Catalog: Vintage Arts (278)

A very handsome set of twelve sterling silver coffee spoons in a hammered Arts & Crafts design reminiscent of Georg Jensen. The design is very well-conceived, with the arching rows of beads echoing the slightly round indentations left by the hammering process. The spoons are just a bit larger than traditional demitasse spoons, but certainly smaller than teaspoons. The backs are stamped with the guarantee mark of Christian Frederik Heise, who was assay-master in Denmark from 1904 until 1932. They also bear the year mark for 1926. The spoons are presented in their original silk-lined fitted box.

Origin: Denmark, 1926. Condition: excellent, period monograms on the backs of handles. Size: 4-3/4” long. Weight: 149.0 grams.

Astounding set of 12 Art Deco sterling silver swizzle sticks with star-shaped ivory finials by Jean Puiforcat, one of France’s most important silversmiths. The silver is beautifully gilt to accent the natural color of the ivory. The swizzle sticks are presented in their original red felt-lined fitted box marked “Puiforcat Orfèvre Paris”. Puiforcat is extremely high-end and articles that bear the Puiforcat mark are always of the absolute finest quality and rarity.

Origin: France, ca. 1935. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 4-5/16” long; ivory stars, 1-1/16” diameter. Weight: 130.5 grams.

PLEASE NOTE: This item cannot be shipped outside the United States.

Gorgeous set of 12 English sterling silver cocktail forks, the handles completely worked in basse-taille enamel. The enamel, in translucent shades of cornflower blue and turquoise, is elegantly accented with areas of exposed parcel-gilt silver. The sides of the silver handles bear full hallmarks for London, 1932 (the maker's mark is TS).

Origin: London, 1932. Condition: 7 are perfect, 2 have nearly unnoticeable enamel flakes (about 1/16"), 2 have 1/8" flakes, 1 has more substantial damage to the back of the handle, but can still be used. Size: 5-7/8" long.

A terrific set of 12 Art Deco silverplated knife rests. The design on the ends combines severely linear elements with bas-relief details—the ultimate in Art Deco styling. Each “porte-couteau” is marked with unidentified French hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent. Size: 3-1/8” long.

12 sterling silver demitasse spoons in Kirk's wonderful "Repousse" pattern. Certainly the most famous of all silver patterns to emerge from Baltimore, "Repousse" they are filled with flowers such as roses, daisies and forget-me-nots. The backs are marked "S. Kirk & Son Sterling." The set of 12 is accompanied with it's original felt protector with 12 individual holders for the spoons.

Origin: Baltimore, MD, circa 1924. Condition: mint, excellent, no monogram and nicely polished. Size: 4-3/8" long. Silver weight: 184 grams.

An extremely rare set of 12 sterling silver and enamel tea or coffee spoons from the "Cymric" line produced by Liberty & Co. in partnership with the Birmingham silversmith William Hair Haseler. The stems of the spoons have an incised trailing motif accented with translucent shaded enamels in blue and green. Only a few designers produced spoon designs for the Cymric line, and this style is typical of designs by Archibald Knox around 1910. Each spoon is fully stamped with Liberty’s hallmark and the city and date marks for Birmingham, 1927-8. The spoons are presented in their original silk-lined fitted case, the lid impressed with Liberty’s logo.

• Origin: England, 1927.
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, one spoon has a slight flattening at the very tip of the bowl; box in very good condition.
• Dimensions: 4-3/8” long.
• Weight: 148.4 grams.

A set of 12 gorgeous Art Deco sterling silver coffee spoons decorated on both sides with guilloche enamels. Each spoon is worked in a different shade of translucent enamel over an engraved background. The spoons are presented in their original velvet-lined box. Each spoon is hallmarked for the Watson Co.

Origin: America, circa 1935. Condition: excellent, the dark purple spoon has a 1/16" flake to the enamel at one edge, the box shows normal wear appropriate to the age. Size: 4-1/4" long.

A very handsomely decorated set of 12 sterling silver demitasse spoons. The handles are finely decorated with a cast and pierced stylized bellflower. The swirling character of the finial design nicely contrasts with the more angular line of the lower handles and the oval bowls. The backs are fully marked with Swedish hallmarks for 830 silver, including the town mark for Norberg.

Origin: Sweden, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original, no monograms. Size: 4-1/16" long. Weight: 92.0 grams.

