Difference between revisions of "CATALINA SOUVENIR SPOONS: JOSEPH MAYER & BROTHERS, SEATTLE, WA"
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[[File:J. Mayer & Bros Tyoe 2 embossed bowl.jpg|350px|thumbnail| right|<center>Avalon Bay, Catalina Island <br>Type 2 embossed bowl<br>Joseph Mayer & Bros.png</center>]] | [[File:J. Mayer & Bros Tyoe 2 embossed bowl.jpg|350px|thumbnail| right|<center>Avalon Bay, Catalina Island <br>Type 2 embossed bowl<br>Joseph Mayer & Bros.png</center>]] | ||
[[File: J Mayer & Bros. Type 3 embossed bowl.jpg|350px|thumbnail| left|<center>Avalon Bay, Catalina Island <br>Type 3 embossed bowl<br>Joseph Mayer & Bros.</center>]] | [[File: J Mayer & Bros. Type 3 embossed bowl.jpg|350px|thumbnail| left|<center>Avalon Bay, Catalina Island <br>Type 3 embossed bowl<br>Joseph Mayer & Bros.</center>]] | ||
− | [[File:Screen Shot 2020-11-23 at 1.20.30 PM.png|250px|thumbnail|right|<center>The Hotel Metropole on the handle of this Mayer spoon is one of only two known | + | [[File:Screen Shot 2020-11-23 at 1.20.30 PM.png|250px|thumbnail|right|<center>The Hotel Metropole on the handle of this Mayer spoon is one of only two currently known instances where the hotel appears as a designed element on a manufactured Santa Catalina Island souvenir spoon. (The other is on the reverse of a C. M. Robbins spoon featuring Sugarloaf Rock, a tuna and "Catalina Island" on the front.)</center>]] |
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− | + | Joseph Mayer & Bros. also did two embossed demitasse-sized Avalon Bay scene bowl designs (posted below.) [Harry Merrick] | |
− | * AVALON CATALINA ISLAND | + | * AVALON BAY CATALINA ISLAND |
+ | * AVALON BAY CATALINA, CAL. | ||
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[[File:Mayer Demi Type 1.png|350px|thumbnail|left|<center>Joseph Mayer & Bros. embossed demitasse spoon bowl Type 1 <br> [Harry Merrick]</center>]] | [[File:Mayer Demi Type 1.png|350px|thumbnail|left|<center>Joseph Mayer & Bros. embossed demitasse spoon bowl Type 1 <br> [Harry Merrick]</center>]] |
Latest revision as of 14:32, 29 December 2020
CATALINA SOUVENIR SPOONS: JOSEPH MAYER & BROTHERS, SEATTLE, WA
The Joseph Mayer and Bros. firm of Seattle, WA was founded in 1897 and some of its offshoots and successor firms operated until the last quarter of the 20th century. By 1909, Joseph Mayer & Bros. employed 100 craftsmen who manufactured souvenir spoons, along with sterling flatware and jewelry related items. The Mayers stamped their trademark on everything they made.
Both Joseph Mayer & Bros. and its offshoot, Joseph Mayer Co. (1920-1937), produced Catalina souvenir teaspoons. They produced at least two Catalina specialty teaspoons featuring distinctive Catalina attractions, but more commonly they decorated their generic stock California, southern California, and floral pattern teaspoons with one of three different Avalon Bay scene embossed bowls, their Type 2 design, being the most frequent. They also produced a range of demitasse spoons decorated with embossed bowls featuring one of two Avalon Bay scenes.
In 1938 Joseph Mayer& Bros. became the El.Towle Manufacturing Co. Mayer produced a lot of silver souvenir spoons because the process they used was mechanized, so it didn't cost much to produce each item. However, many pieces are skillfully engraved.
According to spoon expert, Harry Merrick: Types 1 and 3 are very similar and differ most obviously in the serifs on the letters in captions. They have a somewhat more photographic appearance than Type 2, which has a somewhat more "engraving-like" feel to it. Type 2 is probably the earliest, but only Type 1 can be reasonably confidently dated to ca. 1905.

Joseph Mayer & Bros. also did two embossed demitasse-sized Avalon Bay scene bowl designs (posted below.) [Harry Merrick]
- AVALON BAY CATALINA ISLAND
- AVALON BAY CATALINA, CAL.