1847 Rogers Bros

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Although many newcomers to the antiques hobby draw the conclusion that their 1847 Rogers Bros. silver dates from 1847, or consists of solid silver, this is certainly not the case.

The technique of electroplating a thin coat of silver over a base metal became feasible in the 1840s. The base metal selected for flat tableware was usually nickel silver, a misnomer which actually contained no silver but was an alloy of nickel, zinc and copper.

The Rogers Brothers-- Asa, Simeon, and William--had established a shop in Hartford, Connecticut in the 1840s. The brothers were known for the high quality of their wares and when they felt they had perfected the electroplating process in 1847 they marked their product with their name.

In 1862 the Rogers brothers moved to Meriden, Connecticut, the center of the Britannia ware industry. Britannia ware, an alloy that resembled pewter, could easily be cast into fancy hollowware pitchers and other decorative articles, which were then electroplated.

Rogers Bros. became part of the Meriden Britannia company. The Meriden Britannia company absorbed dozens of other silverware makers in the area and expanded its operation overseas, after which it became known as the International Silver Company. International Silver may have used the 1847 Rogers mark as early as 1852. The successor to the International Silver Company is still in business and uses the 1847 trademark to this day.

Popular patterns in 1847 Rogers Bros. include Columbia (1893), Charter Oak (1906), Ancestral (1924), Adoration (1930), First Love (1937), Vintage (1940), and the later version of Daffodil (1950).

Standard references include the Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers by Dorothy T. Rainwater and Judy Redfield, Silverplated Flatware by Tere Hagan, American Silverplate by Dorothy Rainwater with Donna Felger, and the Standard Encyclopedia of American Silverplate by Frances M. Bones and Lee Roy Fisher.

Below are a few examples of common patterns:

1847 Rogers Bros Adoration