Wallace Sterling Silver

Wallace Silversmiths Co. is one of America's oldest and most fabled producers of flatware, dating back to the early 19th century. Robert Wallace founded the company after an apprenticeship under a renowned spoon maker. He bought a ramshackle gristmill and began fabricating spoons, as this was his area of expertise.

One of the major early innovations for Wallace Silversmiths Co. came when Robert was shopping in New York City and discovered a cutlery set by Dixon & Sons forged from a nickel alloy called German silver. Wallace was greatly impressed by the luster and strength of this alloy and purchased the formula from the German chemist Dr. Louis Feuchtwanger for the then-exorbitant sum of $20.

With this new patent, Wallace compounded the first German silver made in America, which would go on to enjoy great popularity throughout the United States. By the time Robert Wallace died in 1892, Wallace Silversmiths Co. had grown to the largest manufacturer of flat tableware in the world, and one renowned for its craftsmanship and quality.

Quick Facts

• At the turn of the 20th century, Wallace Silversmiths Co. used approximately 1.5 tons of nickel silver and 3 tons of steel daily in their flatware production
• When Robert Wallace first founded the company, it produced only several dozen spoons a day. Now, Wallace Silversmiths Co. makes thousands of pieces of cutlery each day
• William Warren was the most famous designer at Wallace Silversmiths Co. throughout the '30s. He was the creative force behind the company's beloved three- dimensional flatware patterns including Rose Point and Grand Baroque