Serving Spoon, c. 1880

3D Model

Sterling Silver Serving Spoon by Schulz and Fischer of San Francisco, California: Cleopatra pattern patented 1879

This silverware has a monogram of MA for Martha Avery, wife of Corvallis founder, J.C. Avery. The pattern reflects the interest in motifs from other lands in the second half of the nineteenth century. The large serving spoon is coated with gold for better protection against the acids in some foods.

The silverware was made by Schulz and Fischer, which opened for business as Schulz, Fischer and Mohring in 1868 and continued under slightly different names until 1883. The company was one of several on the West Coast that opened following discovery of the Comstock silver deposits in Nevada–deposits that yielded over $150 million of silver between 1859 and 1880.

BCHS accession number 2002-087.0001