A wonderful set of 16 tiles illustrating scenes from the story of Don Quixote. The tiles have incised lines separating the colored glazes. Each tile has a rich blue border.

Origin: Spain, circa 1900. Condition: most have small nicks along the edges; two have larger flakes on the edges or corners; no cracks. Size: 2-5/8" x 2-5/8" x 9/16".

Outstanding weather vane with a figure of a male golfer preparing to tee off. The vane is constructed of cast white metal with a coppery brown painted finish. The vane is attributed to be from the clubhouse of an American golf and country club built in 1935.

Origin: American, circa 1935. Condition: excellent, paint wear appropriate to age. Size: 26" long; 19-1/2" tall.

Fascinating watercolor set in the form of a 1930's automobile with working wheels. The top lifts to reveal containers for paints and water; an area for mixing; and a storage compartment for brushes. The back of the car is embossed "Betel Motor Car/Patent No. 75086/Open & Close Type/BF".

Origin: England, circa 1930. Condition: some budding young artist decided to decorate the car with some black paint, which could be removed by polishing the brass; the surface is untouched; no dents or missing parts. Approximately 10" x 5" x 3.75" high.

A vintage English leather traveling case intended to hold a set of shirt studs. The top is embossed "Studs" in gilt letters. The interior has a sueded surface. Though intended for use when traveling, these boxes are an excellent way to store either cufflinks or studs on a daily basis. The bottom is marked "Real Hide Made In England."

Origin: England, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 2-5/8" diameter.

An unusual 1940s French cocktail pick holder depicting a "racoleuse"--a streetwalker--leaning against a lamp post and raising her skirt very high. The chrome is engraved in a way to show that her thin dress does nothing to hide her more perky attributes. A selection of bakelite and chrome cocktail picks a stored in the trash can on the other side of the lamp post. Cocktail picks, often with very elaborate holders, were vastly popular in France and come in infinite variety. This is the only example we've seen of this particular design.

Origin: France, ca. 1948. Condition: excellent, all original; one bakelite sphere is cracked. Size: base, 5-7/8" x 2-1/2"; 9" high.

Excellent squat Rookwood vase with raised decoration featuring large three-leaf clovers and flowers. The flowers, particularly, are molded in fairy high relief, so that the glaze is thinner over the tips of the petals, creating lovely shading. The glaze is shiny, but with an orange peel texture, and is colored a medium chocolate brown. The bottom is marked with Rookwood's impressed mark and the date letters "XLV", the pattern number "6352" and the decorator's number "23" scratched into the glaze.

Origin: American, 1945. Condition: mint; no glaze crazing. Size: 5" diam.; 3-1/2" tall.

An elegant pair of 1st standard (950/1000 pure) silver jiggers by Hermes in the form of tankards. Each is fully hallmarked by Ravinet D'Enfert, the company responsible for most of Hermès silver creations in the Deco era. The bottom of each is marked "Hermès Paris". The jiggers are accompanied by an Hermès drawstring pouch.

Origin: France, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, no dings, no monograms. Dimensions: larger jigger, 3" tall; smaller jigger, 2-5/16" tall. Weight: 132.0 gr.

Outstanding three-piece sterling silver dresser set with guilloche enamel. Both brushes have natural bristles and the jar is panel-cut. All pieces are fully hallmarked for "G. Bros." London and Birmingham, 1928. The markings also indicate the pieces were made for export to America.

Origin: London & Birmingham, England, 1928. Condition: excellent, including the bristles; absolutely no problems with the enamel. Size: hairbrush 9" long; clothesbrush 6-1/4" long; jar 2" diam.

4 hand enameled cocktail glasses featuring colorful roosters. Unlike most rooster glasses, these do not depict a cock fight--so none of the glasses has a dead chicken on it!

The glasses have gilding along the rims and around the feet. Very colorful!

Origin: American, ca. 1930's. Condition: excellent condition, except the gilding has a bit of wear and one glass has a tiny nick at the edge of the foot. Size: 3-5/8" tall.

Set of four Bohemian glasses, each hand painted with a different pair of dogs. We're not dog experts, but they appear to be Scotties, wolfhounds, spaniels and Dalmatians. The quality of the painting is very nice, as is the quality of the glass. The top and bottom edges are decorated with gilt lines. The polished bottoms are acid-etched "Made In Czechoslovakia".

Origin: Czechoslovakia, 1918-1935. Condition: excellent, slight wear to gilt edges. Size: 5-3/4" tall.

