WM A Roger's fork

[SeekerProB]

I am trying to find a year on this fork. I am unable to find this exact pattern. I believe it is pre 1900 but can't be for sure. Anyone know? Dug today at a site around that period.

 

[Joe-Dirt]

That’s weird, I just dug a Wm Rogers spoon the other day. From what I learned, they were in business with many many different partners and owner ship groups. They were in business from 1865 until the 1950’s (not sure on the 1950’s part) but you should be able to nail down the manufacture date by the hall Mark they used.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

If you could take a pic of your fork in more neutral lighting (outside), as it's hard tell what the plating looks like?
Looks to be silver-plate on 'German Silver'.

'German Silver' is an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel, sometimes also containing lead and tin. It was originally named for its silver-white colour, but the term 'silver' is now prohibited for alloys not containing that metal. German silver varies in composition, the percentage of the three elements ranging approximately as follows: copper, from 50% to 61.6%; zinc, from 19% to 17.2%; nickel, from 30% to 21.1%."

"The International Silver Company adopted many of WM Rogers makers marks and I think they made forks like this all the way into the mid 20th century. I’m not exactly sure when the International Silver Company stopped making the WM Rogers series, that would have too be checked by a expert in WM Rogers cutlery. William Hazen Rogers (1801 to 1873) was a well-known American silversmith whose work and name have survived to the present day. Rogers--together with his two brothers and, later, his son--was responsible for more than 100 patterns of silver and silver-plated cutlery and serving dishes. Rogers partnered with other silversmiths at times, and his company and trademarks were eventually taken over by larger companies. This can make it difficult to identify William Rogers’ work. However, Rogers used certain identifying marks at various times in his career that may assist in the effort. The company name "Wm. Rogers Mfg. Co.," which identifies a piece made after 1865 by William Hazen Rogers and his son, William Henry Rogers. This manufacturer’s mark also was later used by the International Silver Co.”

Good info by Bob above, stylistically your piece looks to date from 1900.
Dave

 

[SeekerProB]

Thank you for the information. That is what I couldn't find, or the pattern.

 

[ToddsPoint]

It's stamped 12 DWT, which means draw weight. I would assume that a DWT marked piece is silver. Gary

 

[Red-Coat]

It's stamped 12 DWT, which means draw weight. I would assume that a DWT marked piece is silver. Gary

Just a correction here in the interests of future reference.

The DWT mark is the (largely out-of-use) abbreviation for the unit of "pennyweight", with the D taken from the now obsolete abreviation for the old British penny (in turn derived from the Roman Denarius). One pennyweight is 1/20th of a Troy ounce.

Marks like this are an indirect measure of the quality/thickness for electroplating... 12 DWT indicating that twelve pennyweights of silver were used in the plating bath per batch of flatware (usually 12 items).

I would agree that this is likely an early (pre-1900) pattern - perhaps a short-lived one - that has escaped proper documentation in the pattern reference books.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I use gold wire in my engraving and have a draw plate to reduce wire diameter. I always thought the reference to dwt was draw weight. Thanks for the correction. That makes more sense now.👍🏻 As usual, Red Coat is on top of things.