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Oneida commune made tea service for stylish repast

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By JAY MOORE

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 8, 2009

I have a silver tea and coffee service that belonged to my grandmother. On the bottom it is stamped "Ascot Sheffield Design, Reproduction by Community." What is the estimated value?

B.W.

Tampa

The Oneida Community was an experiment in communal living started in Oneida Creek, N.Y., in the late 1840s. The Community began making tableware in 1877 and, in 1926, debuted silver plate hollowware: bowls, pitchers and other containers.
Ascot is one of Oneida's old hollowware patterns. This set probably was made in the late 1940s or early '50s. Oneida last produced Ascot in 1955 and ceased production of all hollowware about 10 years ago.

The service would retail for around $100. Silver plate tea and coffee services really do not fit with today's lifestyle and are not in high demand. Replacements Ltd. buys and sells silver, crystal and china. You can visit them online at www.replacements.com.

I would like to know more about a pitcher and basin, including the value. I have tried searching the Internet with limited results. It is marked on the bottom. There is a very small chip on the basin.

T.Z.

St. Petersburg

Your set was manufactured in England. It may originally have had matching pieces, such as a commode. Wash sets were popular between 1850 and the first quarter of the 20th century.

I cannot make out the manufacturer's mark in your photograph.

Transfer-printed pieces such as yours were made in Staffordshire around the turn of the 20th century. It would retail for about $125.

Have a question about antiques? E-mail a complete description with a clear, high-resolution digital image in JPG format to baylife@tampatrib.com. Include a name, address and daytime phone number. Regular mail can be sent with clear photographs (not comput

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