A handsome set of four sterling silver salt dips with cobalt blue glass liners. The silver walls are intricately pierced in the 18th century style and are raised on scrolled feet. The salts have fitted cobalt blue glass liners. The salts are fully hallmarked for Birmingham, 1934 and have an unidentified maker’s mark “WA” in a shield.

Origin: England, 1924. Condition: excellent, no dings, cracks or chips. Size: 2-3/16” x 1-11/16” x 1-1/4” tall. Silver Weight: 74.0 grams.

A set of six sterling silver coffee spoons by Asprey & Co. Each spoon has a brownish-black bakelite “coffee bean”—a decorative device popular in England during the Art Deco period. Each spoon is fully hallmarked for Asprey, 1931. The spoons are presented in their original silk- and velvet-lined fitted box, the lid of which is imprinted “Asprey/166 Bond St/London”.

Origin: England, 1931. Condition: excellent, all original, no monograms. Size: 3-7/8” long. Weight: 43.0 grams.

Six sterling silver demitasse spoons in a classic pattern featuring a gadrooned edge. The backs of the bowls are fully hallmarked for Chester, 1923. The maker's mark is "S.I. Ld.".

Origin: Chester, England, 1923. Condition: excellent, no monograms. Size: 4-1/16" long.

Six 17th century style sterling silver coffee spoons in the original velvet and satin lined box. The finials are in the shape of globe artichokes. Each spoon is fully hallmarked for London, 1946. Both the spoons and the box are in mint condition. Spoons 4" long.

Six sterling silver demitasse spoons in their original velvet- and silk-lined fitted case. The spoons bear full hallmarks for Sheffield, 1934, along with design registry numbers for 1918 and the maker's mark for Mappin & Webb. One of England's leading silversmiths, Mappin & Webb is the official silversmith and jeweler to England's royal family. The inside of the box's lid is marked with their logo.

The spoons are in mint condition; the box has slight wear on the inside lid. Spoons are 4-1/2" long.

A beautiful set of six silverplated scallop shell dishes by Tiffany & Co. The dishes are worked with wonderful detail—even the feet have a decorative treatment similar to snail shells. These dishes are perfect for butter, mints, nuts, or even individual servings of cocktail sauce. The bottoms are marked “Tiffany & Co/Makers/Silver-Soldered”.

Origin: America, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent, no plating wear. Size: 3-13/32” x 4-5/8” x 1-3/16” high.

A lovely set of six sterling silver demitasse spoons in the “Wild Rose” variant of the “Vine” pattern. The bowls are in the elongated shape often seen in Tiffany demitasse spoons and are enhanced with soft matte gilding. Each is stamped with the Tiffany hallmark used 1873-1891. The spoons are accompanied by a Tiffany felt bag of more recent vintage.

The “Vine” pattern was created by Tiffany’s chief designer, Edward C. Moore, in 1872. The design included a variety of floral and vegetable elements including wild roses, tomatoes, gourds, irises, and wheat sheaves. Though pieces had different motifs, they were intended to be used together as a reference to the Japanese decorative concept of mismatching that became popular in Europe and America after Japan was opened to international trade in the 1850s. Few pieces in the pattern were made after the mid-1880s.

• Origin: America, ca 1880
• Condition: excellent, original gilding intact, sharp detail
• Dimensions: 4” long
• Weight: 63.9 grams

A silver jigger decorated with a raised ocean liner pennant enameled in the colors of the Norwegian-American Lines and engraved with the name of the passenger liner SS Stavangerfjord. The ship was commissioned in 1917 and sailed until 1963. In 1964, it was anchored in Tokyo Bay for use a hotel during the Tokyo Olympics. This jigger is engraved "Olympiske Leker", indicating that it comes from the short time the liner was used during the games. The bottom is marked "S830".

Origin: Norway, 1964. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, no dings, no monograms. Dimensions: 2-1/16" tall. Weight: 15.6 gr.

A silver jigger engraved with the pennant of the Norwegian-American Lines and the name of the passenger liner SS Stavangerfjord. The ship was commissioned in 1917 and sailed until 1963. In 1964, it was anchored in Tokyo Bay for use a hotel during the Tokyo Olympics. This jigger is engraved "Olympiske Leker", indicating that it comes from the short time the liner was used during the games. The bottom is marked "S830". Origin: Norway, 1964. Condition: excellent, two tiny dings on the bottom edge (only visible from the bottom). Dimensions: 1-13/16" tall. Weight: 13.0 gr.

