This item is a boxed set of teaspoons from the Rodd Silverware Company. G. & E. Rodd Pty Ltd was founded in Melbourne in 1919 and by the 1930s it was the leading manufacturing jewellery business in Australia. In 1948 the business was taken over by Max Rodd, the son of one of the founders and by that time it was known mostly for its household silverware. Rodd products were very popular wedding presents in the mid 20th century. This item has no known local significance but is retained as an excellent example of the Rodd Silverware that was found in so many households in Australia in the early to mid 20th century. It will be useful for display.This is a black leather-bound box with a gilt rim around the edge of the lid. The lid is attached to the box by two metal clips. One of these is broken. The box has a gilt metal clasp for closing the box. The box is lined inside with purple satin material and contains five electro plated nickel silver teaspoons. There should be six in the set but one spoon is missing. The spoons are held in grooves cut into a purple block across the middle of the inside of the box (perhaps made of wood). The box is somewhat stained and the leather is scuffed in places. The teaspoons are in excellent condition.Back of spoons: ‘Rodd E.P.N.S. A1’ rodd silverware, household items

From the home of Mr. W. J. Sebire Wandin. Mrs. Thomas Quayle.Set of three silver teaspoons with decorative handles.teaspoons, spoons, tea accessories

Used by Mr. & Mrs. H. N. LordSet of three silver teaspoons, with decorative handles finished with a purple Scottish thistle.teaspoons, spoons, tea accessories

Set of three silver teaspoons with ER crest on handle, with pink stone on top of crown.teaspoons, spoons, tea accessories

Context: These teaspoons are from the wreck of the Loch Ard, that sailed from Gravesend, London. The manifest listed an array of manufactured goods being exported to the Colony of Victoria. Included in the cargo manifest was a large number of hardware & cutlery items. These spoons are representative of similar items of silver electro-plated cutlery salvaged from the Loch Ard wreck site, comprising nickel silver electroplated spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape and design. Some of the pieces display their makers’ mark of William Page & Co Birmingham UK. Within the Flagstaff Hills cutlery collection donated from the Loch Ard, maker’s marks are often obscured by sedimentary accretion or verdigris after a century of submersion in the ocean. However sufficient detail has survived to indicate that the collection of samples of electroplated cutlery probably originated from the same cargo consignment from the Loch Ard and were made by William Page & Co. William Page was born in 1811 and died in 1885. He was active as a manufacturer of cutlery from 1829 with premises at 74 Belmont Rd, Dales End as a "close plater" (someone who works sheet metal), and he began electroplating in 1855. William Page & Co was also active from 1880 at Cranemore St, Cattle’s Grove also 55 Albion St, Birmingham, in 1936 the firm became Ltd. The firm used the trademarks "Asrista, Bolivian Silver, Silverite, Roman Silver, Roumanian Silver and Trevor Plate. In 1938 William Page was a supplier to the British Government, marking it's products with the broad arrow symbol and was also present at Sheffield. History of the Loch Ard: The Loch Ard got its name from ”Loch Ard” a loch which lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Loch Ard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Loch Ard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Loch Ard Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton majolica peacock- one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne 1880 International Exhibition in. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artifact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck. The collections object is to also give us a snapshot into history so we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. The collections historically significance is that it is associated unfortunately with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. Nickel Silver plated teaspoons in a concreted group, fiddle-back design handle, narrow stem with flared collar and elongated bowl. There are 3 spoons in the group. makers’ mark “W” & “P” placed within a raised diamond outline, which is in turn contained within a sunken crown shape identifying the manufacturer as William Page & Co of Birmingham.flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, electroplated cutlery, nickel silver, william page & co, birmingham brass plating, makers marks, william page & co, teaspoons

Given to the donor by her father Glyn Francis.Six small silver teaspoons with decorated handles.silver markdomestic items, cutlery

Spoon for transferring tea from a container to a tea potRound teaspoon with small handle."Tea" for two, Made in Englandteaspoons

Teaspoon produced by the BTPS mid 1980s, featuring trams 38 and 26 as a souvenir sales item.Demonstrates a BTPS souvenir featuring two of its trams.Souvenir teaspoon with images of two trams in the Perfection Plate Duet style with in a plastic case. The case has yellow plastic base, with clear top. On the rear of the case is the wording "Perfection".museums, ballarat, btps, teaspoons, sales items

The teaspoon is a European invention. Small spoons were common in Europe since at least the 13th century; the special spoons were introduced almost simultaneously with tea and coffee. (Pettigrew points to its use in the mid-17th century.) Originally the teaspoons were exotic items, precious and small, resembling the demitasse spoons of later times. Also used for coffee, these spoons were usually made of gilt silver, and were available with a variety of handle shapes: plain, twisted, or decorated with knobs, also known as knops, hence the knop-top name for such spoons. Widespread use and the modern size dates back to the Georgian era. The teaspoon is first mentioned in an advertisement in a 1686 edition of the London Gazette. Teaspoons, probably of English origin, are present in the 1700 Dutch painting by Nicholas Verkolje, "A Tea Party". An 1825 cartoon makes fun of a Frenchman unfamiliar with the British etiquette. The guest did not place his spoon into the cup and is thus being offered his thirteenth cup of tea! A special dish for resting the teaspoons, a "spoon boat", was a part of the tea set in the 18th century. At that time, the spoons played an important role in tea drinking etiquette: a spoon laid "across" the teacup indicated that the guest did not need any more tea, otherwise, the hostess was obligated to offer a fresh cup of tea, and it was considered impolite to refuse the offering. Pettigrew reports that sometimes the spoons were numbered to make it easier to match the cups with the guests after a refill. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaspoon#:~:text=Teaspoon%20is%20a%20European%20invention,the%20mid%2D17th%20century).A history of the teaspoon.Metal teaspoon, badly corrodedNoneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

The spoon belonged to John T RobhhA single silver teaspoon with engraving on the top of the handle and a maker's mark underneath.'JTR' and a decorative pattern is engraved on the length of the handle as mentioned above. An indecipherable maker's mark is on the back of the handle.spoons, teaspoons, cutlery

The Wodonga Historical Society Haeusler Collection provides invaluable insight into life in late nineteenth and early twentieth century north east Victoria. The collection comprises manuscripts, personal artefacts used by the Haeusler family on their farm in Wodonga, and a set of glass negatives which offer a unique visual snapshot of the domestic and social lives of the Haeusler family and local Wodonga community. The Haeusler family migrated from Prussia (Germany) to South Australia in the 1840s and 1850s, before purchasing 100 acres of Crown Land made available under the Victorian Lands Act 1862 (also known as ‘Duffy’s Land Act’) in 1866 in what is now Wodonga West. The Haeusler family were one of several German families to migrate from South Australia to Wodonga in the 1860s. This item is a Nestlé Lactogen baby formula measuring scoop used in the preparation of formula for bottle feeding. It was used by Ilma Margaret Ernestine Haeusler (née Tasker, b.1900 in Tallangatta) to feed her son Alfred who was born in 1922. Ilma died in childbirth in 1928. This measuring spoon is one of several objects in the Haeusler Collection concerning early childhood that provide insight into family and home life in early twentieth century Wodonga. The first fully artificial infant milk formula, Farine Lactee, was developed in the 1860s. Companies continued to attempt to develop synthetic formulas which nutritionally replicated human breast milk in the decades that followed. Nestlé began producing Lactogen in 1921. It was marketed to women as a nutritionally superior substitute for breast milk, and as a nutritional supplement for breast feeding mothers. From the 1920s, when the Haeusler Collection measure was produced and used, Nestlé employed nurses in major Australian cities to promote Lactogen and its supposed health benefits to new mothers. They also used print advertisements to offer free product samples and instruction booklets advising on pregnancy and infant care for the same purpose. Nestlé was formed in 1905 by the merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1866 by brothers George and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri Nestlé. The company grew significantly during the First World War and again following the Second World War, expanding its offerings beyond its early condensed milk and infant formula products. In the twenty-first century, Nestlé has faced criticism and boycotts over its decision to market baby formula as an alternative to breastfeeding in developing countries. The adoption of bottle feeding in countries without access to clean water and sanitation infrastructure has contributed to high infant mortality rates. This item has well documented provenance and a known owner. It forms part of a significant and representative historical collection which reflects the local history of Wodonga. It contributes to our understanding of domestic and family life in early twentieth century Wodonga, as well as providing interpretative capacity for themes including local history, social history, and women’s history.Silver toned alloy measuring spoon for Lactogen infant formula, produced by food and drink manufacturing company Nestlé. Embossed with the Lactogen brand name, and teaspoon and tablespoon measurements. "LACTOGEN MEASURE" on central handle/"TABLESPOON" on large inner scoop/"TEASPOON" on small inner scoopchildren, babies, household, domestic, motherhood, family, kitchen

Australian Army commemorative teaspoon belonged to Lt Richard Benjamin HARRIS VX 798 born 13/8/1909. Enlisted with the Australian Army on 28/10/1939Silver plated teaspoon with rising sun badge "Teamwork Courage Initiative / 1901-2001 / 100 years service to the nation"spoon, teaspoon, commemorative spoon, 100 years of service, rising sun, australian army

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 26 in a round inset at the top of the tea spoon, contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Caprice style or type. The case has yellow plastic base, with clear top with the words "Caprice by Perfection" On the rear of the case is the wording "Perfection". The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture 22mm round. The teaspoon is marked "Caprice" on the rear. Tea spoon is 116mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 125mm high, 32mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made late 1980's, or early 1990's. See Reg Item 3556 for another example of this teaspoon. trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btps

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 14 in an inset at the top of the tea spoon, and No. 27 in the 1930's colour scheme in the bowl of the teaspoon contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Vista style or type. The case has yellow plastic base, with clear top. On the rear of the case is the wording "Perfection". The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture 15mm diameter on top and oval shaped in the bowl about 25mm long. The teaspoon is marked "Vista" on the rear, with "Perfection Plate Australia" along the handle of the spoon. Tea spoon is 112mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 125mm high, 32mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made mid 1980's? trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btps

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 33 in a Square inset at the top of the tea spoon, contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Galaxy style or type. The case has dark blue plastic base, with clear top, with a paper insert, with word "Perfection" and other details, including the name of the manufacturer "Hansen & Berry Ltd" with Auckland and Sydney photo numbers. On the rear of the case is the wording "Perfection". The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture 18mm square. The teaspoon is marked "Galaxy" on the rear. Tea spoon is 112mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 125mm high, 32mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made late 1980's?. See Reg Item 3555 for another example of this teaspoon.trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btps

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 40 to celebrate 21 years since closure in a Square inset at the top of the tea spoon, contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Galaxy style or type. The case has yellow plastic base, with clear top, with a paper insert, with word "Perfection" On the rear of the case is the wording "Perfection". The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture 18mm square. The teaspoon is marked "Galaxy" on the rear. Tea spoon is 112mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 125mm high, 32mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made early 1990's. trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btps

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 27 in an oval inset at the top of the tea spoon, contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Celest style or type. The case has yellow plastic base, with clear top with the words "Celest by Perfection" On the rear of the case is the wording "Perfection". The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture about 23mm long. The teaspoon is marked "Celest" on the rear. Tea spoon is 120mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 125mm high, 32mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made late 1980's, or early 1990's. trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btps

This spoon was owned by Malcolm Holding (1940-1988) of Mannibadar, who was a member of the Linton Rifle Club.Silver plated teaspoon with enamelled Linton Rifle Club emblem at end of handle. The spoon is still in original packaging - blue card backing and cellophane wrapper.souvenirs, teaspoons, linton rifle club

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 33 in a Square inset at the top of the tea spoon, contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Galaxy style or type. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Caprice style or type. The case is clear plastic, hinged on the left hand side, with a clip on the right hand side and wrapped in plastic. Inside and on top of the case for display purposes is a folded sheet of cardboard, printed with a decorative design on the spoon side and a short item about Australia - the island continent. On the base of the item is details of the manufacturer, and web site. The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture 22mm round. Tea spoon is 116mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 163mm high, 43mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made early 2000's. See Reg Item 3205 for an earlier example of this teaspoon. trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btm

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 27 in an inset at the top of the tea spoon, contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Cameo style or type. The case has yellow plastic base, with clear top, marked "Cameo" On the rear of the case is the wording "Perfection". On the top of the case at the base in white printing "Silver plated / Made in Australia" The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture 15mm diameter. The teaspoon is marked "Cameo" on the rear. Tea spoon is 112mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 125mm high, 32mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made early 1980's. Second copy added from the donation of the family of David Frost - 17-12-17. trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btps

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 40 as the last ram in 1971 in an inset at the top of the tea spoon, and No. 1 Horse tram 1887 in the bowl of the teaspoon contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Vista style or type. The case has blue plastic base, with clear top with the words "Vista by perfection" printed do top. On the rear of the case is the wording "Perfection". The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture 15mm diameter on top and oval shaped in the bowl about 25mm long. The teaspoon is marked "Vista" on the rear, with "Perfection Plate Australia" along the handle of the spoon. Tea spoon is 112mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 125mm high, 32mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made early 1990's? Second copy added 19-6-2017 - no case from donation of S. Hall - see related documents for email chain. trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btps

This teaspoon is believed to belong to the household of Chiltern writer and historian, W.C. Busse. The teaspoon displays a level of tarnish indicating it may be comprised of silver or silver plate. It has no evident hallmark to determine its maker or date of manufacture, but may pre-date World War Two as mass production methods and the growing popularity of stainless steel in cutlery and other tablewares saw a reduced reliance on silver in such goods after this period. Wilfred Clarence Busse was born in Chiltern in 1898. He went to school at Wesley College in Melbourne, studied law at the University of Melbourne and became a barrister. Additionally, after spending time on a Victorian station in his early twenties, he wrote two historical novels about bush life. His first novel was 'The Blue Beyond: a Romance of the Early Days in South Eastern Australia', written in 1928 and published in 1930. Busse's second novel was titled 'The Golden Plague: A Romance of the Early Fifties'. The judges of the Henry Lawson Society's T.E. Rofe competition to advance Australian literature unanimously awarded it the Gold Medal in 1931 for the best historical novel of 1930. Newspaper articles about the award mention the writer's meticulous documentary and oral history research regarding life on the Gold Fields in the 1850s. It became a best-seller. Busse also wrote a series of articles about local history for "The Federal Standard" newspaper in Chiltern. He was a member of the Chiltern Athenaeum. He died in 1960. This spoon is significant for the detail it conveys of ordinary domestic life in the household of a significant Victorian writer with special reference to Chiltern and the surrounding region. Teaspoon with decorative pattern on handle and tarnished patina. w.c. busse, chiltern, wilfred clarence busse, chiltern athenaeum, gold fields, gold rush, gold mining, mining history, historical fiction, cutlery, tableware, silverware, spoons, henry lawson society, t.e. rofe, t.e. rofe gold medal, federal standard newspaper, 1930s, 1850s, barrister, north-east victoria, indigo shire

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 26 in a round inset at the top of the tea spoon, contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Caprice style or type. The case is clear plastic, hinged on the left hand side, with a clip on the right hand side and wrapped in plastic. Inside and on top of the case for display purposes is a folded sheet of cardboard, printed with a decorative design on the spoon side and a short item about Australia - the island continent. On the base of the item is details of the manufacturer, and web site. The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture 22mm round. Tea spoon is 116mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 163mm high, 43mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made early 2000's. See Reg Item 3207 for an earlier example of this teaspoon. trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btm

