Eloquence By Lunt 1953

Founded in the early 20th century, Lunt Silversmiths became a celebrated domestic designer and producer of flatware, hollowware, serveware and giftware for generations, remaining in Lunt family hands for more than 100 years. It was the oldest continuously operating family-owned silver company in the United States.

Lunt Silversmiths was incorporated in Greenfield, Massachusetts, in 1902 as Rogers, Lunt & Bowlen Company. The firm succeeded A. F. Towle & Son Co. — later Towle Silversmiths — purchasing its tools, machinery, trademarks and goodwill. Lunt was originally managed by George E. Rogers, president and major investor; George Colby Lunt, treasurer and general manager; and William Caldwell Bowlen, vice president and supervisor of manufacturing until his retirement in 1929. George C. Lunt and William C. Bowlen were both qualified members of the staff of the defunct Towle's factory.

On April 4, 1912, the founders of Rogers, Lunt & Bowlen Company registered the manufacturer’s trademark at the federal level. In 1935 the company name was shortened to Lunt Silversmiths. In 1957 Lunt Silversmiths acquired King Silver Co. and its subsidiary Richard Dimes Company of South Boston, MA.

Lunt Silversmiths had in its inventory a wide array of flatware patterns such as Alexandra, American Directoire, Modern Victorian, Belle Meade, Carillon, Charles II, Chased Classic, Chatelaine, Colonial Manor, William and Mary, Contrast, Delacourt and many more. The United States government chose Lunt’s Embassy Scroll pattern (1981) as its official tableware in all U.S. embassies and consulates around the world.

In late 2009 Lunt sold its brand and inventory to Reed & Barton. The following year all remaining manufacturing and inventory assets at the Greenfield factory were sold at auction.

Find antique Lunt sterling silver flatware and other furnishings and decorative objects on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by Schear Brothers)

Your dining room table is a place where stories are shared and personalities shine — why not treat yourself and your guests to the finest antique and vintage glass, silver, ceramics and serveware for your meals?

Just like the people who sit around your table, your serveware has its own stories and will help you create new memories with your friends and loved ones. From ceramic pottery to glass vases, set your table with serving pieces that add even more personality, color and texture to your dining experience.

Invite serveware from around the world to join your table settings. For special occasions, dress up your plates with a striking Imari charger from 19th-century Japan or incorporate Richard Ginori’s Italian porcelain plates into your dining experience. Celebrate the English ritual of afternoon tea with a Japanese tea set and an antique Victorian kettle. No matter how big or small your dining area is, there is room for the stories of many cultures and varied histories, and there are plenty of ways to add pizzazz to your meals.

Add different textures and colors to your table with dinner plates and pitchers of ceramic and silver or a porcelain lidded tureen, a serving dish with side handles that is often used for soups. Although porcelain and ceramic are both made in a kiln, porcelain is made with more refined clay and is more durable than ceramic because it is denser. The latter is ideal for statement pieces — your tall mid-century modern ceramic vase is a guaranteed conversation starter. And while your earthenware or stoneware is maybe better suited to everyday lunches as opposed to the fine bone china you’ve reserved for a holiday meal, handcrafted studio pottery coffee mugs can still be a rich expression of your personal style.

“My motto is ‘Have fun with it,’” says author and celebrated hostess Stephanie Booth Shafran. “It’s yin and yang, high and low, Crate & Barrel with Christofle silver. I like to mix it up — sometimes in the dining room, sometimes on the kitchen banquette, sometimes in the loggia. It transports your guests and makes them feel more comfortable and relaxed.”

Introduce elegance at supper with silver, such as a platter from celebrated Massachusetts silversmith manufacturer Reed and Barton or a regal copper-finish flatware set designed by International Silver Company, another New England company that was incorporated in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1898. By then, Meriden had already earned the nickname “Silver City” for its position as a major hub of silver manufacturing.

At the bar, try a vintage wine cooler to keep bottles cool before serving or an Art Deco decanter and whiskey set for after-dinner drinks — there are many possibilities and no wrong answers for tableware, barware and serveware. Explore an expansive collection of antique and vintage glass, ceramics, silver and serveware today on 1stDibs.