Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (485)

Superb early hinged porcelain box with gilt brass trim. The top of the box is painted with a colorful scene of a pheasant in a pastoral setting with foliage, pink flowers and a lake. The bottom half of the box is painted in a coordinating pattern. Boxes such as this were used to hold small candies called “bonbons”. The best of the boxes were made in France, both in Limoges and in the area around Paris, from the middle of the 18th century.

Origin: France, ca 1840. Condition: excellent, no cracks or chips. Size: 3-1/2” x 2-3/4” x 2-1/4” high.

A very fine Victorian silver plated flip-top card case, both sides heavily decorated with nautical themes. The front features a scene of a sloop in roiling waves passing a lighthouse in the background. The scene is surrounded by a border of seashells and seaweed, and a bare-breasted mermaid watches from one of the lower corners. The back of the is decorated in a pattern of waterlilies and foliage. The detail in the design is superb--one can even just make out the stars and stripes of the ship's American flag. The case is fitted with two pairs of loops so is can be worn suspended from a heavy chain.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: some plating wear along the edge near one of the chain loops and an area of dings on the bottom edge; the design areas are all in excellent condition. Size: 2-2/1" x 3-3/4" x 3/8".

A gorgeous pair of Victorian sterling silver serving spoons, the handles and bowls amazingly decorated with repousse, chased and engraved designs. The handles are decorated with reserves of winged cherubs hanging garlands of flowers, the reserves surrounded by rococo shell motifs. The stems are decorated with floral garlands leading to the amazing decorative bowls, covered in repousse floral designs. The backs of the handles are as attractive as the fronts and are engraved with a very handsome three-letter monogram. The spoons are fully hallmarked for London, 1894, and bear a script maker’s mark “AB” or “AR”. These spoons are extremely heavy, and are of the absolutely finest quality being produced at the end of the 19th century.

Origin: England, 1894. Condition: excellent, very sharp detail. Size: 8-7/16” long. Weight: 164.0 grams.

A wonderful cut opaline glass egg-shaped perfume caddy by Baccarat. The hinged lid opens to reveal an area that would have been used to store a plain stoppered bottle of perfume. The milky white translucent glass contrasts beautifully with the rich gild bronze acanthus leaf mountings. The crystal is cut simply with vertical parallel ribs. The glass has the fiery shots or orangey-red typical of opaline glass made by Baccarat. The bottom retains a fragment of an original paper label and a partial acid-etched signature “France”.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, all original, gilding intact. Size: 4-1/4” tall.

A very fine 13-piece gilt silver coffee or tea service by Bruckmann & Soehne, one of Imperial Germany's leading silversmiths. Peter Bruckmann established the Deutscher Werkbund in 1907 to bring designs by the major German artists into the public realm. This service, strikingly decorated with classical figures, is a quintessential example. The slightly angular spade-shaped handles look forward to the Art Deco, while the subject matter itself depicts traditional Greek gods and goddesses. The spoons and tongs are presented in their original fitted case lined with silk and kid leather. The interior of the lid is embossed with the retailer's mark. Each piece is hallmarked with Bruckmann's hallmark, including the Imperial warrant.

Origin: Germany, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: spoons, 3-3/4" long; tongs, 3-7/8" long. Weight: 114.50 grams.

A lovely cut glass perfume bottle cut from cranberry to clear. The design incorporates wide miters separated by combinations of fans, strawberry diamond and star motifs. The shoulders of the bottle are panel cut, and the base is finished with a 24-point star. The lapidary-cut stopper is original to the bottle and is engraved with the same number as the inside of the bottle's neck.

Origin: Europe, possibly Val St. Lambert, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 5-3/4" tall.

An uncommon silver tastevin, the bottom inset with a Mexican silver coin featuring the likeness of King Ferdinand VII of Spain, the last Spanish emperor to rule over Mexico. The coin is dated 1821, the year Mexico became independent of Spain. The tastevin is constructed in classic French style, with a coiled snake handle, but it lacks the embellishments usually seen on French examples. The bowl is simply decorated with a hammered surface. The tastevin probably dates to the reign of the Emperor Maximilian, who ruled Mexico’s Second Empire (1864-67). Maximilian was established as emperor by the French Emperor Napoleon III, and French decorative arts became very popular among the wealthy of Mexican society.

• Origin: Mexico, ca. 1864.
• Condition: excellent.
• Dimensions: 9 x 11.5 cm (3-9/16 x 4-9/16 in).
• Weight: 112.0 grams.

Elegant sterling silver service for tea or coffee comprised of twelve spoons and sugar tongs. The handle decoration features a simple border of beads with a shell at the tip. All are fully hallmarked, including the maker's mark "D.F.". The original velvet and silk box is stamped "Fattorini & Sons Goldsmiths Bradford."

Origin: London, England, 1917. Condition: all silver is mint condition, no monograms; the box has typical wear. Size: spoon, 4-1/4" long; tongs, 3-1/2" long.

