AH flatware

[ErichS]

Welcome to the club and you did well on your 1st piece of AH silverware and one won't be enough. I know!

[BrianK]

Those are, without a doubt, the Formal Pattern! The Informal AH Pattern was always y-fronts, also known in the hobby as "AH Tighty-Whities!!"

Br. James

I've been searching the websites, and can't find a dealer offering AH boxer shorts. Snyder does have some of Eva's undies though.

[CPB]

One piece is never enough...welcome to the club

[Br. James]

Hi Rebeldevil89,

Welcome to 'the club!' Congrats on acquiring a very nice example of the AH Formal or State Silver Pattern, and yes, I too think you're probably already addicted! As to exactly what your piece represented within the tableware bearing this pattern, that is difficult to say for certain...at least for me! The only actual list of the different pieces in this service is in the form of an inventory (perhaps accompanying an invoice) for silverware intended for use at the Kehlstein Haus -- which was still under construction at that time -- and addressed to architect Roderick Fick from the Munich silver- and goldsmith F.H. Wani, dated July 29, 1938. This inventory itemizes a service for 36, plus numerous serving pieces, and it numbers and names the implements themselves, though it does not mention measurements. From your description of your fork, plus the photo, it appears that your sense that this is a dessert fork is probably correct. The service provided by F.H. Wani included "dessert forks" as well as "pastry forks" which, to my eye, resemble what we would today also call "salad forks" or "dessert forks" -- though they are interchangeable. Interestingly enough, the Wani list does not include "salad forks"...which may be an artifact of the time?

For a view of a wide selection of the pieces which comprised the AH Formal Pattern, see Matthew Sollis' website -- "Hitler's Nest" at http://www.hitlersnest.co.uk/index.htm -- and also James A. Yannes' newest addition to his published series on this subject, titled "The Encyclopedia of Third Reich Taqbleware," Trafford Publishing, 2013.

Again, welcome to the club!

Br. James

[Br. James]

Be careful, Brian...the "Eva's undies" may be of the same quality as other items Charlie offers are rumored to be!!

Br. James

[fredyfang]

Hi James,

Im sorry if I Must correct you, but it is not properly what you write.
This piece its a concerns fruits cutlery.

Earlier it was served in Germany with table covers small fruits bowls in which everybody, got apple, strawberries.... . „Almost the same then salad bowls“
But for salad the became other Tableware.
Around 1920 this was certain distinguishes in Germany whether this just in America was I cannot say.
Nowadays one does not make usually any more.
I find the fruits cutlery even nicer than the bigger pieces, particularly the knife. A dream for Collecters!


Rebeldevil 89:
You have a very nice piece and to find one is harder then some big cutlery pieces.
Now you hang on, like everybody frome us☺
I made some Pic frome my Fruits Kniffe and Fork the pictures are not the best, like my Englisch.
Bot i dont no how to uplodet in the Forum sorry.

Yours sincerely
Fredy

[paulj]

Yes, I would agree the piece is a fruit fork (Obstgabel). The cake or pastry fork (Kuchengabel) has the wider tine that allows it to be used as a knife to cut a piece of the pastry, especially in situations when the plate is being held in the left hand.

[Br. James]

I have a dessert fork in the Informal Pattern in my collection and it measures 5 3/4" in length, which is just slightly shorter than the 5 5/8" (14.5cm) length of this piece. Most if not all pieces in the Informal Pattern, in my experience, are slightly shorter than the cognate pieces in the Formal Pattern.

Hi Fredy, and thanks very much for the correction. I was unaware that what was from earlier in the 20th century known as a 'salad fork' had been absorbed into other pieces of tableware in Germany. Very good to know!

Cheers,

Br. James

[CPB]

Greetings all. A couple of new buys for you to look at.

Nothing we haven't seen before, but both firsts for me:

A really nice 'informal pattern' tablecloth [5ft-ish square] and a mint AH Wellner coaster.

The detail in the eagle on that cloth is unbelievable.

Chris

[rebeldevil89]

Thanks for all the information everyone, interesting to know that it's a fruit fork!

Chris, very nice pieces, I would really like to get a napkin or table cloth soon!

[Br. James]

Hi Chris,

Congrats on two great additions to your collection! As to the tablecloth, what is it about this piece that causes you to classify it as being in the 'informal pattern?' I well understand the differences between the Formal and Informal Pattern silver services, but I can't quite see such differences in this case. Is it in the needlework, and if so, is it the absence of the Greek Key border pattern? Indeed, in the silver services, the presence or absence of detail in the eagle as well as the presence or absence of the Greek Key border, illustrates the differences between the Formal and Informal silver service patterns, yet here in this tablecloth we have an eagle with as much detail and anyone could want! Any help you can give me here would be appreciated!

Many thanks,

Br. James

[CPB]

Hi Chris,

Congrats on two great additions to your collection! As to the tablecloth, what is it about this piece that causes you to classify it as being in the 'informal pattern?' I well understand the differences between the Formal and Informal Pattern silver services, but I can't quite see such differences in this case. Is it in the needlework, and if so, is it the absence of the Greek Key border pattern? Indeed, in the silver services, the presence or absence of detail in the eagle as well as the presence or absence of the Greek Key border, illustrates the differences between the Formal and Informal silver service patterns, yet here in this tablecloth we have an eagle with as much detail and anyone could want! Any help you can give me here would be appreciated!

Many thanks,

Br. James

Great question and one I always wonder myself - hence putting the name in inverted commas. I was simply adopting the nomenclature Dr Griffith does in his books for this type of linen. Of course, it's a name us collectors have since adopted, and it's stuck. But, like I say, and you have so correctly brought up...there is nothing 'informal' about it at all. Quite the opposite. It's clear the embroidery in this monogram is absolutely first rate and most likely done by the firm Strunkmann & Meister, which is still in business today.

As a rule of thumb [correct me if I'm wrong] but the collecting world *tends* to describe white AH linen as 'formal' and this beige color as 'informal.' In a way, the differentiation is pointless, but there we go.

Chris

[Br. James]

Thanks for your welcome response, Chris. Indeed, I was not aware that the white cloths are often referred to as 'formal' and that the beige cloths as 'informal!' You've taught me something right now, my friend, and many thanks for it! I would have thought that the needlework would have indicated whether a cloth was 'formal' or 'informal,' in order to duplicate the silver service used on either occasion, but since both white and beige cloths sport the same eagle design and detail, that is of no help to the question.

Br. James

[CPB]

My theory of formal vs informal is just that - a theory and I'm totally open to other suggestions here.

[ErichS]

Hi Chris,

nice additions and i have the mate to your coaster in my collection.

Best,

Erich