Old Newbury Crafters Hand Made Sterling Silver Pattern Identification Guide
- GREG ARBUTINE
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Old Newbury Crafters Hand Made Sterling Silver Pattern Identification Guide
The following is a guide to help you identify sterling silver patterns made by Old Newbury Crafters of Amesbury, Massachusetts USA.
Patterns included are: Cambridge, Classic Form, Deco, Durham, Dynasty, Elan, Fiddleback, Gold Windsor Shell, Grenada, Ivy, Karen, Moulton, Oak Leaf, Old Newbury, Newburyport, Quincy, Panel Antique, Paul Revere, Rowley, Scandia, Sturbridge, Wilton, Windsor, York
Design Process Explained
It's a rare quality in a product today to be completely handmade. It means that much care and precision are put into the process
At Old Newbury Crafters, we produce a completely handmade, truly superior flatware.
Unlike the many machine made types of flatware available in the market, we follow an art and tradition that has been passed through generations of American Silversmiths
Our handwrought sterling silver is crafted to perfection in strength and balance by each Master. It represents a lasting treasure whose beauty endures, whose value improves through time and whose possession brings great pleasure and importance to it's owner.
The Old Newbury process begins with a single bar of sterling silver. Shaping starts at the anvil. here is no stamping or cutting out of the metal— the piece is forged with a tive pound hammer on the polished surface of the anvil The powerful blows of the Silversmith move the silver into the shape of the pattern
As it is forged the silver hardens and must be heated by the Master Silversmith to soften. It is fired to a glowing red and plunged into cold water. The forging continues, creating a strength and hardness far greater than the original bar of raw sterling. From the neck the piece tapers toward the end producing pertect balance. Strength and balance are major components of Old Newbury Crafters flatware.
After forging, shaping and hallmarking, the Master Silversmith then files the piece to remove rough edges and prepares it for the finishing process
At the tinal hand-polishing stage, special care is taken to preserve the subtle texture of each piece of flatware, while bringing out the soft glowing finish associated with the richness of sterling.
Creating handwrought flatware is a time consuming craft, limiting the sets produced to only 300 per year, yet it offers the consumer an exclusive service. Old Newbury Crafters can combine designs to a particular style or preference.
If desired, the bowl of a spoon on one pattern such as Classic English, could be executed with the neck and pattern design of Moulton.
Similarly the punch ladle could be lengthened to provide a longer stem.
As well as altering a pattern, we can custom design one to your specifications or reproduce a piece that's been lost or damaged
At Old Newbury Crafters, there's a great deal of pride put into our American made product. Whether in flatware, serving pieces, holloware or giftware the owner has acquired a masterpiece of craftsmanship an heirloom for generations to come.
The hammering doesn't end when the piece is completely forged to shape, it is rehammered with a lighter plenishing hammer to smooth out the heavy forging marks, leaving a subtle hammered texture so prized in handwrought silver.
In bending the neck or shaft to just the right curve the Silversmith shapes it against a hard maple wood block that serves as a base against which to pound the silver without marring it.
Special shapes are achieved through the use of hand tools. For example, the spoon bowl is rounded out by raising an iron weighted form in its trap by a rope, to just the right height and releasing it. The weighted form strikes a sharp blow against the spoon end and shapes the bowl.
The Silversmith then makes his mark on the flatware, placing his personal hallmark on the back of the handle. Another stamp is placed indicating the flatware is Old Newbury Crafters HANDWROUGHT Sterling.
Please Sell your Old Newbury Crafters
 Sterling Silver Flatware
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to: The Silver Museum LLC
The Silver Museum LLC wants to purchase silver pieces like the ones shown above!
If you have items that you'd like to sell,
or even just want to get an idea on valuation
please click the email us button for a quote.
Please send us photos, measurements and item descriptions.
Thanks,
Greg Arbutine
Silver Museum Owner
The Silver Museum buys sterling silver.
Please sell your Sterling Silver Pieces to The Silver Museum!
Article Authored by Greg Arbutine on 11-2-25
Greg Arbutine has been in the silverware industry since 1972. He has a broad knowledge of both the antique silver industry as well as decades of experience with dealing directly with silverware suppliers and manufacturers.