Catalog (2449)

Large Victorian sterling silver meat serving fork, the tines with matte gilding and bright-cut engraving. The reverse is marked "925 Sterling 1000". Nice weight. Unknown American maker.

Origin: American, circa 1890. Condition: excellent; no monogram. Size: 8-1/8" long.

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.

Late Victorian sterling silver olive spoons/spears such as this are the perfect accompaniment for a sophisticated bar set-up. They can be used for olives, of course, but also for cocktail onions or cherries. They can also be used as a stir in a cocktail pitcher or shaker. The spoon retains its original semi-matte gilding. The stem is marked “925/1000 Sterling.”

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 8-1/8” long. Weight: 11.7 gr.

Lovely Victorian sterling silver pickle fork, the handle decorated with shells and roses. The back is marked "925 Sterling 1000". Prior to 1916, many American silversmiths did not mark their flatware with their names. Unknown maker.

Origin: America, circa 1895. Condition: excellent, no monogram. Size: 5-5/8" long.

Elegant sterling silver sauce ladle by Baker-Manchester Co. The lobed bowl has matte gilding and the rare feature of a pouring spout. The reverse is marked with the company's hallmark.

Origin: America, circa 1898. Condition: near mint, no monogram. Size: 5-1/4" long.

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 excellent late Victorian silver baton link watch chain, the batons decorated with niello in a checkboard pattern. The batons are joined by gilt silver curb links. Even the dog clip and bolt clasps are enhanced with striped niello. The chain is stamped “800.”

• Origin: Switzerland, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, all niello intact
• Length: 16-1/2”
• Weight: 10.4 grams

An excellent late Victorian silver baton link watch chain, the batons decorated with niello in a striped pattern echoed in the striped niello of the dog clip and large bolt clasp. The silver batons are joined by shorter gilt silver double baton links. The chain is stamped “800” and with the Swiss silver hallmark used prior to 1934.

• Origin: Switzerland, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, all niello intact except wear to the niello on the dog clip
• Length: 17-1/8”
• Weight: 10.8 grams

A nice late Victorian silver watch chain with striped niello decoration on alternating links. The chain is finished at one end with a dog clip and at the other with a bamboo-shaped t-bar. The chain is stamped with the Swiss mark for 875 silver used 1882-1934.

• Origin: Switzerland, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, niello intact
• Length: 17-1/2”
• Weight: 21.0 grams

Swiss Silver Niello & Gilt Silver Watch Chain An excellent late Victorian silver watch chain with striped niello decoration on the double bar links, alternating with silver gilt curb links. The chain is finished at one end with a dog clip and at the other with a large niello bolt. The chain is stamped with the Swiss mark for 800 silver used 1882-1934.

• Origin: Switzerland, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, niello intact
• Length: 16-1/4”
• Weight: 15.2 grams

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.

A very nice Victorian tartanware paper knife in the form of a pocket knife. The cover is in the McBeth tartan. The folding blade is carved from bone or ivory (the blade is too thin to be able to tell with certainty). Tartanware became popular in the mid-19th century because of Queen Victoria's fascination with Scotland. The colorful plaids were transformed into an enormous array of objects for daily use.

Origin: Scotland, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, no paper missing, bright colors, very light wear at edges, thick original varnish. Size: 3-9/16" long (closed).

A very fine Victorian tortoise shell pin inlaid with gold and silver in a floral and butterfly pattern. The design is beautifully executed and is a bit more ornate than much piqué work. The inlaid metals are engraved to add even more depth to the design. The tortoise is nicely translucent when held to strong light. The back retains the original pinstem, but the clasp is a replacement.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, no missing inlay, replaced clasp. Size: 1-5/8” x 1-3/16”.

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

A pretty Victorian sterling silver berry or preserves spoon in Towle’s 1887 “Clover” pattern. Both the handle and bowl are decorated with bright-cut engraving of clover flowers and foliage. The bowl has a scalloped upper border, repoussed lobes, and matte gilding. The back is marked with Towle’s hallmark and the patent date.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, original gilding, no monogram, no dings. Size: 7-1/8” long. Weight: 48.5 grams.

A lovely and unusual Victorian sterling silver jelly knife in Towle’s 1880 “No. 128” pattern. Also known as “No. 28”, this pattern is characterized by a twisted handle, accented with beautiful bright-cut engraving. The serving end is shaped in the form of a leaf and is matte-gilt to highlight the floral engraving. Originally intended to serve savory jellies, the piece could now be used for pastries. The back is hallmarked by Towle and has the pattern number.

Origin: America, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, original gilding intact, there may be a slight bend toward the tip of the serving end but it’s difficult to be certain because of the naturalistic form of the bowl. Size: 8-3/8” long. Weight: 45.0 grams.

