Catalog: Antiques (496)

A lovely Bohemian zwischengoldglass liqueur beaker, the bottom featuring an inset gilt and enameled design of bouquet of violets. The panel cutting along the beaker’s sides causes the design to be visually repeated when looking into the interior. These glasses have become increasingly difficult to find.

Origin: Bohemia, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, gilding intact, no chips or cracks. Dimensions: 2-7/16” tall.

Spectacular and rare sterling silver souvenir spoon by Tiffany & Co. The spoon commemorates Commodore George Dewey's 1898 victory at the Battle of Manila during the Spanish-American War. The handle is decorated with a bust of Dewey encircled by a laurel wreath. The wreath is tied with a ribbon which cascades down the stem of the spoon and bears the words "Manila May 1st 1898". The stem is further decorated with seaweed, four stars signifying Dewey's rank, and an anchor. The reverse of the handle is decorated with the laurel wreath and ribbon encircling the coat of arms of the state of Vermont and has Dewey's birth year. The stem is marked "Tiffany & Co. Sterling". All in all, this is one of the most spectacular souvenir spoons by Tiffany we've ever seen!

Origin: America, 1898. Condition: normal light wear, period 3-letter monogram on reverse of handle. Size: 5-7/8".

A fine Victorian sterling silver sugar sifter with a medallion handle, possibly by George Sharp. Rather than the usual relief medallion, the handle features an applied medallion of considerable depth and detail looking straight forward. The medallion is surrounded ornate engraving that extends the full length of the handle. The engraving, as well as the overall outline of the handle, are very similar to known George Sharp patterns. Sugar sifters were used in the 19th century to break apart large pieces of sugar. Today, it could be used to serve vegetables or anything else that might need to be drained. The back is marked “Sterling” but does not have a maker’s mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, all original, no monogram. Size: 8-1/8” long. Weight: 76.0 grams.

Extremely rare dessert plate featuring transfer decoration commemorating Napoleon’s great victory in the Battle of Friedland. The center decoration is printed in color and the rim is hand colored over a black transfer of crowned “N”s encircled by laurel wreaths and military decorations, alternating with escutcheons with the Emperor’s signature hat and sword. The back of the plate is stamped with the maker’s mark for Boch Freres of La Louviere, Belgium. The monarchy was in and out of favor frequently during the 19th century. Few Napoleon plates survived the period.

Origin: Belgium, late 19th century. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 8-1/8” diameter.

A very nice Victorian inkwell in peacock blue glass. The front side is engraved with an ornate floral pattern. The lid has lapidary cutting around the edges and is engraved with the image of a dove in mid-flight and carrying a letter in its beak. Certainly, the suggestion is of a lovebird delivering a sentimental note! The lid is mounted with a brass hinge.

Origin: America, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, a small flake under the bottom. Size: 2-1/2” x 2-1/2” x 3-1/16” tall.

A rare sterling silver pickle fork in Towle’s 1887 “Pomona” pattern. The long handle is decorated with a cornucopia overflowing with peaches, pears and grapes amidst foliage. The handle twists before leading into the matte gild three-tined fork. This piece would have been used for pickled vegetables, but could now be used for a variety of foods. The long size is much more difficult to find than the shorter version. The back is stamped with Towle’s hallmark and the patent date.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, original gilding, period two-letter monogram. Size: 9” long. Weight: 28.0 grams.

A macabre bronze figural cigar cutter in the form of a guillotine. The perfectly detailed guillotine includes a movable “bascule” and “lunette”. On the full-size models, these were the portions to which the victim was strapped and tilted into the machine and the part with a hole that surrounded the neck to hold the head still. In this case, a cigar is laid on the bascule and the lunette closes around the very tip of the cigar. When the rope is released, the heavy blade drops, lopping off the tip which falls into the bucket underneath. The bronze elements are entirely hand-fashioned and are mounted on a simple mahogany base. Incidentally, cigar cutters, regardless of their shapes, are often called “guillotines” in France.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, even the rope appears to be original. Size: 8” tall.

Outstanding American late Classical mirror framed in solid well-figured mahogany with a gilt applied composition border of bellflowers. The gilding has a particularly rich patina. The glass is old and 1/4" thick, but probably not original, and has dulled to a very nice patina. The plate is backed with a wood panel that is covered with paper. The nails holding the plate in place have been replaced.

Origin: America, probably mid-Atlantic region, ca. 1840. Condition: all original surfaces; the tip of one bellflower is broken off; crackling of composition elements appropriate to age. Size: 14.5" diameter.

A very good sterling silver wine bottle or decanter coaster by Gorham. The flared lip is heavily decorated with a floral scrolled border in the Rococo style. The repousse decoration is finely done. The bottom of the coaster is fully hallmarked with one of the older Gorham hallmarks, the design copyright date 1889, the pattern number 325 and the date symbol for 1891.

Origin: America, 1891. Condition: excellent, one pinpoint ding visible on very close inspection, no monogram. Size: 6-3/4" diameter. Weight: 135.6 grams.

A lovely pair of imperial Russian spoons, the backs of the bowls decorated with finely engraved scenes depicting portions of the Arsenal and the State Historical Museum on Moscow’s Red Square. The handles are finished in the traditional twist motif. The surfaces are gilt, and the engraving is worked through the gilding in some areas and more lightly in others, allowing a nice contrast of colors within the design. Each is fully hallmarked for Moscow, dated 1889 and with the maker’s mark for Ivan Alexeyev (1876-1912).

