Victorian Estate Rare 1890's James W Tufts Silver Plated Footed Bridal Basket

Description

Antique James Tufts Art Nouveau Bridal basket 1890-1915 by James W. Tufts, Boston
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Strong Victorian aesthetic French Country Cottage design in this antique vintage 1890's quadruple silver plate Bride's Basket ~ gorgeous embossed compote footed pedestal bowl with swinging handle of Edwardian aesthetic pattern.
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ully hallmarked on base James Tufts Boston Warranted Quadruple Plate 2741.
Dates 1890-1915. Trade mark registered in 1875 for plated silverware by James Tufts and incorporated in 1881, then out of business before 1915.
Hand chased design inside a ruffled edge with birds, butterflies and wild flowers, it stands on ornate 4 figural legs.
Length-9.5” Height- 3” (plate) 9.5” (with handle)
Condition- Vintage one of the legs are off and wobbles (can be fixed), silver has been lightly polished, some wear, scratches, a small raise (bump) on the bottom part of bowl about 1" wide.
T
he History of Bride’s Baskets
Silver has long been used to mark special events, and silver baskets, now called bride’s baskets, became extremely popular in the 1880s as a luxury gift for a bride on her wedding day. An elegant expression of beauty, love, and graciousness, silver baskets made of coin silver and sterling silver were used in weddings in the early 19th century by flower girls to scatter flower petals down the church aisle—or in the case of extremely well-off bridal couples, costly orange blossoms.
By the mid 1800s, wealthy brides used silver baskets during their wedding ceremony, and it was also customary to place the basket on the main table during the reception luncheon or dinner to showcase the bridal bouquet. Once the bride and groom, now a Mr. and Mrs., returned from their honeymoon, the happy couple used their basket to present cake, sweets, or fruit while entertaining and prominently displayed it as a centerpiece on their sideboard for elaborate dinners for friends and family.
It wasn’t until the last quarter of the 19th century, however, that the bride’s baskets we collect and admire today were made. Silver companies began to produce more and more affordable pieces in quadruple plate (silver plate) so that they would appeal to a larger market. Instead of being sold “by appointment” in exquisite jewelry shops only, silver and semi-luxury gifts were being sold in dry goods retail emporiums such as Macy’s in New York and Le Bon Marché in Paris.
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