- Stieff Silver
The Kirk Stieff Company was a
silverware manufacturer based in Baltimore,Maryland ,U.S.A. , created from the acquisition in 1979 of Samuel Kirk & Son, Inc., a long-established firm ofsilversmiths by the Stieff Company, another manufacturer of silverware. Charles Stieff began working as a silversmith in 1892. In 1914 he started the Stieff Silver Company. Manufacturing ceased in 1999, but the name survives as a brand name for stainless-steel flatware from Lenox, Inc., the company that owned the silverware manufacturer. There were 75 employees when the company ceased operations at the Baltimore site. "Baltimore's Kirk Stieff Silver Firm Will Cease Operations in January," Nancy Kercheval. The Daily Record. Baltimore, Md.: Oct 22, 1998. pg. 5.A]The former Kirk Steiff factory building, built by Stieff Silver during the early 1920s is located in
Baltimore , Maryland's Hampden area adjacent to Wyman Park. It was convertedby Baltimore developer Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse into an office building, but the exterior has remained unchanged. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Stieff Company began operations at the site in 1925. ["Silver Charm," Regina Raiford Babcock. Buildings. Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Jun 2004.Vol.98, Iss. 6; pg. 76] Prior to 1925, the company was located in a small shop ondowntown Baltimore's Redwood Street. ]Samuel Kirk & Son was known for its repoussé
silverware , where the design was created by pushing thesilver alloy from the inside. Both it and Stieff were known as prestigesilversmiths . One of the company's best-known creations is theWoodlawn Vase , a trophy given to winners of thePreakness horse race. ]References
* [http://www.silvercollecting.com/silvermarksS.html The Online Encyclopedia of American Silver Marks - Silver Marks S]
* [http://www.silvermag.com/flatware_1104_Repousse.htm Flatware Profile: Kirk Repoussé]
* [http://www.silverqueen.com/Sterling_Silver_Flatware/StieffRose.asp The Silver Queen Inc. - Stieff Rose] includes a brief history of the company
* [http://www.seakayak.ws/kayak/kayak.nsf/NavigationList/NT003E4D3A Sea Kayak: Samuel Kirk & Son]
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