Origin: Moscow, 1889. Condition: excellent, gilding intact. Size: 5” long. Weight: 27.2 grams (the pair).

A lovely teal green blow glass hyacinth or bulb vase in the classic cone shape. The flared rim was intended to hold a hyacinth or other bulb just above the water line to root. Forcing bulbs was a popular Victorian pursuit and hyacinth vases were lovely adornments for kitchen and conservatory windows. The teal green is an unusual shade. The bottom has a sheared pontil.

Origin: America, probably New England, ca. 1890. Condition: no chips or cracks, some water staining on interior. Size: 6-5/16" tall.

A classic 19th century French silver tastevin of traditional form and the bottom inset with a silver coin from the reign of Louis XV. The sides of the tastevin are decorated with the traditional raised "perles", recessed "cupules" and elgongated "godrons" for viewing the depth of color in a wine. The coin, dating to 1734, depicts the profile of the king surrounded by the legend "Louis XV, by grace of God, king of France and Navarre." The obverse of the coin, with sharp detail, can be seen from the bottom of the tastevin. The taster is completed with a handle in the form of a pair of snakes grasping an apple. In this example, the snakes' heads are shaped somewhat like ducks' heads, a characteristic of a certain group of tastevins from the Burgundy region. Stamped with an unknown maker's mark with the initials "EE".

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, sharp detail to the tastevin, typical wear to the front of the coin. Dimensions: 3-1/4" x 4-1/8" x 7/8". Weight: 82.0 grams.

A nice Griffin, Smith & Hill majolica pitcher in the "Wild Rose" pattern. The bulbous sides are decorated with yellow wild rose blossoms and green foliage against a stippled ivory background. The base has a medium-blue basketweave pattern and the lip is finished in a reeded pattern in the same shade. The pitcher has an applied twig handle and a butterfly forms the pouring spout. The interior is pink.

Origin: America, ca. 1875. Condition: very good, no cracks, a few very small nicks on the upper rim (1/32" to 3/16"). Size: 4-1/2" tall.

A lovely first standard (950/1000) silver tastevin, the bottom inset with a 1658 silver coin depicting the youthful image of Louis XIV surrounded by text translated as "Louis XIV, by grace of God, King of France and Navarre." The sides of the tastevin a decorated with clusters of grapes and elegantly curved godrons in the style typical of Orfevre Parrod. Coin inserts, however, are unusual in Parrod tastevins. The handle is worked in a simplified snake motif typical of Dijon. The handle is stamped with Parrod's hallmark.

Origin: France, ca. 1850. Dimensions: 2-9/16" diameter (excluding handle). Weight: 59.3 gr.

Wonderful old Millville, NJ area glass paperweight wig stand or mantel ornament. The setup is pierced with five elongated icepick bubbles. Small bits of aventurine glass highlight the overall coloring of soft yellow and green. The top is heavily faceted with 33 printies of varying sizes. The cutting strikes me as being similar to the faceting seen on good New England Glass Company paperweights. The weight is raised on a baluster form pedestal and a foot. The glass is very heavy and of the finest quality. A similar wig stand/mantel ornament is pictured in Newell's "Old Glass Paperweights of Southern New Jersery".

Origin: Millville, NJ area, late 19th century. Condition: very good, a fleabite on the edge of the top printy, another about a third of the way down the crown, and another on the edge of the foot; a small moon on the perimeter of the weight. Size: 6" tall; foot 3-1/16" diameter.

Wonderful lacquered box from Russia's Imperial era. The lid has a handpainted summer troika scene. Scenes depicting troikas in the snow are a bit more common. The design is very colorful and the facial detail on the three people is very nice. The lid is signed "E. Gustov" (translated). The box is lacquered red inside.

Origin: Russia, circa 1890. Condition: decoration and overall condition is excellent, three corners of the lid have flakes. Size: 5-3/4" x 3-15/16" x 1-3/4" high.

A very nice sterling silver sardine fork by the Campbell-Metcalf Silver Company. Originally intended to serve sardines—a Victorian luxury food—the fork could now be used for various hors d’oeuvres, cheeses, etc. The design is clearly based on Scandinavian motifs that later showed up in the work of Georg Jensen and other European makers. In some ways it is similar to Jensen’s 1913 “Rose” pattern. Campbell-Metcalf was in business for only six years during the last decade of the 19th century. The back is hallmarked.

Origin: America, 1892-98. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monograms. Size: 5-7/8” long. Weight: 22.5 grams.

Outstanding Victorian figural picture frame in the form of a map of Australia! The metal is very heavy gauge and the coloring is white (I believe it is constructed of white brass with a yellow-tinted lacquer). The detail is superb, including outlines of rivers, the political boundaries (Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria), and the locations of cities (Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane).

The reverse side is stamped "R. Golding/Rd. No. 30/Tasmania". The back has an easel which is removable for hanging on the wall with the attached hook.

Origin: Tasmania, Australia, late 19th century. Condition: excellent, with some wear to lacquer around edges. Size: 8" x 6-1/4".

A matching frame (missing the glass) is also available.