Catalog (2407)

A sterling silver vermouth dispenser in the form of a watering can by Cartier. When tipped, the dispenser lightly sprinkles a drip or two of vermouth into the glass for the perfect martini. The bottom is marked “Sterling” and is signed “Cartier”. These watering cans were made for Cartier’s New York store.

Origin: America, ca. 1950. Condition: very good, two tiny dings barely noticeable in raking light. Size: 3” tall. Weight: 52.0 gr.

A superb Victorian Art Nouveau baby rattle, the handle carved from a large piece of mother-of-pearl and adorned on either side with a gorgeous Art Nouveau lady's head worked in sterling silver and finished with three silver bells. Although unsigned, the particulars of the design are very similar to a known Unger design. Marked "Sterling".

Origin: America, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent except for the bells which show considerable wear from a toothing child. Size: 4-1/2" long.

A sweet sterling silver baby ring and teething rattle. The central silver piece shows Peter Rabbit sitting in a high chair enjoying a bowl of porridge. The back side can be engraved with the baby's name. The rattle is suspended in a lucite faux mother-of-pearl teething ring. These rattles are very difficult to find with no monograms or other engraving. Peter Rabbit rattles are among the most uncommon designs by Webster. Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, no engraving or removals. Dimensions: 2-7/16" diameter.

A very handsome Art Deco champagne and cocktail stirrer set of imposing size. Each stirrer has a torpedo-shaped finial complete with fins. The stirrers would be inserted with finial down for aerating a glass of champagne or with the thin end down for stirring a cocktail. The underside of the base is stamped the hallmark of B. Borhmann, a silverplate manufacturer in Frankfurt Germany until the mid-1920s. This set has the streamline, machine-age look of the best German Deco design.

Origin: Germany, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent; minute plating wear. Dimensions: 10” tall; stirrers, 6-3/4”.

A very uncommon French Art Deco cocktail pick set in the form of a fisherman navigating his boat. A dozen picks, each topped with a red bakelite ball form oars along the sides of the boat. The whole is attached to the original wooden base.

Origin: France, ca 1925. Condition: excellent; very minor spotting to the plating on the interior of the boat. Dimensions: 8" long.

A heavy pair of 14K yellow gold Tiffany & Co. double-sided cufflinks, the faces decorated in an austere pattern of diagonal lines. The design creates the illusion of two different shades of gold for a classic look. The faces are marked 14K and Tiffany & Co. The connectors have the maker’s mark for L. E. Garrigus & Co.

Origin: America, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 17/32” x 17/32”. Weight: 13.6 grams.

A stunning Art Deco platinum ring featuring an antique cushion cut 9.03-carat Ceylon sapphire flanked on either side by three baguette diamonds arranged in a stepped pattern. The sapphire is graded on the GIA scale as vB5/4 (medium tone, moderate-strong saturation, violetish blue color), with eye-clean clarity and excellent cut. The stone's internal characteristics suggest Ceylon as the most likely origin. The overall look is a lovely cornflower blue with a tinge of violet mixed in. The stone is brilliant and easily stands up to the side diamonds, graded as F/VS1. The shank is stamped with French hallmarks for platinum and for 18K (the prongs holding the sapphire are 18K white gold). The interior of the shank is stamped with a serial number and a maker's signature that is now obscured. A stone of this size and quality, complete with a serial number, would suggest a major Parisian house as the maker.

Origin: France, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent; the shank is in very good condition; minute scattered facet junction wear on the sapphire. Dimensions: crown, 11/16" x 1/2". Finger Size: 6-1/4. Weight: 5.7 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, 9.03 cts; diamond, .60 ct.

A witty cocktail pick holder in the form of a marching drum. The drum is made of aluminum and is finished with a sort of rubberized coating and real string to mimic the rope ties on an old-fashioned drum. The ten picks have colorful ball finials.

Origin: France, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 3-7/8" tall.

A heavy, handsome pair of 18K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks set with rubies by David Webb. The box-shaped front faces are each set with nine round brilliant-cut rubies. The gemstones have vivid pure red coloring and are unheated. The exposed areas of gold are finished with a hammered motif. The smaller, hinged back faces are hammered and are without gemstones. The connectors are marked "Webb 18K" and have French import marks.

Origin: America, ca. 1970. Condition: very good, all original; two rubies have small surface nicks visible upon very close examination at 10x magnification. Dimensions: front faces, 9/16" x 9/16". Weight: 23.2 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.64 cts.

