Artifact Name: Wm. Rogers & Son Silverware Set
Creator/Manufacturer: Wm. Rogers & Son
Location: Home of Michael and Esther Steil, West Bend, Iowa, USA
Material(s): Silver-plated stainless steel; velvet; wood
Photographer: Esther Marie “Esty” (Anliker Wilson) Steil
Provenance: Mary (Moser) Schmidt (1875-1958) → Esther Marie “Esty” (Anliker Wilson) Steil
Time Period: 1940-1950
DESCRIPTION: This antique Wm. Rogers & Son silverware set is contained in a rectangular container with wooden exterior and bluish-green velvet interior. On September 22nd, 1958, four days before her death, Mary (Moser) Schmidt asked her daughter Lydia to go and retrieve the set of silverware that she and her husband Henry had received for one of their anniversaries. Then Mary called for her granddaughter (Lydia’s adopted daughter) Esther “Esty” to come in and Mary gave her this silverware set. Esty said to Lydia, “Mom, I can’t accept this. You and your brothers and sisters got this for Grandma. One of you should get it.” Lydia responded: “We don’t argue with Grandma!”