Homan Manufacturing Company Butter Dish

This little fellow is dented, has plate loss and the holder for he butter knife is pinched. I use it to hold pocket change. Old silver always wants to serve, it was born to serve and if you are creative you can find it a job. Plus, I really love the floral motif on this piece. 

I am also charmed by the fact that this butter dish was made by a small maker, the Homan Silverplate Co. from Cincinnati Ohio. The mark indicates that it was manufactured after 1896. 

Homan Manufacturing Company

Founded:

     1847

Closed: 

     1941

Founders/Managers:

     Asa F. Flagg -Retired 1854

     Henry Homan - Died 1865

     M.Miller- Joined as partner in 1854

     1865-Firm managed by Margaret Homan (Henry Homan's widow)

     and their sons:

     Frank Homan (Died 1880)

     Louis Homan

     and

     Joseph T. Homan

     

     Margaret Homan retired in 1887

Notes:

     Originally made britannia ware, german silver and pewter.

     1864 or thereabouts began silver plating operations

     

     Were known for their ecclesiastical wares.

     

     Made wares for river boats on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.

     1896 firm changed names to Homan Silver Plate Co. 

     1904-1915 (somewhere in there) changed name to Homan Manufacturing Co. 

Marks:

     Homan and Co.

     Flagg and Homan

     Homan Silver Plate Co. (often with snarled anchor in round cartouche)

     Homan and Company Cincinnati

     Outfit (with cross) on church goods

     Richfield Plate Co. (Low cost goods)

     Sick-Call

     Special Metal (with hammer and crucible with H in crucible)

     Homan Mfg. Co. (with snarled anchor in round cartouche)

Little Creamer The Middletown Plate Co.

Catalog number 733.

I like this little fellow. The curvy shape appeals to me. It would have been a part of an individual serving set. It was made by the Middletown Plate Co. and has their earlier mark. I think Middletown is an under collected name in silverplate. Meriden Britannia Co. is supposed to be such fine work, but Middletown is just as old and I think quite nice.  Lets look at some fun facts:

Middletown Plate Co. 
(Do not confuse with the Middletown Silver Plate Co.)

Place:

     Middletown Connecticut 

Year:
     1864-1899-merger with ISC-

Founders:
     Edward Payne
     Henry Bullard

Made:
     holloware
     flatware

Mergers:
     1866 incorporated
     1899 Joined International Silver Co.

Notes:
     Sold Wares to the Wm. Rogers co. that plated and sold the material with their own mark.
     This means identical pieces can be found with different stamps