Epns Hollowware Appraisal

Reed & Barton EPNS Silver Plate Sugar Bowl and Tea Cup

This set consists of two silver-plated hollowware vessels, likely a sugar bowl with double handles and a matching single-handled tea cup or bouillon cup. Based on the provided context of 'Taunton Mass EPNS', these pieces are manufactured by Reed & Barton, a renowned silversmith located in Taunton, Massachusetts. The EPNS stamp indicates 'Electroplated Nickel Silver,' meaning a silver coating was applied over a base of nickel silver. Physically, the items feature a bulbous, rounded body with ornate, scroll-style cast handles that exhibit a classic 20th-century aesthetic. They show significant atmospheric oxidation (tarnish) across the entire exterior and interior surfaces, resulting in a dark, mottled grey and blue-black patina. While this tarnish is reversible, the uneven surface coloration suggests the items have been stored in a high-sulfur environment for a long period. No major dents or deep structural fractures are immediately visible in the image, though close inspection might reveal micro-scratches from previous cleaning or usage. The craftsmanship is indicative of industrial mass production with good quality control typical of mid-20th-century American silver-plate manufacturers.