Four (4) piece William Durgin sterling silver tea set, pattern #48, having bands of acanthus leaf decoration to upper rims and urn form finials, comprised of a coffee pot, teapot, creamer, and covered sugar bowl. Maker's marks, Sterling, 48, unit of volume, and retailer marks for Bailey, Banks, and Biddle Company, stamped to underside of bases. Monogrammed with script "MER". Ranging in size from 4 1/8" H x 6 1/2" W to 7 5/8" H x 8 3/4" W. Combined weight: 44.035 total troy ounces. Early 20th century. Provenance: The collection of Gary Glesser of Loudon, Tennessee, by descent from his grandparents, Captain Hoyt and Rachel Holton of Toledo, Ohio. Hoyt Holton became, at age 17, the youngest captain of a Great Lakes Freighter. In the 1960s, Captain Holton participated in a 26-day Admiral Byrd Society trip replicating the explorer's famous transpolar expedition, during which he met the Pope and Soviet Premier Nikita Kruschev. Many items in the collection were brought back as souvenirs from that journey and other frequent voyages.

PROVENANCE: See description for provenance information.

CONDITION: Overall good condition with surface scratches, with scattered dents, largest 1/4".