Elegant Victorian sterling silver serving dish with intricate repousse and pierced sides. The sides are finished off with a cyma-curve border punctuated at compass points with baroque shell motifs. The bottom is fully hallmarked for London, 1891-92, and has the maker’s mark “WC”. The piece is quite heavy and is of the very good quality.

Origin: England, 1891-92. Condition: excellent, no dings, no monogram. Size: 9” x 6-1/2” x 1-3/8” high. Weight: 177.5 grams.

A very fine Nailsea-Stourbridge green bottle glass paperweight with a foiled flower pot design. A large central petunia-type flower arises on a slender stem from the well-formed pot, and is surrounded with two additional circlets of smaller flowers, four to each layer. This example is particularly nice with a good, clear gather of glass and a fine shape. The bottom has the rough pontil.

Origin: England, mid-19th century. Condition: excellent, very light surface wear. Size: 4" diameter; 4-3/4" tall.

Rare Staffordshire spaniel head bank. The spaniel is highlighed with copper lustre spots and a copper luster neck chain/padlock.

Origin: England, last quarter 19th century. Condition: Mint, except for 3/8" flake on the bottom of the foot rim (not visible from the top or side); appropriate glaze crazing for the age. Size: 4-1/4" tall.

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.

Wonderful 7-piece toleware spice set comprised of a handled tray, four spice tins, and two spice tins with sifter tops. Two of the regular tin lids are decorated with a red and yellow pomegranate design; one has a red, yellow and green strawberry design; and one has a red, yellow and green tulip and flower design. The sifter lids are simply decorated with yellow and red arcs. The sides of all the tins are decorated with a squiggly yellow line, as are the sides of the tray. The handle of the tray is decorated with green foliage.

Origin: American, probably central Pennsylvania, 19th century. Condition: excellent; all the tins have wear to the lower third where they rub against the sides of the tray; all original finish with appropriate alligatoring; the lid of one tin is a bit loose, but all the others are very tight. Size: tray--5.5" x 8" x 4" tall; tins--2-7/8" tall x 2-5/8" diam.

A very nice sterling silver pincushion and sewing box by Tiffany & Co. The pierced sterling silver walls enclose a sewing box (or jewelry box) with two hinged tops that serve as pincushions. The current dark purple velvet is a replacement, but is placed over the original box structure. The pierced handle has an area that can be monogrammed (never been monogrammed). The whole is raised on bun feet. The bottom is marked with the Tiffany hallmark in use 1902-07.

Origin: America, 1902-07. Condition: excellent, velvet replaced, never monogrammed. Size: 6-7/8” x 3-1/2” x 4-1/2” tall.

A lovely footed sterling silver salver in the George III style. The salver is perfect for use as a wine coaster, as the size will accomodate a magnum or a champagne bottle. The scalloped stepped border is elegantly decorated with acanthus leaves and gadrooning. The shell-shaped feet are flanked by acanthus leaf returns. Marcus & Co. was one of the most exclusive jewelers in America and was one of the few companies to give Tiffany any serious competition. They did not make their own silver, but retailed high-end makers such as Gorham, Frank Smith, Whiting, etc. The bottom is marked with Marcus’ retail mark, “Sterling” and the pattern number 1928.

Origin: America, 1918-27. Condition: excellent, normal wear and some staining on surface (could be buffed), sharp details, no dings or monograms. Size: 7-7/8” diameter; 1-1/16” high. Weight: 296.0 grams.

A beautiful Art Nouveau panel-cut crystal vase, the surface completely etched in a swirling design of flowers resembling columbines. The etching is highlighted with soft gilt details that bring out the depth of the pattern. The rim of the vase is finished in a sawtooth pattern derived from the shapes of the engraved blossoms. Although often attributed to Moser, this style of engraving with gilt highlights is typical of the Art Nouveau designs from the great Bohemian glasshouse Harrach. The quality of the crystal itself, as well as the workmanship, easily illustrates why Harrach was considered a primary competitor to Moser.

Origin: Bohemia, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks, gilding intact. Size: 14-1/2” tall.

An elegant set of 12 sterling silver nut or mint dishes in Gorham's 1900 "Cromwell" pattern. The sides are decorated with an elegant pierced pattern that accents the scrolled rim with shell ends. The dishes are hallmarked by Gorham with the date mark for 1927.

Origin: America, 1927. Condition: excellent, no monograms. Size: 3-7/8" x 2-1/2" x 1-3/16" high. Total Weight: 258.0 grams.

A handsome chartreuse-cut-to-clear low bowl cut with a ring of printies near the lip and another ring of overlapping printies lower on the sides. Unsigned, but almost certainly Val St. Lambert.

Origin: Belgium, ca. 1920. Condition: no chips or cracks. Size: 9" diameter; 2-3/8" high.