A stunning antique silverplated flatware service for 6 made by Gorham for the Hotel Astor in New York City! This service for six consists of 18 pieces; 6 dinner knives, 6 dinner forks and 6 teaspoons. The pieces are in amazing condition for their age, no damage or issues, the pattern and markings are still crisp and readable. The knives have the original steel blades, not the more common stainless steel replacements, so the antique steel has a patina and a bit of age related discoloration, but no damage or rust. These pieces are made in the iconic hotel Astor pattern and marked with the last name of the manager of the hotel at the time it opened, William C. Muschenheim. They have a patent date of 1903 on the back, the hotel opened in 1904 so I believe these pieces were made for the opening or very soon afterwards, since Hotel Astor pieces that are less than a decade older than these often are marked with just the hotel name not the manager’s name. Knives measure 9.5 inches in length, forks 7.5 inches in length, and teaspoons slightly over 6 inches in length.