Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (485)

Painted cast iron horsehead nameplate by Hubley, intended for use on a stable door, probably at a racetrack or horse farm. Two screws are meant to hold an engraved nameplate to the horseshoe. This would make a great name plate on the front door of a home.

Origin: America, c. 1920. Condition: excellent, less than 5% paint loss. Size: 8" x 4" x 3" deep.

Elegant Edwardian cranberry glass vase with pierced sterling silver mounts by Galt & Bro. The piercings are fan-shaped and the rim has a bound reed motif. The cranberry glass insert flares slightly toward the upper rim and is accented with simple cutting. The base is marked "Galt & Bro." (Washington, DC, 1892-1934).

Origin: America, ca 1910. Condition: excellent, no dings, chips or cracks. Size: 8" tall.

A very nice lacquered papier-mache tabletop box, the cover with colorful Chinoiserie scene. The decoration depicts a noble lady and gentlemen being entertained by a troop of magicians in their garden. While two of the magicians look on, the third is juggling four balls. This is a very whimsical design that makes this box really special. The hinged lid has a lock (alas, the key is long gone). Lacquered boxes of this sort were popular in both England and France, and the quality of decoration would suggest a French origin.

Origin: France, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, a tight hairline at one back corner by the hinge. Size: 11” x 7” x 2-3/4”.

Boxed set of six sterling silver fruit knives, with handles decorated in a detailed Art Nouveau floral pattern. The handles are marked "Sterling". The box is upholstered in dark green moire silk.

Origin: American, circa 1900. Condition: extremely minor wear to handles, plated blades are excellent. Size: 7-1/4" long.

Extraordinary late 18th century German silver sugar scissors in the form of a circus monkey. The monkey is wearing a harlequin suit and a bonnet and is grasping two rings that, upon closer inspection, are serpents. Monkeys were very popular exotic animals and inspired wondeful tableware including Meissen figurines and assorted silver. Often they were shown wearing human clothing and performing human tasks. The tongs are fully marked with late 18th century German hallmarks.

Origin: German States, ca. 1775. Condition: excellent, all original, very little wear. Size: 4-1/2" long. Weight: 55.0 grams.

A handsome Victorian bronze pen tray with a native American motif. One end of the tray has a very detailed representation of an Indian wearing a feathered headdress and various jewelry. The tray itself has a wonderful relief scene depicting an encampment. A group of warriors are gathered around a fire smoking a pipe and wearing feathered bonnets and loincloths. Teepees are in the background, along with a number of palm trees. Even as late as the end of the 19th century, European representations of Native American scenes often included such inconsistencies. Most of the artists and craftsmen, having not traveled to America themselves, were blissfully unaware that the Great Plains generally weren’t dotted with palm tree groves. The casting is excellent. The bottom edge is marked “Austria”.

Origin: Austria, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent, original patina. Size: 9-7/8” x 3-3/4”.

Superb Staffordshire figural group/spill vase portraying a hunter and his lady. The hunter has his rifle, while the lady as his catch in her lap. Beautifully decorated in bright colors, this grouping is as fine as one is likely to see. Origin: England, mid-19th century. Size: 7-5/8" tall; 4-1/4" wide; 2" deep. Condition: excellent, no damage or repairs.

Very nice set of 11 sterling silver cocktail or seafood forks in Gorham’s 1899 “Cambridge” pattern. This was one of Gorham’s most popular late Victorian patterns. The handles are encrusted in a decoration of wild roses with gadrooned edges. The backs are marked with an older Gorham hallmark and the patent date, indicating that these are early.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no monograms, sharp details. Size: 5-3/8” long. Weight: 145.0 grams.

Very fine ornate sterling silver server for either fish or ice cream. The handle is covered with a pattern of hibiscus flowers and swirling foliage. The floral element is echoed in the beautifully engraved floral pattern on the blade. The blade is finished off with a very ornate outline. Many American silversmiths did not mark their names until the early 20th century, and the back is marked only "Sterling."

