Web Silver Company Sterling Silver Tazza or Sandwich Plate
Hollowware (Sandwich Plate, Tazza, or Low Compote) · Web Silver Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded by Jack Webster in the 1920s, the company was a reputable American manufacturer known for producing high-quality sterling silver hollowware and baby items.
Pattern: Pattern #914. This is a numeric designator rather than a named aesthetic collection, common for utilitarian but elegant American hollowware of the mid-20th century.
Type
Hollowware (Sandwich Plate, Tazza, or Low Compote)
Maker
Web Silver Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded by Jack Webster in the 1920s, the company was a reputable American manufacturer known for producing high-quality sterling silver hollowware and baby items.
Material
Sterling Silver (.925 purity). The base metal is solid sterling silver throughout, and the piece appears to be weighted (indicated by the central pin/hole often used to secure a weighted base to the silver skin).
Dimensions
Estimated diameter of 8 to 10 inches. While the silver skin is thin (typical for weighted pieces), the total weight would be significant, though the 'fine silver' weight is likely 4-6 troy ounces excluding the interior filling.
Description
An elegant example of American mid-century hollowware, this Web Silver Co. piece represents the clean lines and functional beauty of the era. The cursive signature is a hallmark of quality for Philadelphia silver collectors, denoting a piece intended for formal entertaining. Its circular form is timeless, serving as a sophisticated centerpiece for any table setting.
Key Features
The distinctive cursive 'Web Silver Co' stamp and the pattern number '914'. The central perforation is a diagnostic trait for 'weighted' sterling construction.
Material & Composition
Sterling Silver (.925 purity). The base metal is solid sterling silver throughout, and the piece appears to be weighted (indicated by the central pin/hole often used to secure a weighted base to the silver skin).
Finish & Decoration
The piece exhibits a satin or slightly brushed finish with age-related oxidation. The decoration is minimal and modernist, focusing on form rather than ornate engraving or repoussé, typical of the Art Deco or Mid-Century American style.
Hallmarks & Stamps
Stamped with the cursive 'Web' script logo above 'Silver Co', a hallmark for Web Silver Co. of Philadelphia. Below is the numeric pattern mark '914'. The word 'Sterling' is likely present just out of the frame or on the outer rim.
Construction Details
Spun silver construction. The central hole suggests a screw-post assembly where a weighted base (cement or pitch) was attached to the decorative silver plate topper. This method allowed for grand presentation pieces with less total silver cost.
Functional Features
Includes a central mounting point for a pedestal. Designed as a serving vessel for sandwiches, petit fours, or fruit. The slightly raised edges are meant to retain juices or crumbs.
Handle & Grip Details
N/A - This appears to be a flat or slightly concave plate surface designed to sit atop a central pedestal handle or base.
Craftsmanship Details
Machine-spun silver skin with hand-stamped hallmarks. The symmetry is excellent, indicative of high-quality industrial lathes, while the finishing shows the hand-touch of a factory polisher.
Authentication Indicators
The hallmark 'Web' is consistent with known examples from the Philadelphia firm. The numeric stamp '914' matches the company's internal cataloging style. The wear is consistent with a 70-year-old piece of functional hollowware.
Origin & Manufacturing
United States, specifically Philadelphia, PA. Web Silver Co. was part of the thriving Pennsylvania silver manufacturing tradition alongside companies like J.E. Caldwell.
Era & Period
Mid-Century Modern / Late Art Deco (c. 1940-1960). The typography of the hallmark and the numeric pattern system align with mid-20th-century U.S. manufacturing.
Age Estimate
Circa 1950. The wear patterns, hallmark style, and '914' numbering suggest a post-WWII production date during the height of American middle-class silver consumption.
Cultural Significance
Reflects the post-war American 'Silver Age' where sterling silver was a standard wedding gift and a symbol of domestic success and hospitality in the growing suburbs.
Condition Notes
Fair to Good. There is significant surface scratching (stacking marks), moderate tarnish, and a notable indentation/damage near the central mounting hole. The surface shows 'salt and pepper' pitting common in silver stored in high-humidity environments.
Value Estimate
$40 - $85 USD. The value is primarily in the brand recognition and the silver content, though the damage to the central mounting area significantly reduces collector premium.
Care & Maintenance
Clean with a mild silver cream like Wright's. Avoid immersion in liquid 'dips' as the central hole could allow liquid to seep into the weighted base, causing internal corrosion or unpleasant odors.
Similar Pieces
Similar to weighted hollowware by Gorham or Duchin Creation. Gorham pieces often carry the 'Anchor' hallmark and are generally heavier; Duchin pieces are similar in weight and price point.
Interesting Facts
Web Silver Co. was particularly famous for their 'sterling handles' on baby rattles and brushes. Finding their larger hollowware pieces like this one is less common than their smaller vanity or baby items.