Catalog: Antiques (496)

Stunning 2nd Empire pink opaline glass chalice with gilt and enamel decoration. The outside surface has a matte finish except along the lip, the foot rim and the knop rim, each of which is decorated with gilt lines. The primary decoration, however, fills nearly the entire surface with built-up layers of gilding accented with black enamel. The base has a slightly concave polished pontil.

Origin: France, possibly Baccarat, ca. 1840. Condition: glass has three tiny flakes (1 is 1/8"; 2 are 1/16") flakes on the inside edge of the top rim; the primary decoration is completely intact, gilt lines along rims show 20% wear. Size: 6" tall.

Stunning Imperial Russian lacquered tea caddy. The top is handpainted with a scene of a Boyar cradling a princess in his arms as they ride a large wolf through the forest--no doubt a scene from a Russian fairy tale. The quality of decoration is superb. The inside of the caddy is lacquered red.

Origin: Russia, circa 1850. Condition: very good; the surface is alligatored but completely intact and colorful; there are a scattered white spots that look like snow along one side of the lid (less visible than in the photos). Size: 4-3/4" x 3-1/2" x 2-1/2".

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.

Very nice glass calabash in aqua blue. One side features hands clasped across a patriotic shield surrounded by stars and olive branches and the word "Union". The other side is decorated with an American eagle grasping a banner, shield, arrows and olive branches. The calabash has a polished pontil on the bottom and an applied lip at the neck.

Origin: America, mid-19th century. Condition: excellent, no cracks or chips, nice molded detail, the pontil has some brownish surface discoloration. Size: 9-1/8" tall.

A very attractive French silver (1st standard=950/1000 pure silver) tastevin, the bottom inset with a 1785 silver coin showing the bust of King Louis XVI. This tastevin departs slightly from the traditional form, with the fluted “godrons” placed immediately around the coin and the sides finished with very nice repousse decoration of grapes, vines and leaves. The tastevin is finished with a single coiled snake handle. Tastevins set with royal coins seem to have been popular during various times in the 19th century when France was ruled over by a king or emperor. Tastevins with Louis XVI coins are not often encountered, however. The tastevin is stamped with French silver marks and with an unidentified master silversmith mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 7.9 x 10.5 cm (3-1/8 x 4-1/8 in). Weight: 105.4 gr.

An absolutely delightful bronze calling card tray, the center designed with a small frog atop a traditional baroque-style wave. The top edge of the dish has a wonderful scene of four frogs riding big-wheel bicycles along a road. They have quite good balance, as all have their arms crossed. The lead frog is even smoking a pipe. Road markers reading “2Km” and “3Km” mark their progress. The frog and bicycle design was taken directly from a J & P Coats thread company advertisement used on trade cards in the 1880s. More than likely, the tray was designed to be used to hold the cards in an exclusive Parisian dressmaker’s or tailor’s shop.

Origin: France, ca. 1885. Condition: excellent; original patina; sharp details. Dimensions: 7-1/2 x 4-1/4 in.

A wonderful late Victorian tea caddy in the form of a miniature William IV style double-pedestal sideboard with a scallop shell backsplash. The lid lifts to reveal three small compartments for storing caddy spoons and other implements. The two outer compartments have removable pegs that allow the fronts of each of the pedestals to be removed, revealing two drawers for the storage of tea. The center area between the pedestals would have been used to store a crystal mixing bowl. The front of each pedestal has tombstone inlays in bird’s-eye maple, while the sides are decorated with a diamond pattern of rosewood and maple. The hinged top is edged with holly or sycamore stringing. Figural tea caddies and miniature furnishings are quite rare and desirable.

Origin: England, ca. 1870. Condition: some warping to the hinged lid, a 2-1/2” x 1/2" area of missing veneer on the front edge of the right pedestal (not very visible because the mahogany veneer is set over the mahogany carcass), the scalloped backsplash has split and has been secured with old nails, the teeth of the brass lock are missing. Size: 14-7/8” wide; 11-1/4” high; 6” deep.

Elegant Victorian sterling silver serving dish with intricate repousse and pierced sides. The sides are finished off with a cyma-curve border punctuated at compass points with baroque shell motifs. The bottom is fully hallmarked for London, 1891-92, and has the maker’s mark “WC”. The piece is quite heavy and is of the very good quality.

Origin: England, 1891-92. Condition: excellent, no dings, no monogram. Size: 9” x 6-1/2” x 1-3/8” high. Weight: 177.5 grams.

A wonderful Victorian ironstone footed fruit compote decorated in an underglaze blue floral pattern. Distinctly Asian in flavor, the pattern depicts prunus blossoms and peonies surrounded by rocky outcroppings, foliage and hovering butterflies. The edges are finished in a diaper border. Either end has a leafy handle, heavily accented with gilding similar in style to that found on Old Paris porcelains. The overall shape and use of gilding suggests an early date. The bottom is marked with F. Morley & Co.’s underglaze stamp.

