• Born: 14 Feb 1848, Madison NJ
• Died: 19 Mar 1881

  General notes:

Manufacturer

  Events in his life were:

• , . He was originally a salesman for the firm of REDFIELD & RICE of New York City. When the DERBY SILVER Company was formed in 1873, he arranged the purchase of the tools and materials from his old firm's Walcoot flatware factory. He became a stockholder in the new firm and served as a salesman and plant manager.

• He was issued design patent number 8,846 on 14 Dec 1875
  
  EDWIN L. BRITTIN, OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT.
  
  DESIGN FOR HANDLES OF TABLE CUTLERY.
  
  Specification forming part of Design No. 8,846, dated December 14, 1875; application filed November 27, 1875.
  
  To all whom it may concern:
  Be it known that I, Edwin L. Brittin, of Derby, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a Design for Handles of Table Cutlery, of which the following is a specification :
  The nature of my design is fully represented in the accompanying drawing, to which reference is made, and in which—
  Figure 1 represents a front view of a handle containing my design. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof in the plane of the line x x, Fig. 1.
  Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.
  My invention relates to a design for handles of spoons, forks, nut-pickers, and other articles of table cutlery; and consists in the figure of a squirrel, either alone or in conjunction with a bunch of flowers or nuts, whereby I impart to the handle an elegant and distinguishing appearance.
  In the drawing, the letter A designates a handle for spoons, forks, nut-pickers, and other articles of table cutlery, one (or the front) side of which is ornamented with the figure of a squirrel, B, such figure being formed in bas-relief, and the squirrel being represented as resting on its haunches. The figure of the squirrel B is placed among a bunch of flowers, C, one of the stems of which is bent, and forms a support for the figure. The bunch of flowers C rises from a scroll, D, which surmounts a series of stripes, E. The rear side of the handle A, Fig. 2, is ornamented with an arabesque, F, an escutcheon, G, with the scroll D, and the stripes E. The shank of the handle A, or the part forming a junction with the bowl of a spoon or the head of a fork, is ornamented on one of its sides with a longitudinal bead, H, and on the other side with a corresponding bead, I, and the upper or inner ends of said beads terminate in escutcheons a b. The sides of the beads H I vanish in grooves formed along the edges of the shank.
  What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is—
  1. A design for handles of table cutlery and nut-pickers, &c, consisting of the figure of a squirrel, B, as shown and described.
  2. A design for handles of table cutlery, consisting of the figure of a squirrel, B, and a bunch of flowers, C, as shown and described.
  In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.
  
  E. L. BRITTIN
  
  Witnesses:
  Wm O'Brien
  P. Scully

• He was issued design patent number 8,911 on 18 Jan 1876
  
  EDWIN L. BRITTIN, OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT, AND EDWARD SCHOTT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
  
  DESIGN FOR TABLE-CUTLERY.
  
  Specification forming part of Design No. 8,911, dated January 18, 1876; application filed January 11, 1876.
  
  To all whom it may concern:
  Be it known that we, Edwin L. Brittin, of Derby, county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, and Edward Schott, of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings and State of New York, have originated and designed a Pattern for Table-Cutlery, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which—
  Figure 1 represents a face view of a fish-knife containing our design. Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof.
  Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.
  Our invention consists in ornamenting one side of the handle of articles of table-cutlery with a bunch of fish and a water-lily, the other side of the handle being embellished with an ear of corn ; further, in ornamenting the blade of such articles with the figure of Nereid and sea-horse and a dolphin, whereby a very handsome and distinguishing appearance is imparted to the article.
  In the drawing, the letter A designates the handle of a fish-knife, and B is its blade. The front side of the handle A contains a bunch or group of fish, C, which are suspended from a medallion, a, situated at the upper extremity of the handle. This front side of the handle has further a water-lily, D, and one or more transverse beads, H. The rear side of the handle is ornamented with the medallion a, an ear of corn, E, and the transverse beads H, which extend entirely round the handle. The blade B contains the figure of Nereid and sea-horse, marked F, and a dolphin, G. This blade, moreover, is ornamented with lines b parallel with the edges of the blade.
  What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is—
  1. The design for the handles of table-cutlery, consisting of a group of fish, C, as shown and described.
  2. The design for a fish-knife, consisting of a medallion, a, in combination with a bunch of fish, C, as shown and described.
  3. The design for a fish-knife, consisting of a group of fish, C, and a water-lily, D, as shown and described.
  4. The design for the blade B, consisting of the figure of Nereid and sea-horse F, as shown and described.
  5. The design for the blade B, consisting of a dolphin, G, as shown and described.
  6. The design for the blade B, consisting of the combination of the figure of Nereid and sea-horse F and a dolphin, G, as shown and described.
  In testimony that we claim the foregoing, we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 23d day of December, 1875.
  
  EDWIN L. BRITTIN
  EDWARD SCHOTT
  
  Witnesses:
  W. Hauff
  E. F. Kastenhuber
  

• He was a partner in 1880-1882 with Samuel Towner Rogers in Stratford CT as ROGERS & BRITTON. The firm produced jewelry, britannia, silverplate, and sterling silver wares. It was absorbed by HOLMES & EDWARDS.

• He was issued design patent number 11,966 on 21 Sep 1880
  
  GEORGE GILL, OF STRATFORD, AND EDWIN L. BRITTIN, OF DERBY, ASSIGNORS TO ROGERS & BRITTIN SILVER COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONN.
  
  DESIGN FOR SPOON AND FORK HANDLES.
  
  SPECIFICATION forming part of Design No. 11,966, dated September 21, 1880. Application filed April 12, 1880.
  
  To all whom it may concern:
  Be it known that we, Geo. Gill, of Stratford, county of Fairfield, and Edwin L. Brit-tin, of Derby, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Design for Spoon and Fork Handles; and we do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawing constitutes part of this specification and represents a face view.
  This invention relates to a design for spoon and fork handles; and it consists in the configuration and ornamentation, as shown in the accompanying illustration.
  From the narrowest part the handle expands in a curved line to near the end, there terminating in a semicircle extending from the extreme point at one side to the corresponding point on the opposite, side, and ornamented by a bead around the edge. Across the face of the handle, at the extreme point where the semicircular tip begins, is a horizontal band ornamented by a series of rosettes, with a series of points extending downward from the band. At one end of the baud is the representation of a fan-shaped ornament extending onto the face below the baud. An ornamented bar extends diagonally across and upward from the intersection of the semicircle with the sides, and on the surface of the handle, below the arch, is the representation of a floriated branch extending from a transverse boss about midway of the handle and upward to the transverse band. A butterfly is represented as lighting upon the branch.
  We claim—
  The herein-described design for spoon and , fork handle, consisting of the gradually expanding curved sides, semicircular tip, extending from the extreme point at one side to corresponding point on the opposite side, with a bead around the edge and an ornamented trans- , verse band from the point at one side where the semicircle begins to the corresponding point on opposite side, an ornamental bar diagonally from one of said points upward, and a fan-shaped ornament at the intersection of ; the transverse and diagonal bauds, with a floriated branch on the face of the handle below said band, all as shown in the accompanying illustration.
  
  GEORGE GILL
  EDWIN L. BRITTIN
  
  Witnesses:
  H. F. NORCROSS
  S. W. Rogers
  

• He appeared on the 1880 census taken at Bridgeport CT, listed as a silverware manufacturer.