A set of eight sterling silver cocktail forks in Alvin's popular 1953 "French Scroll" pattern. The design is very elegant and would blend nicely with a wide variety of other patterns. The forks could also be used for seafood. The backs are hallmarked by Alvin and have the pattern name.

Origin: America, circa 1960s. Condition: excellent, no monograms. Size: 5-3/4" long.

Pretty set of eight bone china coasters by Royal Worcester. Each has a hand painted transfer-printed floral bouquet design. The outer edges are ridged and the rims are gilt. In addition to their original purpose, the coasters could also be used for nut dishes or even butter pats.

Origin: England, ca. 1970. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 3-9/16" diameter.

Superb and very rare copper bowl in the form of three bound leaves by acclaimed silversmith Alfredo Sciarrotta. Most of Sciarrotta’s work was in sterling silver, but he did make a limited line of copper and brass wares early in his career. The designer’s work is instantly recognizable from the quality of workmanship, the heaviness of the material, and of course the naturalistic shapes accented with delicately curling edges and engraved veining. The copper dishes have more realistic appearance than the works in silver, with more detail along the edges of the leaves and in the veining. The dish is raised on three brass ball feet.

Sciarrotta was smuggled out of Italy into the US during World War II to work on submarine technology. Afterwards he settled in Newport, RI and created a small line of hand-made sterling silver hollowware. These were retailed in his own shop and eventually by a few select stores including Shreve Crump & Low, Gorham, Bailey Banks & Biddle, and Cartier. This copper example has the earlier and less common hallmark that Sciarrotta used only at his own studio. Sciarrotta’s designs are in several museum collections including the Smithsonian.

Origin: America, ca. 1948. Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms, excellent patina. Size: 9-7/8” diameter; 3-1/8” tall. Weight: 565.0 grams.

A wonderful heavy sterling silver double jigger by modernist silversmith Alphonse La Paglia. The two tapered vessels are joined by a series of silver spheres and rings that are reportedly intended to represent flower bulbs and roots. The overall appearance is severe and very elegant. La Paglia originally worked in the U.S. for Georg Jensen USA, then at International Silver beginning in 1952 until his death the following year. His designs were produced until 1957. The jigger is marked with one of La Paglia's hallmarks used at International and with the pattern number 116.

Origin: America, 1952-57. Condition: excellent, light ding on one edge; no monograms. Size: 3-32/32" tall. Weight: 11.0 grams.

A vintage sterling silver figural jigger by Alvin, the sides marked off with enameled stoplights in green, yellow and red. Each light is accompanied by the words “Go,” “Caution” and “Stop.” The bottom is hallmarked by Alvin.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent; no dings, monograms or enamel loss. Dimensions: 2-1/2” tall. Weight: 35.4 gr.

A vintage sterling silver figural jigger by Alvin, the sides marked off with enameled stoplights in green, yellow and red. Each light is accompanied by the words “Go,” “Caution” and “Stop.” The bottom is hallmarked by Alvin.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent; no dings, monograms, excellent enamel except for a tiny bit of enamel loss to the red light. Dimensions: 2-1/2” tall. Weight: 36.8 gr.

A vintage sterling silver figural jigger by Alvin, the sides marked off with enameled stoplights in green, yellow and red. Each light is accompanied by the words “Go”, “Caution” and “Stop”. The bottom is hallmarked by Alvin.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: very good, a couple of pinpoint dings on the bottom edge; no enamel damage. Size: 2-1/2” tall. Weight: 35.5 grams.

Very nice sterling silver Colonial-style porringer by Alvin Silver Co. Sterling porringers are a traditional gift for newborns, serving as a feeding dish. They are also suitable for mint/nut dishes or wine bottle coasters. The bottom is marked "Lullaby Sterling" which is a division of Alvin.

Origin: America, mid-20th century. Condition: excellent, a pinpoint ding on one side near the handle. Size: 4" diameter (excluding handle); 1-1/4" high. Weight: 61.5 grams.

Art glass vase featuring swirls of dark bluish-green glass against a amber-yellow background. The overall look is very handsome. The base has a polished pontil.

Origin: probably American, circa 1970. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks, appropriate wear on base. Size: 4-1/2" high; 5-1/4 diam.