Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art: Metals (282)

An elegant second standard (800/1000 pure silver) French tastevin. The bowl is engraved with repousse grape clusters and leaves in the 18th century style, but also with the more traditional raised “perles” and “coupules” seen in 19th century examples. The combination of the two is quite unusual. The handle is in the form of two snakes grasping an apple between their jaws—an element thought to stem from the Garden of Eden and intended to remind drinkers of temptation. The tastevin bears regional hallmarks for second standard silver and an unknown maker’s mark (J ancre de marine P). The pinpoint in the bottom of the bowl is a lathe-mark and suggests a date of the mid-19th century at the latest. The rim is engraved with the name of the original owner, “Ane [Antoine] Mouly-Chambon de Chas.”

• Origin: France, Burgundy region, ca 1840
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 3-1/8” x 4-1/4” x 1-5/32”
• Weight: 118.4 grams

Extraordinary French bronze jewel box in the Louis XVI style. The lid has a bas-relief design illustrating a boating party preparing to pass below an aqueduct. A city rises in the distance, while the foreground is populated with very detailed trees and shrubs. The scene is draped in fabric, tied at the corners with ribbon and surmounted with a laurel wreath intertwined with a torch and staff, typical Louis XVI devices. The sides are decorated with beautifully detailed swags of roses. Boxes of this type were often souvenirs of the Grand Tour of Europe. They often depicted ancient carvings or sometimes popular artworks. The specific subject of this box is unknown.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, the interior lining is a replacement. Size: 4-1/2” x 3” x 2-3/4” high.

Nice Victorian brass ladies' lace-up boot. This example has holes drilled to represent the holes for laces. The Victorians often placed these along their mantles for purely decorative purposes.

Origin: England or America, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, light scratching near the toe. Size: 4.5" tall.

An outstanding Restoration period French silver wine taster in the 18th century style typical of Lyon. With the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy, many old styles from the ancien regime once again came into fashion, and this tastevin, building on decorative elements typical of the 1770's, is a perfect example. Tastevins with snake-form handles were particularly popular. Those with a pair of snake heads that somewhat resemble bird's heads flanking a sphere are typical of silver from Lyon. The punchwork decoration of grape clusters surrounded the bowl is also a typical 18th century design. The tastevin is completely handmade and was raised on a lathe in the traditional method, as is evidenced by the pinprick in the middle of the bowl and the remnants of hammer marks. The outer rim is engraved "F. Porcheret-Billard". Stamped with 2nd standard "tete de Minverve" hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1840. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 3-1/2" diameter, excluding handle. Weight: 113.4 grams.

Outstanding sterling silver master salt spoon in a rococo pattern by Gorham. I have not been able to put a name to this assymetrical pattern, although it is very similar to "Marie Antoinette" and "Dresden". The bowl is parcel gilt. The reverse is marked with Gorham's old hallmark.

Origin: America, circa 1885. Condition: excellent, gilding intact, crisp details, period mongram "Y". Size: 3-5/8" long.

A very rare and elegant Victorian sterling silver pie knife in Gorham’s 1894 “Imperial Chrysanthemum” pattern. The handle is decorated with an ornate design of chrysanthemum blossoms and foliage that extends down onto the blade and shoulders of the blade. The back of the handle is decorated with a complementary design. Pie knives or pie servers are difficult to find in the better patterns. The back is marked with Gorham’s older hallmark and also has the patent date, indicating that the piece was made during the period.

Origin: America, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monogram. Size: 9-1/8” long.

Cold-painted Viennese bronze sculpture of a devil by Franz Bergman. This half-goat half-man figure is very well detailed, even showing the individual vertebrae along his back and the curls of his hair.

• Origin: Austria, ca 1900
• Condition: near mint; tiny surface rubs at sharp points such as the fingertips
• Dimensions: 2-1/4" tall

John C. Moore period Tiffany & Co. sterling silver child's fork decorated with the nursery rhyme "Cock Robin & Jenny Wren." The fork shows the likeness of Mr. Robin wearing a tuxedo and Ms. Wren demurely peeking over her fan. The back is marked "Tiffany & Co. Sterling". The back also bears the letter M designating manufacture between the years 1875 and 1891.

Condition: excellent; usual wear to outer tines; no monogram. Size: 6-1/4" long.

Beautiful set of six sterling silver seafood forks in terrific Art Nouveau pattern by Joseph Seymour. Each piece is covered from the tip of the handle to the very beginnings of the tines with curves and stylized chrysanthemum-like blossoms in the Japonaise style. The tines are nicely curved and barbed. The backs are hallmarked by Seymour.

Origin: America, ca. 1885. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monograms. Size: 6-1/8” long. Weight: 87.5 grams.

Fabulous 19th century sterling silver christening cup by Whiting Manufacturing Company--one of the America's most sophisticated silver companies. The entire surface is covered with repousse decoration of roses, lilies, and philodendron leaves. A reserve, just opposite the handle, is engraved "Lily". Cups such as these were used as presentation gifts for babies when they were christened. Most often, they were given by the godparents. Obviously, this particular cup was chosen because of the link between the child's name and the design that incorporates lily blossoms! The bottom is stamped with Whiting's hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no dings, period engraved "Lily". Size: 2-7/8" tall. Weight: 90.0 grams.

An extremely rare sterling silver ladle for serving warm alcohol-based punch. The globe-form bowl is the traditional shape for toddy ladles. Today, the ladle could be used for various sauces or beverages such as egg nog—or even a toddy! The straight handle is ornamented with simple turnings before swelling to an olive-shaped terminal decorated with bright-cut floral engraving. The back of the terminal has a period three-letter monogram engraved in a matching style. The inner and outer surfaces of the bowl are heavily stippled and gilt. The back of the handle bears the retailer’s mark “J E Caldwell”. The style indicates this is an early piece of sterling, probably made just after the sterling standard was introduced in America by Tiffany.

Origin: America, ca. 1865. Condition: excellent, all original gilding. Size: 8-3/4” long. Weight: 113.0 grams.

An elegant sterling silver soup ladle in Whiting’s 1890 “Old King” pattern. The shell and acanthus leaf design elements of the handle appeared in many flatware variations since the Georgian era, and has become an established classic for its restrained elegance. The bowl is parcel gilt for nice contrast. The back of the ladle is stamped with the retailer’s mark for Theodore B. Starr. Starr had agreements with several major silversmiths who provided the store with fine silver to which they applied the retailer’s mark rather than the manufacturer’s.

Origin: America, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, light fading to the original gilding, no monogram. Size: 13-/4” long. Weight: 218.0 grams.

A set of six sterling silver demitasse or coffee spoons in Gorham's early (1870) "Swiss" pattern. The design is similar to Gorham's other early sterling patterns, with a decidedly classical decoration of anthemion leaves. The bowls have a matte finish which contrasts nicely with the handles. The backs are engraved with a period 3-letter monogram "LBE". The backs are marked with Gorham's early hallmarks.

Origin: America, circa 1870. Condition: excellent, no dings, sharp detail. Size: 4-9/32" long.

Outstanding and rare Victorian sterling silver berry or casserole spoon by Gorham in the 1885 "Nightingale" pattern. The design uses bright-cut engraving to show a nightingale amid foliage singing to a crescent moon (just visible i the upper left side of the design). The bowl is equally well-designed with bright-cut engraving, ribbing, and swirled edges. The surface has its original matte finish that contrasts nicely with the engraving. The handle is engraved with the name "Robina", leading to the assumption that the original owner may have chosen this piece because the bird looks much like a robin. The back is stamped with an early Gorham hallmark.

Origin: America, ca 1885. Condition: near mint, a miniscule pinpoint ding in the bowl. Size: 8-1/2" long. Weight: 64.5 grams.

A lovely Victorian sterling silver sugar sifter in Whiting’s 1882 “Antique Lily Engraved” pattern. The simply-shaped handle is decorated with bright-cut engraving of foliage with a spray of lilies-of-the-valley cascading across the end. The bowl is matte gilt and pierced in a pleasant design that does not compete with the restrained decoration of the handle. Sugar sifters were used to sprinkle sugar over fruit during the dessert service, and are not terribly common. The reverse has a period inscription, “Wade”, and is stamped with Whiting’s hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1885. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, gilding intact. Size: 5-7/8” long. Weight: 25.0 grams.

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" and recessed "cupules" for viewing the depth of color in a wine. The coin, dating to 1726, depicts the profile of the king surrounded by the legend "Louis XV, by grace of God, king of France and Navarre." The reverse of the coin can be seen from the bottom of the tastevin. The taster is completed with a handle in the form of a single coiled snake. Stamped with an illegible maker's mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, sharp detail to the tastevin, typical wear to the coin. Dimensions: 3-5/16" x 4-5/16" x 1". Weight: 95.4 grams.

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.

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".