Roman Medallion
Fish Fork, Roman Medallion pattern, 1868
coin silver
Reed & Barton switched form reselling flatware made by other manufacturers to producing their own in 1868, with this first pattern. It was a safe bet, as similar flatware made by other companies was already popular, and the significant investment in expensive tooling and machinery proved wise. The success of Roman Medallion led to the development of many more successful flatware patterns.
Knock Off!
US Design Patent number 3,302, granted Dec 29, 1868 to Henry G. Reed, shows a fork with a portrait medallion featuring a Roman soldier. This suggests that Reed & Barton originated what became an extremely popular flatware pattern. But they did not!
New York silversmith John Wendt held an earlier 1862 patent for a version of this design, and Gorham & Co. held an 1864 patent for yet another version. By the 1870s, almost every company making silverware offered their own subtly different version this popular design. Eventually, there were more than 30 variations of “Medallion” flatware.
US Design Patent 3,302
Winterthur
US Design Patent 1,580
2
US Design Patent 1,952
This is another example of Reed & Barton offering popular styles at lower prices; the Wendt and Gorham pieces were sterling silver, Reed & Barton’s version was more affordable silver plate.
2. Philo B.Gilbert, 1867
3. Farrington & Hunnewell, 1864
4. A. H. Miller, 1860s
5. Hotchkiss & Schreuder, 1867
6. H. Prophet, c. 1870
3
4
Gorham
1864
6
5
Historicism
Starting in the 1860s, more Americans were able to travel to Europe. This was the result of both the increasing wealth in the United States, and the advances in technology that allowed more affordable (and faster) travel abroad. Sailing across the Atlantic took around 20 days, but steamships reduced that time to 8 days in the 1860s, and just 5 days by 1890.
Quaker City sails to the Mediterranean, 1867
(with Mark Twain aboard)
Dickinson College
At the same time, archaeological excavations throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East brought ancient civilizations back to life, inspiring renewed interest in antiquity.
Micromosaic Brooch, c.1860
British Museum
Popular souvenirs from European travels included ancient Roman coins; the development of Medallion flatware offered the popular theme of antiquity by repurposing it for modern industry and manufacturing.
Roman Coin, after 211 BC
British Museum
Reed & Barton Medallion, 1868
Old Colony History Museum
Crazy Designs
Today flatware is purchased in five-piece place settings, with small fork and spoon, large fork and spoon, and knife. In the 1870s, when Medallion flatware was popular, patterns could include dozens of pieces. Gorham offered over TWENTY different place setting pieces and almost 40 more distinct serving utensils in their Medallion pattern.
No dinner actually needed this many forks and spoons; it was all a big marketing scheme. As raw material costs for silver decreased, and as mechanized production became more integrated into producing flatware, prices dropped,. Manufacturers had to look for ways to sell more. Suggesting that a table was not well-set without things like nut picks, mustard spoons, oyster forks, and egg spoons increased sales by appealing to invented ideas about etiquette and entertaining.
Reed & Barton catalog, 1874
Baker Library, Harvard Business School
The same techniques are used today to sell the newest model of phone or sneaker to someone who needs neither but doesn’t want to be left behind. This fork has one wider tine, designed to cut something that doesn’t need the full commitment of a knife, like salad or fish.
Reed & Barton Roman Medallion
nut pick, mustard spoon
Old Colony History Museum
Reed & Barton Roman Medallion
fish fork, dinner fork
Old Colony History Museum
Popularity
The popularity of Medallion flatware lasted long enough to span some major advances in manufacturing technologies and materials, and examples from different makers illustrate them all.
Starting in the 1840s, the look of a hand-hammered, high-end spoon or fork could be replicated with manufacturing by running metal through a series of custom-carved steel roller dies.
Soon after, flat dies and drop presses improved output by working faster and allowing greater depth of detail. The earliest stamped Medallion flatware is decorated only on the front, to save the high cost of using a second die to decorate the back side. As die making techniques progressed, stamped flatware started to have decoration on the front and back.
steel die and fork blank
Acuity Management
The earliest Medallion flatware was made of coin silver, a mixture of 75 to 90% silver, the rest being copper. This less expensive than sterling silver. It was also stronger, and so useful in creating thin, lightweight, but durable forks and spoons. With declining silver prices in the 1870s, several manufacturers began to offer Medallion in sterling silver (which has a higher silver content than coin silver).
undecorated back side
A.H. Miller, 1860s
Mission Gallery Antiques San Diego
spoon stamping
Baker Library, Harvard Business School
RISD Special Collections
With the advent of electro silver plating, Reed & Barton was able to introduce a die-stamped version of Medallion made of nickel silver (an alloy of nickel, copper, and zinc) and coated in a layer of sterling.
Reed & Barton Roman Medallion
Old Colony History Museum
Coin Silver
Philo B.Gilbert, 1867
Sterling Silver
Wood & Hughes, c.1870
Silver Plate
Reed & Barton, c. 1869
Old Colony History Museum
66 Church Green
Taunton, Massachusetts 02780
Open Tuesday – Saturday
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
project contact: rbva@oldcolonyhistorymuseum.org
info@oldcolonyhistorymuseum.org
508-822-1622
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved