A Mysterious Pattern of STIEFF/BSSCo.

When I visited Baltimore in October 2010, I stopped in to see Patrick Duggan at The Imperial Half Bushel.  Patrick and his family are experts on Baltimore Silver. He showed me a pattern that even he knows nothing about. He had several pieces of this pattern in the shop. There had been more.. marked STIEFF. Those pieces had been sold.. and three unmarked pieces were there in the store.  I know nothing about them except that Patrick has seen the STIEFF name on this exact pattern.

VESTALIA

A 1903-1904 price list is the only mention of the VESTALIA pattern

Click on the VESTALIA name above to be take to more information on this pattern.

In Place setting size, a Fork (7.25”),Tablespoon (7”) and Teaspoon (6”)

Being unmarked, I would think that these are Pre-1904 or were pieces made for other companies to retail with their name.  Surely very few of these still exist. Over the years... when people could not identify a pattern, often those were the pieces that made their way to the melting pots as scrap.  Unlike those other almost “forgotten” early Stieff patterns Victoria and Plain & Engraved this pattern has no name. I am happy to have bought these for my collection.

All three pieces carry the monogramed of   F F L

The tablespoon has a slightly different STERLING stamp than the other two pieces. The tablespoon’s stamp is a tiny bit shorter and slightly longer.  Below, it is the piece in the middle

Visit Patrick Duggan’s store at

imperialhalfbushel.com