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US Navy "German Silver" Dinner Fork, Knife and Tablepoon. The Pattern has been identified as "Thumbprint" or "Tipped" and was introduced by H&E in 1886. Besides the Navy Stamped #4 on the Fork and #7 on the Knife, the only hallmarks on these three pieces is an "18" on the back stem of the fork, and on the spoon stem which reads "HE German Silver 24". The initials "HE" indicates it was from an American silversmith Holmes & Edwards (1882-1898) and "German Silver" was pretty common and an alloy of copper/60, nickel/20, and zinc/20 and was first produced in Germany, hence the name German Silver.

The provenance of these three items is that they were found in an old Navy box by the descendants of a Mr. George Leach who was an enlisted sailor and served in the US Navy during the Spanish American War. It was reported by his family that Mr. Leach served on a number of US Navy ships in the Asiatic Fleet, and these were his mess utensils he used while "he was on a boat in Manila Bay, wore uniform in picture & K, F & S found in his Navy Box".

After some research we found that there was a George Leach who served on various vessels during the Spanish American War that fought the Spanish at Manila Bay. So, this is excellent evidence of US Navy flatware used by enlisted crewmen in the period 1886-1900. Mr. Leach's initials nor name were inscribed on these three pieces which was typically the custom during the Civil War where each crewman provided his own flatware and engraved their initials on them so they weren't taken. It appears by the #7 and #4 engraved on the fork and knife, and no initials that the US Navy during this period began to provide Government-issue dinnerware!

Pattern Name and Date:Thumbprint or Tipped
Producer: Holmes & Edwards 1886

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Rare! Used by US Navy enlisted crew member during the Spanish American War by a Mr. George Leach who was an enlisted sailor during the Battle of Manila Bay.

US Navy Enlisted Dinner Fork, Knife and Tablespoon produced in "German Silver" which was a rust free alloy originally patented in Germany. The provenance of these three pieces of flatware has been borne out.

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