How to Identify a Wm. Rogers Silver Plate
William Hazen Rogers (1801 to 1873) was a well-known American silversmith whose work and name have survived to the present day. Rogers--together with his two brothers and, later, his son--was responsible for more than 100 patterns of silver and silver-plated cutlery and serving dishes. Rogers partnered with other silversmiths at times, and his company and trademarks were eventually taken over by larger companies. This can make it difficult to identify William Rogers’ work. However, Rogers used certain identifying marks at various times in his career that may assist in the effort.
Step 1
Locate the manufacturer’s mark on the back of the item. Look for the name "Wm. Rogers" prefaced by the date "1865," which identifies a piece made by William Rogers around 1865.
Step 2
Look for "Wm. Rogers" surrounded by a star and an eagle, which identifies a Rogers piece made between 1825 and 1841.
Step 3
Look for the company name "Wm. Rogers Mfg. Co.," which identifies a piece made after 1865 by William Hazen Rogers and his son, William Henry Rogers. This manufacturer’s mark also was later used by the International Silver Co.
Step 4
Look for the "Wm. Rogers and Son" name followed by an eagle, which identifies a piece made by William Hazen and William Henry between about 1856 and 1861.
Step 5
Look for the "Wm. Rogers and Son" name, which identifies a piece made by William Hazen and William Henry between about 1861 and 1871. This manufacturer’s mark was also later used by the International Silver Co.
"Wm. Rogers" surrounded by a star and an eagle was also used by another company through an agreement with Rogers’ son after William Hazen Rogers' death. Eventually, the Rogers/Star/Eagle mark was bought by the International Silver Co., which used it for a number of years.
Because of the popularity of William Rogers’ work, many other individuals and companies issued silver and silver-plated pieces using "Rogers" somewhere in the manufacturer’s mark. Not every piece that says “Rogers” was the product of William Rogers and his family.
Things You'll Need
- Magnifying glass
Warnings
- "Wm. Rogers" surrounded by a star and an eagle was also used by another company through an agreement with Rogers’ son after William Hazen Rogers' death. Eventually, the Rogers/Star/Eagle mark was bought by the International Silver Co., which used it for a number of years.
- Because of the popularity of William Rogers’ work, many other individuals and companies issued silver and silver-plated pieces using "Rogers" somewhere in the manufacturer’s mark. Not every piece that says “Rogers” was the product of William Rogers and his family.
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