Learn More About Your Treasures with Free Patent Research Tools
Part of my long-term love of objects stems from curiosity about how and why things are designed, made, used, collected, and ultimately, why they survive. Objects can be appreciated from a number of perspectives, beyond their initial aesthetic appeal, and that begins by establishing a few basic facts.
When I first look over an object, I hunt for clues that may include an artist or designer's signature, a company or retailer's mark, a registration number and/or a patent number. Years ago I purchased a set of silver bowls in Park City, Utah with what appeared to be enameled interiors.
W&S Blackinton Bowl Set
Described as a “combination coaster and ash tray [with] the appearance of a silver dish, but the utility of a glass dish.”
The pieces immediately reminded me of the mid-century, silver plated, color glazes (see images below) developed by American manufacturers including Reed & Barton, Gorham Manufacturing Company, Wallace, Oneida, and Towle Silversmiths. These popular pieces were made in the spirit of higher-end enameled silver objects crafted by a number of talented European and Scandinavian silversmiths, including Georg Jensen of Denmark.
On the bottom of each bowl, I found the following marks: W & S BLACKINTON / FINE SILVERPLATE / SINCE 1865 / 50 / U.S. PAT. NO. 3,031,096. This mark provides several clues and a solid direction to follow.
I immediately went to Google's Patent Search, typed in the number and learned that Bruin T. Lipman of Meriden, CT filed a claim for this patent on 7 November 1961 for a "combination coaster and ash tray ... [with] the appearance of a silver dish, but the utility of a glass dish." The United States Patent Office granted his request on 24 April 1962 and thanks to this document (and Google's heroic efforts), I learned in seconds the name of the designer/inventor, the proper name and use of my new objects, their material make-up, geographic origins, and date of conception.
Combination Coaster and Ashtray, U.S. Patent Application, B. T. Lipman, 1962
I'll leave you with a final example. I recently handled a pair of Art Deco spiral or coil bookends crafted from painted wood and chrome-plated steel, stamped "REVERE / ROME, N.Y. / Pat. appl'd for" on base.
My query led to the following patent filed in1935 by Fred D. Farr for Revere Copper and Brass Company of Rome, NY.; the "Pat. appl'd for" designation makes this one of the earliest manufactured examples of this clever design!
Here is an image of his original patent:
A Design for a Bookend, U.S. Patent Application, Fred D. Farr, 1935