Silver maker
Wallace Silversmiths marks
Robert Wallace began making spoons in the 1830s and moved his works to Wallingford, where he became an early American maker of nickel-silver ('German silver') flatware.
- Active
- 1830s–present (R. Wallace & Sons Mfg. Co. from 1871; Wallace Silversmiths from 1956)
- Based in
- Wallingford, Connecticut, United States
- Marks listed
- 7
- Typical pieces
- sterling flatware, silverplate flatware, holloware, nickel-silver spoons
The marks, by date
Each mark’s wording is written out as a transcription: the words and line breaks, not a picture of the mark. Where a source describes a mark instead of quoting it, the description is shown in italics.
Sterling mark of R. Wallace & Sons; 925-1000 describes the device as a buck/stag's head.
Silverplate holloware.
Silverplate flatware.
Wallace Bros. Silver Co., founded 1875, became a subsidiary of R. Wallace & Sons in 1879.
Large W over the name, Wallace Silversmiths period.
History
After partnerships as R. Wallace & Co. and Wallace, Simpson & Co., the firm became R. Wallace & Sons Mfg. Co. in 1871 and added sterling and plated flatware and holloware. It bought the Watson Company in the mid-1950s, took the name Wallace Silversmiths, and later passed through Hamilton Watch, Katy Industries, Syratech and, in 2006, Lifetime Brands.
Dating clues
- 'R.W.&S.' marks belong to R. Wallace & Sons Mfg. Co. (1871–1956); plain 'WALLACE' marks with a W date from 1956, when the firm became Wallace Silversmiths.
- Melford was a Wallace silverplate trademark (925-1000).
Look-alikes and reproductions
- Wallingford Co. (c.1903–c.1941), a Wallace affiliate, used a W.Co. mark with lion and crown.
Other names on the marks
R. Wallace & Sons Mfg. Co.; R. Wallace & Co.; Wallace, Simpson & Co.; Wallace Bros. Silver Co.
Where sources disagree: Start dates vary: silvercollection.it gives 1833, and Wikipedia gives both 1833 and 1835. The Watson purchase is dated 1955 by 925-1000 and silvercollection.it but 1956 by Wikipedia.
Sources
Marks help identify a maker and a date range, but they can’t prove a piece is genuine. Reproductions and later reissues can carry old marks. This entry isn’t an appraisal.