Antique Mother-of-Pearl & Sterling Flatware, Service for 10

A striking early 20th-century flatware service featuring luminous natural mother-of-pearl handles, sterling silver collars, and silver-plated implements by American cutlery maker Landers, Frary & Clark.

The 20-piece set includes ten dinner knives and ten forks, each finished with a beautifully varied mother-of-pearl handle. The sterling collars are stamped "STERLING" and bear the Greek letters ΦΒΔ for Phi Beta Delta, a historically-Jewish fraternity founded at Columbia University in New York in 1912. The fraternity grew to include chapters across the country before merging with Pi Lambda Phi in 1941.

A particularly charming detail: Phi Beta Delta's official jewel was the pearl, and its diamond-shaped fraternity badge was edged with twenty pearls. Whether the mother-of-pearl handles were selected with this symbolism in mind is unknown, but the connection makes this unusual personalized service all the more special.

Elegant but entirely usable, the set brings the unmistakable glow and texture of antique mother-of-pearl to the table. We love it mixed with simple white china, vintage silver, and crisp linens.

Details:
20 pieces: 10 knives and 10 forks
Natural mother-of-pearl handles
Sterling silver collars, stamped "STERLING"
Silver-plated blades and fork tines
Blades attributed to Landers, Frary & Clark
ΦΒΔ (Phi Beta Delta) insignia
American, c. 1912-1941

Very good antique condition with expected surface wear, scratching, and natural variation to the mother-of-pearl consistent with age and use. Please see photographs for details.