Winfield Silver Plate Dinner Fork with Floral Embossing
Flatware (Fork) · Winfield Silver Plate, an American manufacturer known for producing accessible silver-plated flatware and tableware during the mid-20th century.
Pattern: Unidentified mid-century floral scroll pattern featuring beaded borders and floral motifs, common among American silver plate manufacturers of the era.
Type
Flatware (Fork)
Maker
Winfield Silver Plate, an American manufacturer known for producing accessible silver-plated flatware and tableware during the mid-20th century.
Material
Silver Plate (EPNS - Electroplated Nickel Silver), consisting of a base metal alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc coated with a thin layer of fine silver.
Dimensions
Standard dinner fork proportions, measuring approximately 18 to 20 cm (7 to 8 inches) in length, with a lightweight feel typical of plated flatware.
Description
A vintage silver-plated dinner fork by Winfield featuring a classic mid-century profile. The piece showcases a tapering handle adorned with a delicate stamped floral and foliate design framed by fine beaded borders. The tines and bowl show significant tarnish and surface oxidation, revealing the characteristic patina of a well-used and stored vintage utility piece.
Key Features
Clear "WINFIELD SILVER PLATE" stamp on the shank, embossed floral motif at the handle base, and classic four-tine dinner fork geometry.
Material & Composition
Silver Plate (EPNS - Electroplated Nickel Silver), consisting of a base metal alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc coated with a thin layer of fine silver.
Finish & Decoration
Satin and polished silver plate finish featuring a detailed embossed floral and leaf motif at the handle base, accented by delicate vertical beaded or lined borders, typical of mid-century traditional styles.
Hallmarks & Stamps
Impressed maker's mark reading "WINFIELD SILVER PLATE" centrally located on the upper shank.
Construction Details
Machine-manufactured via die-stamping from a base metal alloy sheet, followed by electroplating with silver and finishing with stamped surface decoration.
Functional Features
Standard four-tined table fork intended for dining use, featuring a balanced shank for comfortable handling.
Handle & Grip Details
Solid integrated handle of the same base metal with silver plating, featuring an ergonomic tapering shape and a textured floral cartouche near the throat.
Craftsmanship Details
Standard commercial-grade mass production utilizing die-cutting and stamping machinery, with functional symmetry and machine-applied surface decoration.
Authentication Indicators
The stamped text "WINFIELD SILVER PLATE" is crisp and properly aligned, consistent with mid-century American manufacturing practices for silver-plated tableware.
Origin & Manufacturing
United States, produced by mass-manufacturing techniques common in American silver plating factories of the mid-20th century.
Era & Period
Mid-Century (c. 1930s-1950s), reflecting traditional revival styles popular in American domestic dining during the post-war era.
Age Estimate
Circa 1930 to 1960, inferred from the maker's mark style and common production periods for Winfield silver-plated flatware.
Cultural Significance
Reflects the post-World War II American dining culture where elegant table settings were made accessible to the broader public through silver-plated manufacturing innovations.
Condition Notes
Fair to Good condition. The piece exhibits heavy tarnish, dark sulfide discoloration, and surface pitting or wear on the tines and bridge, indicating age and previous use. The structural integrity remains intact with no bends or major deformities.
Value Estimate
Low market value, typically ranging from $2 to $10 per individual fork, primarily sought after for replacement pieces in existing flatware sets rather than as investment silver.
Care & Maintenance
Clean gently with a mild silver cream or specialized silver polish using a soft cloth. Avoid harsh abrasive pads that could wear through the thin silver plating to the base metal. Store in anti-tarnish cloth or bags.
Similar Pieces
Similar silver-plated forks produced by contemporary American brands such as Wm. Rogers & Son, Oneida, and Holmes & Edward.
Interesting Facts
Winfield tableware pieces were widely marketed to middle-class households in the United States as affordable alternatives to solid sterling silver flatware sets.