What is the identifont for 1970s cutlery?

June 19, 2024 7:30 AM

I want to buy my parents more cutlery of their existing pattern. Just cheap cutlery probably purchased at The Bay or Towers or Woolco or whatever in the 1970s, or maybe hand-me-down from a family they worked for. It is nice quality but it is not like from the fancy china and silverware shop stuff. I'm sure there's mountains of it on Ebay or whatever as all the people who bought it in the 70s die off. How do I find it?
posted by If only I had a penguin... to Grab Bag (4 answers total)

Replacements.com has a pattern-identification service. If the take-a-pic-and-check-it doesn't work, you can contact them directly and they'll give it a go.
posted by humbug at 7:33 AM on June 19 [7 favorites]

In the US I've occasionally had success with https://www.replacements.com/?
posted by adekllny at 7:34 AM on June 19 [2 favorites]

Also, ask your parents to check the backs of their flatware for any teensy text. Sometimes the ID is right there. (Source: self, it's how I replaced the flatware the ex took with him when I couldn't remember the maker or model.)
posted by humbug at 7:35 AM on June 19 [2 favorites]

I collect vintage stainless steel flatware patterns for fun, so if you post a photo of the front and back, I might be able to recognize it or look it up for you.

Other research methods available to you include:

• Upload a photo to Replacements.com (as noted in earlier comments)
• Upload a photo to Google Images (either on the web or using the Google app on your phone)
• Join a Facebook group for vintage stainless flatware and post photos of the front and back of a couple pieces
• See if your local library carries the Stainless Flatware Guide compiled by the Replacements.com guys

posted by dreamyshade at 8:12 PM on June 19 [2 favorites]