A remarkable sterling silver bonbon spoon by Watson. The detail is easily equivalent to work by Tiffany, Whiting or the other great Victorian silversmiths. The bowl is decorated fully with grape leaves, clusters of fruit, and delicate tendrils finished with intricate piercing. The handle, designed as knarled grape vine, widens into a large cluster of fruit surrounded with foliage at the tip of the handle. The back of the handle is also decorated to match. The back is marked with Watson’s old hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1905. Condition: excellent, all original, sharp detail. Size: 6-3/8” long. Weight: 64.0 grams.

Elegant sterling silver large berry spoon in Whiting's wonderful 1896 "Dresden" pattern. The handle is completely covered on both sides with a complex floral pattern against a lightly stippled background. The bowl has scalloped edges and an elegant repousse pattern. The original gilding on the bowl has faded to a faint lemony hue. The back is marked with Whiting's hallmark and "Pat. Apr. 28th 1896", indicating that this is an older piece.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original, no monogram. Size: 7-3/4" long. Weight: 50.5 grams.

A phenomenal Victorian sterling silver soup ladle in Whiting’s “No. 26” pattern. The top of the handle features incredibly detailed peony foliage. The twist stem leads to the fluted and scalloped bowl. At the junction of the bowl and stem, a full-blown peony blossom is delicately engraved into the silver. The bowl is parcel gilt. “No. 26” is an extremely rare pattern. It is always very finely made and exceptionally heavy, even by Whiting’s standards. The pattern is a multi-motif design, so each piece has a slightly different, but related, decoration on the handle. The back of the handle is engraved with the original owner’s name. The back is also marked with Whiting’s old hallmark and the pattern number.

Origin: America, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent, the original gilding is slightly faded. Size: 13” long. Weight: 210.0 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 fun vintage 14K yellow gold tie bar by Richardson & Co. in the form of a baseball bat. Figural tie bars, often doubling as money clips, were popular from the 1930s to the 50s. They were often sporting themes, such as skis, golf clubs, and fishing rods, but this is the first baseball bat we’ve seen. The back is stamped “14K” and also has Richardson’s hallmark.

• Origin: America, ca. 1940
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 2-5/8” long
• Weight: 4.8 grams

An interesting vintage 14K yellow gold ring featuring a heart-shaped amethyst in an ornate prong setting with a clustered accent of cultured pearls and another small amethyst at the top. The gallery under the stone echos the heart motif. The amethyst has good, even coloring and is eye-clean. The interior of the shank is engraved "Until Eternity." Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: one prong lacking near the bottom point of the heart; amethyst has a 1 millimeter nick in the girdle (visible under magnification). Finger Size: 8. Dimensions: 1" x 3/4". Weight: 9.5 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: amethyst, 14.35 cts.

An attractive pair of mid-century 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the rectangular faces bezel-set with oval cabochons of black star sapphire. The stones have very good asterism with bright, fully-formed stars and strong movement across the stones. The color is more attractive silvery-brown than some black star sapphires. The faces have engraved decoration at the corners. The toggle backs are marked 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 25/32" x 9/32". Weight: 8.3 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 2.56 cts.

A very cute and heavy 14K yellow gold dachshund pin, the gold body accented with small emerald eyes and a white gold collar studded with small diamonds. The pin is very finely modeled with clear definitions of musculature and the Florentine engraving nicely mimics the short hairs of a dachshund’s coat. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 1” x 1-3/4”. Weight: 12.7 grams.

An attractive pair of mid-20th century cufflinks the faces designed as clusters of baroque freshwater pearls overlaid with gold bands centering rows of round brilliant cut diamonds. The pearls have lustrous surfaces, but their craggy shapes give them a more masculine appeal. The gold bands are enhanced with stippled engraving for added texture, and the small diamonds add a little sparkle without being overwhelming. The cufflinks are heavy and are very well constructed. These look particularly good worn with medium-blue or dark-colored shirts. The toggles are marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 1/2” x 3/4". Weight: 12.0 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .18 carat.

A particularly nice mid-century 14K yellow begging poodle pin, the eyes, nose and tongue set with bright cabochon rubies. The dog is completed with a white gold collar set with diamonds. The gold has a Florentine finish to represent the clipped areas of fur. The brightness of the rubies and the perky attitude sets this poodle pin apart. The clasp is marked "14K."

• Origin: America, ca. 1950
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: 1-3/4” x 1”
• Weight: 11.0 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .1 carat; ruby, .4 carat

This delicate 14K yellow gold ring is set with a beautiful fire opal surrounded at compass points by old European cut diamonds. Fire opal is an uncommon stone, and it is very rare to find with play-of-color, the flash effect seen in traditional opals. This stone flashes with red, green and blue. The strong orange body color and fine clarity makes this a beautiful stone. The diamonds are quite good quality and are particularly bright against the orange fire opal. The shank is finished with milligrained edges on both sides. It is engraved “My love, forever 6-16-56”. It is stamped 14K and has an unknown maker’s mark.

