Forbes Silver Co. Quadruple Plate Teapot, No. 10

Story

In the 1890s, Connecticut was the 'Silver Capital of the World.' This teapot brought the elegance of a high-society tea service into the emerging middle-class home, using the innovative 'quadruple plate' process to mimic solid sterling.

Maker / Origin

The Forbes Silver Co. was established in 1894 as a department of the Meriden Britannia Company. It was short-lived as an independent brand, being absorbed into the massive International Silver Co. conglomerate in 1898, making pieces with the original Forbes mark a specific five-year window of history.

Condition & Value

The teapot shows significant tarnish and 'bleeding,' where the base metal is beginning to show through the silver plating, particularly on the high points of the engraving. The hinge appears functional, and the decorative finial is intact. Heavy tarnish can hide pitting, which would lower the value toward the bottom of the range.