Comment on 10/14/26- silver is at $58.70 this am by dickie

Parent Post: 10/14/26- silver is at $58.70 this am

dickie · 10/15/2026, 1:53:31 PM (edited) · permalink

![image](https://us-lax-1.linodeobjects.com/sojooo/comments/2835/1792072410949-21e8526d6c4ee524.webp)
![image](https://us-lax-1.linodeobjects.com/sojooo/comments/2835/1792072411464-4f7cde19da89c665.webp)
I bought a 160-year-old sterling silver fork to eat Shin Green ramen, without realizing how old it was.  
  
I'd been using a youth-sized silver-plated fork that belonged to my grandmother-in-law, but the plating was wearing off. I wanted a solid sterling silver replacement that was **under 6 inches long so it would fit inside my [Ai Love Peace ramen cooker](https://ailovepeace.com/products/ai-love-peace-ramen-bowl-ramen-cooker-microwave-ramen-bowl-large-noodle-bowl-40-oz-microwave-bowl-with-lid-portable-noodle-bowls-ramen-bowl-microwavable-for-home-office-dorm-room-college-gift)**, which I highly recommend.  
  
In August I purchased one of the cheaper options available for **$65, including shipping**. Only afterward did I investigate its history.  
  
The 5½-inch, 20-gram fork was made or retailed by **Haddock, Lincoln &amp; Foss**, a Boston silverware firm that operated approximately **1857–1865** at 13 Court Square, according to the [American Silversmiths directory](https://americansilversmiths.org/makers/partners/partners_h.htm). Some references extend the firm's activity into the late 1860s.  
  
The fork features the Victorian *Olive* pattern, with detailed leaves and scrolling ornamentation.  
  
Particularly interesting is its **(925)** stamp, an early example of numerical sterling silver marking in American flatware. At the time, coin silver, generally around 90% pure, was still common. [Tiffany &amp; Co. adopted the 92.5% sterling standard in 1851](https://press.tiffany.com/our-story/a-legacy-of-sterling-silver/).  
  
A [2001 silver collectors' discussion](https://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000052.html) documents other Haddock, Lincoln &amp; Foss *Olive* forks with the same marking. The firm's operating years also overlap the American Civil War.  
  
There's even a museum connection. The [Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, owns a Haddock, Lincoln &amp; Foss *Olive* pattern macaroni knife](https://emuseum.mfah.org/objects/49402/), dated approximately 1857–1865.  
  
Despite its age, the fork retains its decorative details, remains fully functional and maintains its shine with regular use. Its 20 grams of sterling silver contain approximately 18.5 grams of pure silver.  
  
I hadn't set out to buy an antique, much less a piece of Civil War-era Boston silverware. I simply needed a solid silver fork short enough to fit inside my ramen cooker.  
  
**For $65 delivered, I ended up with roughly 160 years of history and a better way to eat noodles.**

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serenity · 10/15/2026, 10:10:22 PM · permalink

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