Hello,
I have a milk or water pitcher by Forbes Silver Company according to the Hallmark on the bottom consisting of 3 shields which appear to contain letters F,S,C and an eagle head. It is also marked EPNS which according to my research indicates the plating process. It is also marked 3217. It is also marked GUILFORD. I found a picture of a pitcher that looks like this one in Replacements.com and it may be the “Oxford” pattern. I was wondering if you could tell me what the GUILFORD is, when it may have been made,and what the approximate value is. Any information would be appreciated.
Thank You,
Wolfen
Hi there Wolfen and thanks for joining us. Your pitcher is silver plated - EPNS is Electro Plated Nickel Silver, a white base metal - and was made by the Forbes Silver Co. of Meriden, Connecticut after 1894. The “3217” is the pattern or model number. The word “GUILFORD”, if not a pattern name, may be the mark of a retailer - is that word in the same lettering style as the rest?
American silver plated holloware such as your pitcher has little commercial value, depending on size and ocnditon in the range of $25-50.
Regards,
Uncle Vic
Uncle Vic,
Thank you for your reply. The GUILFORD is as it appears here, not like the more Old English looking letters of the hallmark. I know there are at least 3 cities in the Eastern states named Guilford and also a college. Possibly it came from one of those. It has been in my family for about 100 years. My mother passed away four years ago at age 96 and it belonged to her.
Wolfen