a fascinating variety.
Furthermore, in the future, as you need additions to your set, you will always find that matching it is a simple matter, for TOWLE patterns are as nearly permanent as anything in this life can be.
Ladies Home Journal (September, 1925)
I still have my Towel silverware, but it’s in a silver chest under our bed 😂 My mother made me pick out a pattern when I got engaged. I have eight place settings, but stainless is so much easier. The only piece in regular use is the sugar shell.
Similarly to you, when I entertain, I almost always use the same stainless steel flatware that I use daily.
Now, newlyweds don’t even want china.
Some things have changed so much across the years. My sense is that couples today want inexpensive dishes that can be easily replaced with entirely new ones from time to time as color and style preferences change.
I enjoyed reading this. Choosing a silver pattern was important when I got married. I chose the same pattern my mother and grandmother had. There is now lots of silver to leave to my children and grandchildren. I know two will treasure it.
You are so fortunate to have children and grandchildren who will treasure them.
I so very much enjoyed reading this, Sheryl, thank you. I’m still smiling. It has dozens and dozens of differences from today–so many I can’t even begin to address them. Fantastic photo too. Very entertaining.
I’m glad you enjoyed this post. This ad highlights so many things that have changed across the years in regards to entertaining, wedding and marriage customs (do brides today assemble a trousseau?), and much more.
My mother was in love with old silverware. I have 2 sets – one is half of hers and the other a gift from her when I was first married! I still find her pattern at Goodwill every so often! I now have a 14 piece place setting and many of the serving pieces… Sadly the younger generations don’t have any interest in real silverware!
Similarly, there is little interest in china anymore. I recently went to a large neighborhood rummage sale, and there were beautiful sets of china for sale. Even at next to nothing prices, no one seemed interested in them. I think that one reason people aren’t interested in old china is because it can’t be put in a dishwasher without risking damaging them.
That and with a metallic rim or detail they can’t be used in the microwave either! I still have my china and use it for all the holidays! Because why not??
I didn’t think about how they also often have a metallic rim and can’t be used in the microwave. Technological advances sure have changed how we prepare foods and clean up afterwards.
True. Still the look of a table set with the good china and the silverware is so pretty! It just makes the Christmas dinner that much more special!
Good silverware and china do make for a lovely dinner. Our discussion brings back memories of my grandparents’ china. It had a narrow hand-painted line about an eighth of an inch from the edge of the plates. If you looked very carefully you could find where the line started/ended since they didn’t exactly align. It used to be entertainment for children at Christmas dinners to find where the line began.
Oh, how the times have changed! I still use my pieces from time to time when entertaining and people are taken back by it! 💖
It’s wonderful to hear that you still use them. Beautiful silver should be enjoyed, and it’s a little sad that it often just sits in a box or cupboard.
I was thinking flatware is cutlery? but then i thought it must be place settings – like plates etc?
sherry
I use the word “flatware” to describe spoons, knives, forks, etc. Your comment led me to do an online search for the definition, and I found that the way I use the word is “North American English,” and that it can more generally mean flat plates and saucers.
I’m also a bit foggy on how the word “cutlery” is used in the U.S. I thought it was knives and things that cut; my husband thought it was a synonym for flatware. When I searched for definitions, both popped up. There was no distinction for differences in the definition across various locales.
I love my mom’s (and dad’s) silver cutlery (place settings). Over the years my dad has polished it many times. It’s a lot of work. I remember when we used to use it for holidays. We hand washed it and could never soak the knives like we would the forks because they were hollow.