The large round Chowder spoons are also known, as Gumbo spoons & some patterns had both this & a Cream soup as well as the boullion & oval soup. However, I collect Art Nouveau place settings of different patterns & I usually try to get the gumbo as my soup spoon of choice (but I'm interested in any of the place pieces)& really haven't seen that many true cream soups. Some of the Gumbos are a slightly bit smaller than usual & some of the boullions are a trifle larger & would seem to be the right size to go with a cream soup bowl that has "ears". You really need a copy of an old catalogue in your patten to see what was made.

According to one of my reference books, the oval soup is for formal settings with a soup plate, bouillon is in the little cup, cream soup spoon should be used with the cream soup bowl with handles, & the gumbo/chowder spoon was for informal family gatherings serving stews, etc in a coupe. I wonder what Miss Manners would say about soup in a giant cup/bowl, eaten with a stainless teaspoon? Which is what I'm probably having for dinner. LOL!
Hester

Stainless steel???? Really?? I use sterling "Chowdah" spoons just for me....soup tastes better.
Where would I find a copy of an old catalog for Gorham Wreath..for example?
Linda C

I tried to post earlier tonight but GW kept rejecting it...so I'll make another attempt.

All of my copies of old catalogs have come from Eden Sterling in Cincinati. Try www.edensterling.com & if that doesn't work, I'll hunt up an actual address & phone #. If he doesn't have one of 'Wreath', ask about another Gorham pattern of the same era. He does a very professional job of copying the old catalogs that he buys - & they're very reasonably priced. I take mine to Kinko's & have them spiral bound.

And yes, I prefer my Shiebler's Fiorito or Watson's Orchid gumbo spoon for soup, but we're having some work done on the house & the silver has been stashed for the duration as the boxes might prove a wee bit too portable if someone wanted to walk off with them. For a while, I'll have to make do with the stainless unless I want to dig into an upstairs closet.

Hester

Well....I googled Eden Sterling...and got caught up for most of an hour!!
Thank you!!
Linda c

Here is a link that might be useful: old silver catalogs

Linda,
Did you see Eden's auction on Ebay for a Gorham Plymouth (1911) catalog? Since it is the same year as Wreath, there's a good chance that the same pieces were made.
Hester

Oops - I forgot the link!

Here is a link that might be useful: Plymouth

It's mine!
Thanks!
Linda C

Keep me posted on what's in it. These old catalogs are a treasure trove on old pieces that was made.

Love your ebay name; I'm 'silverwithapast'.
Hester

Linda, When I was looking through the Spencer Marks website, I came across a copy of a Wreath catalog, also by Eden Sterling.
Hester

Here is a link that might be useful: Wreath Catalog

Great....and I already bought the other one....for $6 more....
But glad to see that site!
Linda

Sorry about that, Linda. I was equally surprised to see the Eden catalogs sold by Spencer Marks; Ben Randolph used to just sell them himself but I noticed that the Eden website was lacking many of the catalogs that I know he's published in the past.

Thanks for the information about Gorham Wreath catalogs. That is really helpful.