Origin: America, ca. 1885. Condition: excellent, very sharp details, no monogram. Size: 11-3/8" long. Weight: 96.0 grams.

Wonderful pair of Hubley cast iron paperweights in the form of African-American children. The little girl wears a yellow jumper over a white blouse and the little boy wears yellow pants and a white shirt. This is the only pair of black memorabilia iron paperweights we’ve seen.

Origin: America, ca 1920. Condition: very good, expected paint wear on high spots. Size: 1-3/8” tall.

A boxed set of sterling silver demitasse spoons by Paye & Baker. The set comprises two each of three different floral themes, all worked in the same intaglio style with glossy flowers and foliage against a stippled background. Two of the spoons are decorated with a pattern of wild roses, two with morning glories and two with pansies. The edges of the stems and handles are shaped to match the patterns. The bowls are finished with matte gilding. The backs are hallmarked by Paye & Baker and are marked "Sterling". The company made only a small range of products, but their Art Nouveau motifs were expertly designed.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900.
• Dimensions: 4" long.
• Weight: 38.8 grams.
• Condition: spoons, excellent condition, typical light fading of gilding on bowls; box has typical discoloration and wear.

An elegant two-piece English sterling silver serving set. The set is presented in its original fitted box lined with gorgeous royal purple silk and velvet. The spade-like utensil is similar to a typical Victorian tomato server, while the fork is shaped like a tablespoon, but with tines. The set is very versatile and could be used for many contemporary foods. The handles are decorated with a simple fiddle-shaped pattern that must have been very modern following on the heels of Victorian excess. The backs are fully hallmarked for London, 1913-14, and also have an unidentified maker’s mark “GJ over DF” in a shield-shaped punch.

Origin: England, 1913-14. Condition: near mint, no dings or deep scratches, no monograms. Size: 7-1/2” long. Weight: 101.0 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).

Fabulous hard paste porcelain inkwell in the form of a lady's head. Nicely decorated in overglaze enamels with gilt accents. 19th century. Origin: Probably France. Size: 2-5/16" tall. Condition: Mint.

A delightful and rare Victorian tartanware egg timer covered in an unidentified red, green, black and yellow. The top and bottom plates are in an unusual horseshoe shape. The posts are covered in tartan, as well. Exposed areas of wood are ebonized. The tartan is not named, and the piece is marked “Made in Scotland”. The timer measures exactly 3 mins.

Origin: Scotland, ca. 1895. Condition: very good, light wear to edges and varnish, but no major scuffs or missing paper. Size: 3-3/16” tall.

Elegant crystal trivet with a sterling silver overlay in an orchid pattern. The piercing of the silver is highlighted with engraved details. The center has a silver reserve that was never monogrammed. The side is hallmarked by Webster Silver Co. This trivet is in the harder to find large size.

Origin: America, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 8” diameter.

An outstanding Arts & Crafts style 900 silver letter opener, the top embellished with an enameled horses head against a stippled background. The letter opener is quite heavy and both the silver and the enamel are of the finest quality. Marked “900”.

Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original, no enamel damage. Size: 8” long. Weight: 69.5 grams.

Outstanding early South Jersey glass paperweight enclosing a frit design of an eagle with an American flag and the words "The American Fire Philadelphia A.D. 1810." I'm not sure if this refers to a fire department or a fire insurance company. The detailing, especially the feathery delicacy of the eagle's wings, is very nice. The glass is very good quality and the design achieves very nice magnification because of its placement low in the crown. The bottom is flat with a polished pontil mark.

Origin: Southern New Jersey (Millville area), possibly Whitall Tatum Co., ca. 1900. Condition: the crown has one relatively small moon and the typical surface wear found on weights of this age (interestingly, most of this wear is around the periphery of the weight and not directly over the design); the bottom has the usual wear and somebody's etched initials (J.M.B.). Size: 3-1/4" diam.