F.B. Rogers Silver Co. Regency Style Silver-Plated Chafing Dish or Casserole Frame
Hollowware (Serving Casserole Frame / Chafing Dish) · F.B. Rogers Silver Co., founded in 1883 in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, later moved to Taunton. Known for high-quality silver-plated wares for the growing American middle class.
Pattern: Unidentified scroll-work pattern, typical of the company's early-to-mid 20th-century production; features characteristics of the Regency and Victorian revival styles.
Type
Hollowware (Serving Casserole Frame / Chafing Dish)
Maker
F.B. Rogers Silver Co., founded in 1883 in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, later moved to Taunton. Known for high-quality silver-plated wares for the growing American middle class.
Material
Silver plate over a base metal (likely copper or nickel silver). The visible base metal peeking through on high points of the handles suggests electroplated nickel silver (EPNS).
Dimensions
Estimated outer diameter of 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) for the large bowl; total weight including potential glass liner would be roughly 1.5-2.0 kg. Individual size is standard for a buffet-style server.
Description
This F.B. Rogers silver-plated casserole frame exemplifies mid-20th-century American dining elegance. Designed to hold a round glass baking dish, it transforms a functional kitchen tool into a centerpiece. The bowl’s clean, spherical lines are offset by ornate, pierced handles that evoke the grandeur of European Rococo silver. It is a sturdy, functional piece typical of the high-quality plating used to simulate solid sterling at a more accessible price point.
Key Features
Pierced openwork handles with shell-shaped terminals; high-sided spun bowl; lack of hallmarks on the vertical surface; absence of the original glass liner.
Material & Composition
Silver plate over a base metal (likely copper or nickel silver). The visible base metal peeking through on high points of the handles suggests electroplated nickel silver (EPNS).
Finish & Decoration
High-polish mirror finish on the bowl exterior with satin-finished interior. The handles feature pierced/openwork filigree with shell and foliate (leaf) motifs in a Rococo-revival style.
Hallmarks & Stamps
Typically marked on the underside with a crown and '1883' (founding date, not manufacture date), often accompanied by 'F.B. Rogers Silver Co.' and 'EP' or 'Silver on Copper'. Marks are likely obscured by tarnish in the image.
Construction Details
Spun metal bowl with die-cast or stamped pierced handles. The handles are soldered to the bowl's rim; the lack of visible rivets indicates industrial soldering and mass-production techniques.
Functional Features
Designed as a decorative support for a Pyrex or ceramic heat-safe glass liner (missing). The flat, horizontal handles allow for lifting the heavy assembly when filled with food.
Handle & Grip Details
Waiters-style pierced handles made of solid base metal, silver-plated. Attached via lead/tin solder joints at the rim. Currently showing heavy oxidation and 'bleeding' of base metal.
Craftsmanship Details
Industrially produced with machine-spun bowl and die-cast handles. Solder joints are clean but lack the finesse of hand-worked silver. The pierce-work is uniform, indicating a mechanical die strike rather than hand-sawn decoration.
Authentication Indicators
The 'bleeding' of base metal (yellowish/copper hue) on the handles is a definitive indicator of silver plate over sterling. Construction shows no signs of hand-hammering or individual smithing typical of higher-end pieces.
Origin & Manufacturing
United States; manufactured in Taunton, Massachusetts. F.B. Rogers was part of the Taunton silver-producing hub along with Reed & Barton.
Era & Period
Mid-Century Victorian Revival (c. 1940s-1970s). The design draws on 19th-century aesthetics but the manufacturing and lack of hand-chaising points to mid-20th-century industrial production.
Age Estimate
Circa 1950-1970. The style correlates with the popular American buffet-serving trend of the post-WWII era.
Cultural Significance
Represents the 'Buffet Culture' of mid-century America, where silver-plated serving pieces were staple wedding gifts intended to bring formality to suburban dinner parties.
Condition Notes
Good overall structure but poor surface condition. Heavy tarnish (sulfide deposits) throughout. Visible plating wear on the handle edges (copper/pink tones) and substantial pitting on the interior of the smaller vessel.
Value Estimate
$25 - $55 USD. Value is significantly hampered by the missing glass liner and the heavy tarnish/plating wear. If the liner were present and polished, it would reach the higher end of the range.
Care & Maintenance
Requires deep cleaning with a non-abrasive silver cream (e.g., Wright's). Due to the heavy oxidation, a silver dip may be used briefly for the handles, but it should be rinsed immediately to avoid stripping the remaining thin plating.
Similar Pieces
Sheffield Plate examples from England (heavier, thicker silver), or contemporary pieces by Sheridan or Oneida. Sheridan pieces often have more 'busy' chasing on the bowl itself.
Interesting Facts
Though F.B. Rogers uses '1883' in their mark, this often confuses buyers into thinking the piece was made that year; it actually refers to the company's founding. F.B. Rogers was eventually acquired by National Silver Co. in 1955.