Stieff Silver patterns
1890’s - 1940’s
The Early Years
The flatware patterns shown here are
STIEFF STERLING PATTERNS
1892-1919
Additional photos show the subject or person the pattern is named after
As noted elsewhere in this site, patterns changed over the years to allow for current tastes and subtle changes in the dies as older ones wore out.
Dates marked with an X or * are questioned and are footnoted with comment at the bottom of the section.
Patterns with open dates were continued after 1979 by Kirk-Stieff
Most of the photo below were taken from ebay.
I use these photos as educational tools to help people make better decisions when identifying Stieff patterns.. Many sellers on ebay use this site to identify the subtle differences in patterns and the years they were made.
This helps all of us who shop on ebay and elsewhere.
Stieff Rose 1892
Stieff’s most famous pattern
Known as Maryland Rose until the 1920s, then Rose and later STIEFF ROSE. They used the name STIEFF ROSE to make sure there was no confusion with the public, as several other makers used the name Rose.
A lot more photos of Stieff Rose pattern through the years on the dates page.
The Rose pattern has morphed over the years, more so than any of the other Stieff patterns. The central characteristic has been the large center rose.
The dates pages have a lot more about the changes.
This example has a “Name Plate” as Stieff called it suitable for engraving.
(others call this engraving panel a Shield or Cartouche)
Available with or without the shield, most are without
1892-2010
First made by the Baltimore Sterling Silver Company later to be known as The Stieff Company
(Please note, that in the 1980s Kirk-Stieff produced this same pattern in
SILVER PLATE with the confusing name of “Maryland Rose” so check
carefully on any pieces that you buy for the word STERLING)
The silver plate pieces will have modern blades. To learn about blade styles, see the section titled “The point about knives”
RAREST STIEFF ROSE
Click the photo below for 14K GOLD Stieff ROSE
By 1915 Stieff had become a major maker of silver in Baltimore.
A heavy, fancy pattern like Princess showed the public that Stieff was capable of very high quality work. A pattern like this was more of an image maker for Stieff and not a volume pattern.
Pieces placed in the display window could draw in prospective clients... who might love the pattern, but might order the very similar Rose pattern at a more “reasonable” price.
Princess 1915
Also known as Hand Chased Rose
Marked “Hand Chased” in most cases.
There are fairly rare examples out there that are not marked “hand chased”.
See the comparison with Stieff Rose farther down the page
Designed by John M. Schwensen
Chaser and Engraver, The Stieff Company
(photo of set of Princess pattern from John Lilly)
Princess Pattern
1915-1972
The 1967 and 1971 price lists shows Princess “by special order only” The 1973 price list has dropped any mention of the Princess pattern. Of course Stieff always was able to make anything by special order up into the late 1980s... but special orders were very expensive.
Princess is often confused with Stieff Rose/Maryland Rose.
Please note the differences below.
Princess has much higher relief and is a hand cut pattern.
Rose is stamped and more rounded.
Retail price for Princess was twice that of Rose or more.
Princess has deep cuts into the silver, evidence of the hand chasing.
No two pieces are exactly alike due to the personal hand worked design.
Stieff Rose, aka Maryland Rose, Rose was stamped using dies and does not
have the rough, deep cuts found in Princess.
The end of a piece of PRINCESS flatware lays FLAT on
the table. A piece of Rose has a slight lift at the end.
Also Princess is much thicker than Rose.
Victoria
Start and end dates Unknown
I place this pattern in line next as it again makes sense that as a progression of patterns is produced... After plain would come a fairly fancy pattern.
A hand written receipt signed by Charles C. Stieff, dated 1897 for pieces of the Victoria pattern is posted in the price list section, so we know the pattern dates to at least 1897.
Victoria pattern (above & below)
Front and back of this Victoria Sugar Spoon
This Stieff spoon in the Victoria pattern was donated to the site by reader Mary Auerbach.
It is one of only a few pieces of the pattern known to survive.
Dinner Forks in the Victoria Pattern
Back of the Victoria Fork Handle. The STIEFF name means that these are POST 1904
Detail of back of spoon with STIEFF hallmark and of the front of pattern
The black and white photos are from the 1910 Stieff Catalog. which shows pieces of the Victoria Pattern. Baltimore silver dealers tell me that they have not seen an example in many years.
Appears to have been discontinued by the late teens.
Take a look at the 1910 Catalog on this site to see more of this pattern.
Queen Victoria 1820-1901
Forget-Me-Not
The 1920 Stieff catalog is Forget-Me-Not’s first appearance. The pattern debuted in 1919 as a replacement for Chrysanthemum.
Above photo from John Lilly, The Silver Matching Company
Note that Forget Me Not has a bit of an under curve at the end of the handle
As a dinner knife handle above and a carving knife below
Forget-Me-Not as a child’s cup
Forget-Me-Not
1919-February 1974
First appearance is the 1920 Catalog
Plain & Plain Engraved
Start date unknown, Gone by 1920
This pattern is shown in the 1910 Stieff Catalog
The PLAIN pattern did not make it into the 1920 catalog. In 1919, The CLINTON pattern was introduced. As this was another “plain” Colonial style, this earlier PLAIN pattern was most likely dropped in 1919.
The Clinton pattern has a bit more pointed handle.
Backs are stamped STERLING STIEFF
Tongs in the PLAIN pattern
Inside hallmark on the tongs.
Tongs are from my personal collection
To see more of this pattern, please see the 1910 Catalog.
Chrysanthemum 1904
1904 is generally accepted as the date for Chrysanthemum. However this pattern may have been introduced a few years earlier as examples do exist with the BSSCo. mark on them. These of course could have been made in early 1904 before the name change.
1904- late teens* (does not appear in the 1920 catalog)
Handles in Chrysanthemum are corset shaped.
This was a pattern of BSSCo. and Stieff.
The pattern is on both sides.
There are examples of this pattern with no hallmark at all
The hollow handles on Chrysanthemum knives look very much like the
Rose handles, but with a center open Chrysanthemum and not the center rose.
Chrysanthemum knife handles can also appear in this form
as seen on this beautiful carving set.
Knife is 15.5 inches long
Fork is 11.75 inches long
Sharpener is 14.25 inches
(note: these are much larger than those in the 1910 Catalog)
These Chrysanthemum pieces are from the pre-Stieff days of
The Baltimore Sterling Silver Co.
For MORE Chrysanthemum Images click on the image below
VESTALIA
Introduction unknown. Gone by 1910
Click on the photo above to learn what little we know about this rare pattern
BALTIMORE
aka Channel Back
Click the photo to learn more.
Presumed to be 1892 as a left over pattern from
Klank Manufacturing Co. Gone by 1910.
Decades ago certain well known silver author, in error, published a date of 1910 for Forget Me Not. I believe that her notes said 1919 and someone transcribed the date as 1910. Since then, the date has been republished in error.
1910 is NOT the introduction date for Forget Me Not.
Forget-Me-Not in 18K Gold
The Stieff Company also employed goldsmiths to make wonderful pieces in 14 and 18 Karat gold. These salad forks are marked STIEFF 18K and were owned by Claire Stieff, wife of Gideon Stieff, President of The Stieff Company.
Mrs. Stieff’s monogram is on the back of the handle. Photos courtesy of the Stieff family
In addition to the salad forks, there were 18K Teaspoons and luncheon forks.
The Stieff Company Goldsmiths also made the pattern STIEFF ROSE in 14K Gold. See the photos of those
Pieces in the Stieff Rose section of this site.
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