Origin: England, ca. 1845. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks, there are three small glaze misses near the upper rim, original gilding intact. Size: 12-1/2” x 9” x 5-5/8” tall.

Victorian brass figural picture frame in the form of a medieval knight's shield with a halbeard and lance. Cut from heavy-gauge brass, this frame shows great originality and design sense. The back has a hinged easel.

Origin: England, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent. Size: 8" x 5".

An uncommon set of six nut picks, the mother of pearl handles attached to the silverplate picks with sterling silver ferules. The ferules are decorated with ropetwist borders flanking an ornate acanthus leaf pattern. In the Victorian era, fresh nuts would have been served alongside and cheese and fruit as a dessert course. The ferules are marked "Sterling".

Most sterling silver flatware services before 1900 had mother of pearl cutlery instead of knives that matched the rest of the service. Mother of pearl pieces such as a nut picks are considerable less common than knives.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, no plating loss. Size: 5-1/4".

A very good Classic Period glass paperweight with a pinchbeck design. The scene depicts the "Descent from the Cross" and shows two centurions, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus taking the body from the cross while Mary weeps at Jesus' feet. The pinchbeck insert is finished in a silver tone rather than the more common gold. The crystal dome is of very good quality, with excellent clarity and good optical magnification to highlight the detail of the scene. The bottom of the weight retains its original red and gilt-painted decoration.

Origin: England or Continental Europe, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, light surface scratching at the top of the crown. Size: 2-5/16" diameter; 1-1/4" high.

Fine Bohemian green-to-clear cut glass Biedermeier footed spa beaker ("spaglas") featuring five panels, each beautifully engraved with Classical symbols. Beakers of this sort originated in the great spa towns of Bohemia, where they were used to take the waters. Wealthy visitors often brought back a goblet as a souvenir of their restorative stay at the spa. This example is packed with finely-engraved symbols of all sorts--an anchor symbolizing hope; a cornucopia symbolizing prosperity; a swan symbolizing erotic love; a lyre symbolizing harmony; and the serpent of Epidaurus drinking from the bowl of Hygeia symbolizing health. The stem is panel cut, while the foot is simply decorated with printies and notches that match the cut vesicas on the sides.

Origin: Bohemia, ca. 1830. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 6-1/4" tall.

A pretty Victorian maple swing-handle sewing basket, the interior lined with colorful pleated silk plaid. The bottom, upper frame and handles are constructed of maple, and the spindles forming the sides of the basket are ebonized.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, except for a narrow age split in the wood at one end of the upper frame. Size: 8-1/8" x 5-3/4" x 9" high.

A beautiful powder jar of colorless crystal cased in rose crystal, cameo cut and then etched. The delicate pattern of wild roses stands out in rose against the frosty etched background. The design is beautifully worked. The bottom has a large concaved polished pontil. Several examples of this coloring and technique, although in different floral patterns, appears in Curtis’ exhaustive book, “Baccarat”.

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 3-5/16” diameter; 2-1/4” tall.

Rare large ironstone platter in the Imari taste with a cobalt blue border by G.L. Ashworth, the successor to Mason’s. The platter’s rim is unusually decorated with reserves showing Japanese ladies with parasols and floral elements surrounded by gilding. The central design shows an Asian-themed still life including peonies, lotus blossoms, pagodas, etc. The back is printed with Ashworth’s mark, is impressed “Real Ironstone China”, and has a decorator’s mark.

Origin: England, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent; no chips, cracks or discoloration; light wear to gilding along edges. Size: 15-7/8” x 12-5/8”.

A classic second standard (800/1000 pure) silver tastevin from the Loire Valley of France. The origins of tastevins can often be identified by the tastevin’s shape. In this case, the bowl is rather shallow and completely without decoration. The handle is formed in the shape of a thin, curvy snake, but is worked without extra decoration such as scales or details to the head. This example is rather early, as is evidenced by signs of hand hammering and the small lathe mark in the middle of the bowl. The bottom is stamped with the original owner’s name, P. Roux. These classic tastevins from the Loire Valley are charming for their simplicity. Stamped with French silver marks and an unidentified maker's mark.

• Origin: Loire Valley, France, ca. 1840
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 2-7/8” diameter (excluding handle)
• Weight: 29.9 grams

A wonderful Staffordshire pottery cow creamer standing on a oval base. The cow is decorated with rust spots on the white background and the horns are gilt. The oval base is decorated as a grassy outcropping. Cow creamers were very popular in the early 19th century and were produced by a number of potters in Staffodshire, Wales and southern Scotland. This example is from the Staffordshire region.

Origin: England, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, no damage. Size: 6-3/8" x 3" x 4-3/4".