Origin: America, 1956. Condition: excellent. Finger Size: 6. Crown Size: 7/16” x 7/16”. Weight: 2.1 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: fire opal, .71 ct; diamond, .12 ct.

A wonderful vintage 14K yellow gold charm featuring a gem-set heart and key. The symbols are an acrostic puzzle for "Key to my heart." The heart is bordered with rubies and centered with seed pearls. The head of the key is set with a ruby, a sapphire, and an emerald. The background is enhanced with a satin finish and the disc's edges have a rope border. The back is marked for 14K gold.

• IrugubL America, ca 1955
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-5/8" diameter
• Weight: 16.8 grams
• Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .75 ct; sapphire, .05 ct; emerald, .05 ct.

A wonderful vintage 14K gold acrostic charm using the first letters of each of the gemstones ( Diamond/Emerald/Amethyst/Ruby/Emerald/Sapphire/Topaz) to spell out the secret message “Dearest”. Acrostic jewelry first appeared in the 18th century and remained popular, though somewhat uncommon, throughout the Victorian era. The gold is enhanced with bright-cut engraving a pattern like that seen on sundials. This piece was most likely intended for a charm bracelet, but it could easily be worn as a pendant. The back of the charm is engraved “3-17-59” and is marked “14K”.

• Origin: America, 959
• Dimensions: 1-5/8” corner to corner
• Weight: 7.3 grams

A very pretty 14K yellow gold ring bezel-set with an oval gold quartz stone flanked by shoulders set with fused natural 24K gold nuggets. The quartz has good color and is generously streaked with gold in well-balanced pattern. Gold quartz jewelry originally became fashionable during the California gold rush and then again when gold was discovered in Alaska just before the turn of the 20th century. The shank is marked “14K” and has an illegible maker’s mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent. Finger Size: 7-1/2. Dimensions: crown, 1/2” x 3/8”. Weight: 4.4 grams.

A nice, heavy pair of figural 14K yellow gold cufflinks, each of the faces designed as a golf bag with a selection of clubs. The cufflinks are finished with nice details such as the grooves on the irons and the textured surface of the bags. The faces are connected to an older style of toggle backs. The backs are stamped 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: faces, 15/16” long. Weight: 9.2 gr.

Interesting vintage pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the faces set with detailed medallions depicting a Native American above black onyx plaques. The edges are finished in a classic ropetwist motif. The backs are marked "14K."

Origin: America, ca. 1950. Condition: very good, sharp detail; the toggle mechanism on one link is slightly bent, but does not affect functionality and is not visible when being worn. Size: 15/16" diameter. Weight: 20.25 grams.

A lovely pair of 14K yellow gold earrings in a swirling foliate pattern set with pearls. The pearls, ranging 4.5-6mm, have cream body color with rose overtones. The surfaces are smooth and have fine luster. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 1” x 7/8”. Weight: 8.0 gr.

A very fine vintage 14K yellow gold three-stone ring featuring an oval mixed-cut ruby flanked by round brilliant-cut diamonds. All the stones are of very fine quality. The ruby has the pigeon's blood color found in the finest quality stones. It is graded at medium-dark, strong, slightly purplish Red (slpR 6/6); excellent cut; Type II eye-clean clarity; with no indications of heat or other treatment. Rubies of this quality are exceptionally difficult to find now. The diamonds are of similar quality, graded as VS1 and VS2 and both with VG cut. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, mid-20th century. Size: crown, 5/8 x 5/16". Finger Size: 7-1/4. Weight: 3.0 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, 1.09 ct; diamond, .80 ct.

A handsome pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the rectangular faces facet engraved in a diamond pattern. The intersections of the engraved lines are set with round blue sapphires. The sapphires have medium-light violetish-blue color that contrasts nicely with the gold. The backs are marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Size: 15x19mm. Weight: 13.5 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .34 ct.

Lovely vintage 14K yellow gold pin in the form of a stylized starfish. The center is set with a 6.5mm pearl surrounded by blue sapphires. The pearl has a nice rosy hue that complements the gold setting, and the sapphires are of fine quality with bright color. The back of the pin is marked with the maker's mark "GW" and "14K".

Origin: America, circa 1950s. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-13/16" diameter. Weight: 10.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .75 carat.

Open the ornately engraved box to reveal a miniature record play complete with an album that turn and a moveable needle arm. The controls are represented by small turquoise and coral cabochons. The music box plays “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” a song recorded by everyone from Patti Page to Bing Crosby to Ethel Merman, to Micky and Minnie Mouse. The case is stamped “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca 1955
• Condition: excellent, music box in working condition
• Dimensions: 1” x 27/32” x 1/2"
• Weight: 22.1 grams