A fine pair of modernist 18K yellow gold cufflinks designed by Georges Lenfant for Mauboussin. The faces are designed as four interlocking squares decorated with three types of surface treatment--high polish, florentine engraving, and wood-textured engraving. The hinged backs are finished with florentine engraving. The connectors are signed "Mauboussin Paris" and have serial numbers, French 18K marks and the master goldsmith's mark for Georges Lenfant.

Georges Lenfant was one of the most important Parisian jewelers of the 20th century, supplying pieces to Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Hermès, Mellerio and Maubousssin. The French national prize for young jewelers is named for him and his son Jacques.

Origin: France, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: front faces, 1/2" x 1/2". Weight: 15.6 gr.

A very handsome pair of Art Deco 14K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces set with garnets. The design is completely reversible so the cufflinks can be worn with either the rectangular plaques or the navette cabochons facing forward. The connectors are stamps that were used in Prague before 1921. There is also an unidentified maker's mark.

Origin: Czech Republic, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: plaques, 5/8"x 3/8"; navettes, 3/4" x 1/4". Weight: 11.0 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 28.1 cts.

A very elegant Art Deco cranberry-cut-to-clear crystal cocktail shaker. The glass is very clear and quite heavy. The style of cutting suggests Val Saint-Lambert as the most likely maker. The shaker is finished with a silverplate strainer and cap.

Origin: probably Belgium, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks, very minor plating loss on cap. Dimensions: 9" tall.

An elegant first standard (950/1000 pure silver) French silver tastevin in typical 18th century Burgundian style. Rather than with the typical "perles" and fluted "godrons", the bowl of this tastevin is decorated with repousse grape leaves and berries in the 18th century style. This treatment is sometimes seen in tastevins made by Parrod, but the particular decoration is different than any other we've seen. Similarly, the handle, in the form of two duck heads grasping an apple is a very exaggerated variation of the usual form seen on tastevins from Lyon. The base is fully hallmarked and has an unidentified silversmith's mark "M tête grec D".

Origin: France, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 3-3/16" diameter (excluding handle). Weight: 72.3 grams.

An elegant Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold bracelet comprising individual links fashioned as abstract bellflowers, each set with an oval cabochon rhodolite garnet. Each link is further enhanced with appliques to suggest leaves, tendrils and seed pods. The overall design is very much in the Jensen expression of Skonvirke. The rhodolite garnets have lovely purple coloring. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: possibly Denmark, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 3/4†wide; 8†long. Weight: 29.7 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 6.95 cts.

A nice Victorian 14K yellow gold locket, the cover decorated with an ornately detailed lion’s head. The cat’s mane flares out from the face grasping a round cut diamond and ruby-set eyes. The interior of the locket retains its original frames and glass covers. The gold surfaces have the slightly matte finish popular at the end of the 19th century. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monogram. Dimensions: 1-1/16” diameter. Weight: 7.9 gr. Diamond Weight: .05 ct.

A sweet sterling silver baby ring and teething rattle. The central silver piece shows a clock face where hands can be engraved to indicate the time of birth along with the date, year and the infant's weight. The back side can be engraved with the baby's name. The rattle is suspended in a lucite faux mother-of-pearl teething ring. These rattles are very difficult to find with no monograms or other engraving.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, no engraving or removals. Dimensions: 2-7/16" diameter.

A very fine 19th century Imperial Russian wooden Easter egg with polychrome decoration of Christ Pantocrator in the traditional double gesture of blessing and teaching. The figure, especially the face, is beautifully detailed. The back side of the egg bears the gilt letters "XB" for "Christ is Risen." The egg is completed with its original ribbon, appropriately brittle with age. Careful examination of the drill holes in the egg show even oxidation of the wood's unpainted surfaces and the paint has typical aligatoring, consistent with a 19th century date.

Origin: Russia, ca. 1880. Condition: very good; some losses to paint at the upper and middle left of the background around the Christ figure. Dimensions: 2-5/8" long (excluding ribbon).

A heavy Retro bracelet in 14K yellow gold set with amethysts by Tiffany & Co. The bracelet is designed as large arched links, each centered by rectangular step-cut amethyst. The stones have vivid violet coloring and excellent brilliance, without the color zoning that sometimes mars amethysts. The clasp is stamped Tiffany & Co. The bracelet is presented in its original leather and silk box.

Origin: America, ca. 1935. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 21/32†wide; 7†long. Weight: 53.4 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 24.3 cts.