Name/Title
Dinner ForkEntry/Object ID
1983.85.1Description
Silver dinner fork. The edge is beaded with a modified shell tip. The end of the handle is engraved on the backside: "WMC.” The maker's mark is stamped on the back of stem: "T.W. RADCLIFFE."Context
Thomas Weldon Radcliffe (1812–1870) was one of several silver merchants operating in Columbia during the antebellum period. Like his contemporaries, he worked independently and in partnership with other silver merchants throughout his career. Although many silversmiths worked in South Carolina during the antebellum period, the state's affluent residents preferred northern and European silver. Thus, Radcliffe and his contemporaries often sold imported silver pieces on which they stamped or over-stamped their merchant mark. Radcliffe worked in Columbia from 1827 until 1833 and, following a stint in Camden, again from 1848 until 1870. He ultimately passed on his silver business to his son, Louis Jones Radcliffe (1839–1910), who later sold it to Sylvan’s Jewelers, another long-standing Columbia business synonymous with fine jewelry and accessories.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Thomas RadcliffeRole
MakerDate made
1827 - 1870Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
Makers MarkLocation
BackTranscription
T.W. RadcliffeMaterial/Technique
StampedType
EngravingLocation
HandleTranscription
WMCMaterial/Technique
InscribedDimensions
Width
1-1/8 inLength
8-1/8 in