Ethel Locke (nee Powell), daughter of Selena Jane And Henry James Powell, was awarded this set of teaspoons at an Orbost Show.This set of silver-plated spoons has aesthetic significance as well as being representative of trophies awarded at an early Orbost Show.A blue/grey leather like case which is padded inside and has a push in catch. It contains 6 silver-plated teaspoons and a pair of tongs.Back of spoon handles - R P 727517 EPNScutlery-spoons pringle-robert silverware powell-family

Souvenir Teaspoon featuring Ballarat tram No. 38 in an inset at the top of the tea spoon, contained within a plastic case. The teaspoon made by Perfection Plate, of the Cameo style or type. The case has white plastic base, red and yellow foam base, with clear top, marked "Cameo" and a $3 yellow price sticker stuck to it. On the rear of the case is the wording "Perfection Souvenirs". On the top of the case at the base in white printing "Silver plated / Made in Australia" The teaspoon is silver plated, with the tram in a picture 15mm diameter. The teaspoon is marked "Cameo" on the rear. The silver plating on the rear was not done properly and is the reason why the spoon was not sold by the Museum at the time. Tea spoon is 112mm long x 25mm wide. Case is 125mm high, 32mm wide, by 16mm deep. Made about 1981. Second copy added 4/11/2005. Images from 2nd copy.trams, tramways, teaspoons, sales items, btps

This teaspoon is an example of electroplated cutlery that was affordable alternative to more expensive silver cutlery, popular in the late 19th and early 20th century. The teaspoon has been stamped with text on the back of its handle that describes the nickel silver alloy that it was made of, and that it was made in Sheffield, but does not mention the maker's name. The plain design and light weight of this teaspoon could mean that it was used as a common, everyday utensil. The text on the back includes the words 'wears wite', assuring the buyer that even if the silverplate wears or flakes off the surface, the metal beneath it will show the white colour typical of nickel silver, or German silver. This alloy of copper, nickel and zinc is often used as a base for electroplating and named Electro Plated Nickel Silver (EPNS). An exact match of this teaspoon's inscription "WEARS-WITE STAINLESS NICKEL SILVER SHEFFIELD" has been found on cutlery made by Viners Ltd., and has not yet been found on flatware made by other manufacturers. Other cutlers have used very similar text but have used 'rustless' instead of 'stainless' and 'white throughout' instead of 'wears-wite'. Viners Limited was established in Sheffield in 1901 by Adolphe Viner and his sons. By 1908 they had a manufacturing plant in Bath Street, Sheffield, and went on to be the leading cutlers in the United Kingdom. They expanded to Hong Kong and Japan, and from 1925 they used the trademarks 'Alpha', 'Resilco' and 'Wear-wite stainless silver nickel'. They were appointed as Royal Cutlers to King George V in 1930, at which time their trademark was still 'Wear-wite' followed by the words 'Rustless Nickle Silver'. They continued to expand and prosper over the years. The Viners name is still being used by the current owners, the Rayware Group. In 2018 the Viners name celebrated 110 years as specialists in flatware. This teaspoon is historically significant, dating from the mid-1920s and made by a leading Sheffield silversmiths, Viners Limited, established in 1901 and continuing on with cutlery still branded with the Viner’s name today. Viners who were appointed as Royal Cutlers in 1930 by King George V. The teaspoon is an example of silver plated cutlery in common everyday use in the earlier half of the 20th century. This Viners teaspoon is unique in our collection as an item produced by Viners Ltd. and bearing the stamp ‘Wear-wite”.Teaspoon, small, thin, nickel silver plated. Narrow plain handle flares out to a wide, rounded end. Maker’s marks are stamped on the reverse. Made in Sheffield, England.“WEARS-WITE STAINLESS / NICKEL SILVER SHEFFIELD”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, electroplate, electro plate, nickel silver, nickel alloy, alloy composition, copper nickel zinc, german silver, epns, silversmiths, victorian era, 19th century, flatware, tableware, cutlery, cutler, dining utensils, eating utensils, silver-white metal, wears-wite stainless nickel silver sheffield, teaspoon, sheffield, wear-wite, silver nickel, stainless, rustless

