8 Katsch Silver Plated Cocktail Dessert and 50 similar items

These are 8 Katsch silver plate cocktail or dessert forks in the popular Fiddle and Thread pattern. In German this is referred to as Alt Faden (Old Thread) or Augsburger Faden (Augsburg Thread). They are marked on the underside "Katsch". Alexander Katsch was born in 1813 and was a Prussian citizen who moved to St. Petersburg, Russia to set up his silver manufacture around 1840. He produced sterling silver and later silver plate, or electroplating, or Galvanic silver plate. Silver plated items first became popular during the Victorian period. Katsch won medals for his work and was the Russian Imperial silver plate. Katsch opened manufacture and stores in Berlin and Cologne around 1871. In 1889 his German business was bought by WMF, Wuerttembergische Metallwaren Fabrik, the premiere German silver plate company. The Russian part of the business continued with Alexander Katsch's descendants until the onset of WW I when Germany and Russia were enemies. Katsch company and the Katsch family was forced to leave Russia and returned to Berlin. A Katsch descendant became head of WMF. I believe these forks were manufactured around 1880. I am not sure if they were manufactured in Russia or Germany. I have given the forks a hand polish. There is still occasional tarnish. There is no monogram. Cocktail forks have bent tines. There are no unusual bends, noticeable scratches, dents, or dings. I never used these forks. They were stored in a silver storage box with other silver flatware. I am downsizing and am selling most everything. Non-smoking household.