Antique FORBES Silverplate Bride's Basket No 4313 Lattice Openwork Footed Handled Ornate Victorian Late 1800s Shabby Chic Decor Hallmarked

Antique Forbes Co. Footed Handled Cake Basket that is made of silverplate with intricate latticework designs on the sides, and a high handle that is from the late 1800s. The base is a shiny silver color with no design.

This antique serving / display piece is silver plate. Companies copied solid silver baskets made for the wealthy so that these less expensive copies would appeal to a larger market. Instead of being sold “by appointment” in exquisite jewelry shops only, silver plate and semi-luxury gifts were being sold in dry goods retail emporiums such as Macy’s in New York and Le Bon Marché in Paris.

Many companies produced silver-plated holders and baskets, and they were popular as wedding gifts. These were made by many manufacturers (Pairpoint, Meriden, Forbes, Reed & Barton, Rogers Bros., and Britannia). Manufacturers also called these cake or fruit baskets. They went out of favor as a wedding gift in late 1905. As such, this silverplate piece is circa late 1800s or early 1900s.

Silver companies created these more affordable pieces in quadruple plate (silver plate) and they were given as gifts to a bride for her wedding.

The bottom has the hallmark of the Forbes Co. The Forbes Company of Meriden, Conn. was founded in 1894. They produced a variety of small silverplate pieces including a very large line of silverplated toiletware, and a number of household silverplate items. Its moderately priced line of silverplate were popular and continued to be made and marketed by the International Silver Company, which in 1898 acquired Forbes.

This hallmark dates the antique cake basket to the late 1800s.

Measures approx. 17" high. The basket portion alone measures about 12" wide x 8" on the other side of its oval shape. The round base has a 5" diameter.

Hallmarked on the bottom with four pictorial symbols that represent the Company and the numbers 4313 PATENT NO 72881.

In nice antique condition with lots of patina all over. Some scratching here and there commensurate with antique age. The handle is out of round - a perfect shabby or cottage chic decor item! The top of the basket is slightly bent and not a perfect curve - see photos for detail. The Item's price reflects these conditions.

This cake basket or bride's basket would certainly be beautiful for serving fruit or a display for flowers. A paper lace doily can be placed on the top to add to the lovely display of whatever is served.




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