This tea spoon is from the wreck of the LOCH ARD, a Loch Line ship of 1,693 tons which sailed from Gravesend, London, on 2 March 1878 with 17 passengers and a crew of 36 under Captain George Gibbs. “The intention was to discharge cargo in Melbourne, before returning to London via the Horn with wool and wheat”. Instead, on 1 June 1878, after 90 days at sea, she struck the sandstone cliffs of Mutton Bird Island on the south west coast of Victoria, and sank with the loss of 52 lives and all her cargo. The manifest of the LOCH ARD listed an array of manufactured goods and bulk metals being exported to the Colony of Victoria, with a declared value of £53,700. (202 bills of lading show an actual invoice value of £68, 456, with insurance underwriting to £30,000 of all cargo). Included in the manifest is the item of “Tin hardware & cutlery £7,530”. This teaspoon is one of 482 similar items of electro-plated cutlery from the LOCH ARD site, comprising spoons and forks of various sizes but all sharing the same general shape or design and metallic composition. 49 of these pieces display a legible makers’ mark — the initials “W” and “P” placed within a raised diamond outline, which is in turn contained within a sunken crown shape — identifying the manufacturer as William Page & Co of Birmingham. An electroplater’s makers’ marks, unlike sterling silver hallmarks, are not consistent identifiers of quality or date and place of manufacture. A similar line of five impressions was usually made to impress the consumer with an implication of industry standards, but what each one actually signified was not regulated and so they varied according to the whim of the individual foundry. In this case, the maker’s marks are often obscured by sedimentary accretion or removed by corrosion after a century of submersion in the ocean. However sufficient detail has survived to indicate that these samples of electro-plated cutlery probably originated from the same consignment in the LOCH ARD’s cargo. The following descriptions of maker’s marks are drawn from 255 tea spoons, 125 dessert spoons, and 99 table forks. These marks are clearly visible in 66 instances, while the same sequence of general outlines, or depression shapes, is discernible in another 166 examples. 1. A recessed Crown containing a raised Diamond outline and the initials “W” and “P” (the recognised trademark of William Page & Co) 2. An impressed Ellipse containing a raised, pivoted, Triangle in its lower part and bearing a Resurrection Cross on its upper section (a possible dissenting church symbol reflecting religious affiliation); OR a rounded Square impression containing a raised, ‘lazy’, letter “B” (possibly mimicking sterling silver hallmark signifying city of manufacture i.e. Birmingham) 3. An impressed rounded Square filled with a raised Maltese Cross (the base metal composite of nickel silver was also known as ‘German silver’ after its Berlin inventors in 1823) 4. A recessed Circle containing a Crab or Scarab Beetle image; OR a recessed Circle containing a rotated ‘fleur de lys’ or ‘fasces’ design 5. A depressed Diamond shape enclosing a large raised letter “R” and a small raised letter “D” (mimicking the U.K. Patent Office stamp which abbreviated the term ‘registered’ to “RD”, but also included date and class of patent) Suggested trade names for William Page & Co’s particular blend of brass plating are ‘roman silver’ or ‘silverite’. This copper alloy polishes to a lustrous gold when new, discolouring to a murky grey with greenish hue when neglected. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only seven in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register most valuable. The LOCH ARD shipwreck is of State significance – Victorian Heritage Register S 417. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Remains of a number of teaspoons in a clump of concretion raised from the wreck of the Loch Ard. There are parts of at least 4 spoons visible with one spoon more complete and exposed than the others. Pieces of glass are embedded in the sediment. Original teaspoons made of thin layer of copper alloy (brass) electroplated onto nickel-silver base metal. No makers marks visible.flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, electroplated cutlery, loch ard shipwreck, nickel silver, william page & co, birmingham brass plating, makers marks, teaspoons, william page & co, william page & co