Catalog: Antiques (495)

An elegant sterling silver tea strainer completely covered in translucent bas-taille enamel. The octagonal bowl of the strainer and the handle are outlined in a delicate trailing pattern of pink roses with green foliage, tied with a pink ribbon at the tip of the handle, all against a pale blue background. The quality of the enameled decoration is superb, as would be expected of any item retailed by Tiffany in this period. The back is marked “Sterling” and “Made for Tiffany & Co.”. Tiffany often retailed silver by other major makers such as Gorham and Whiting. The back of the handle bears a period monogram “DW”.

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage. Size: 4” x 2-1/4”. Weight: 47.5 grams.

Elegant sterling silver bonbon server in Kirk's popular "Repousse" pattern--probably the most famous of all the Baltimore silver patterns. The bowl is embellished with intricately designed fruit including grapes, pineapples, strawberries, and peaches. The reverse is marked "S. Kirk & Co. Sterling".

Origin: Baltimore, Maryland, circa 1920. Condition: near mint, no monogram. Size: 5-1/8" long.

Set of 12 extraordinarily rare sterling silver lobster forks by Puiforcat. Both the handles and the blades are silver and are fully hallmarked with the 1st standard mark, the maker's mark and the town mark. The handles are simply decorated with acanthus leaves and beading. France, circa 1900. Excellent condition; no monogram. Size: 6-5/8" long.

Porcelain plate by Carl Schumann, ca. 1918, in a variation of the "Dresden Flowers" pattern. The scalloped border is reticulated and has a gilt rim. Origin: Bavaria. Size: 11" diameter. Condition: Mint.

An elegant classic-style French silver tastevin of traditional form. The bowl is decorated with raised "perles", concave "cupules" and elongated "godrons" for assessing the depth of color in both red and white wines. The curved sides help concentrate the aroma, so only a very small amount of wine has to be poured to judge quality. The looped handle allows the tastevin to be worn suspended from a chain. Tastevins with round thumbpieces are generally from the Paris region. The handle is marked for first standard silver (950/1000 pure silver) and also has partially obscured master silversmith's mark.

• Origin: France, ca. 1900.
• Dimensions: 2 11/16" diameter (excluding handle).
• Weight: 37.0 grams.
• Excellent condition; two small dings on bottom, mostly hidden by the design and two very small (1/16") dings on the upper rim.

Very rare heart shaped gilt bronze-mounted dresser tray with handmade lace insert. This is the only heart-shaped dresser tray I've ever seen. Marked on the bottom "France."

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, but could use some cleaning. Size: 10-3/4" x 8-1/2" x 1".

Sterling silver cream or sauce ladle in the elegant 1910 "Newport Shell" (aka "Puritan") pattern by the Frank Smith Silver Co. The pattern relies on a beautifully executed shell and beading for its design impact. The reverse is marked with Smith's older hallmark and the retailer's name "D. Low & Co." (Salem, MA). The Frank Smith Silver Co. was chosen by the State Department to provide sterling silver flatware for every U.S. Embassy.

Origin: America, circa 1910. Condition: excellent, no monogram. Size: 4-3/4" long.

Lovely Renaissance style gilt copper jewel casket by Jenning Brothers. The interior is fitted with the original blue velvet lining. The center of the lid features a coat of arms. Origin: America. The decorative bottom is marked "JB" with the pattern number "1377". Size: 4.5" long; 3" wide; 2" tall. Condition: Slight rubs through gilding to copper base at corners.

Six pearl handled luncheon knives with sterling silver ferules. The ferules are decorated with a classic scrolling vine motif. The French-style blades are unusually long in relation to the pearl handles--a proportion that gives this set a particularly elegant appeal. The blades are marked with a "12" designating the highest quality of 19th century American silverplate. Pearl handled knives are more frequently found in the larger dinner size.

Origin: America, c. 1900. Condition: excelent. Size: 7-7/8".

Sterling silver cream or sauce ladle with an Art Nouveau design of lilies. This form was used to ladle cream or other sauces for the desert course. They could also be used for main course sauces that did not require a full-sized gravy ladle. The reverse is marked "Sterling Pat. 1902". Before 1916, many American silversmiths did not mark their name on flatware. Unknown maker.

Origin: America, circa 1902. Condition: excellent, no monogram. Size: 4-3/4" long.

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.

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.

Fantastic pottery double-handled urn decorated in an underglaze blue floral transfer and clobbered with overglaze iron red, yellow and purple pigments. The effect is much like chintz china, but with stronger coloring. The bottom bears the mark used by Cauldon Potteries from 1905 to 1920. The form and size of this vase, combined with its rich coloring, makes for a truly stunning piece of Staffordshire pottery.

Origin: Staffordshire, England, circa 1913. Condition: mint. Size: 13-1/4” tall.

An elegant second standard (800/1000 pure silver) French tastevin. Rather than the typical “perles,” "coupules," and fluted “godrons”, the bowl is decorated with repousse grape leaves and berries in the 18th century style. This treatment is sometimes seen in tastevins made by Marc Parrod, one of the most influential makers of tastevins in the early 20th century. The handle is in the traditional form of two entwined duck-headed snakes grasping an apple in their mouths, thought to represent the snake and apple from the Garden of Evil, thus reminding drinkers of temptation and sin. The tastevin is fully hallmarked and has an illegible maker’s mark, possibly Parrod's.

• Origin: France, ca. 1910
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail
• Dimensions: 3-5/16” x 4-1/4” x 15/16”
• Weight: 55.3 grams

These porcelain inkwells were made as an advertising novelties for Carter's Ink in 1914. This example has nicely painted details and crisp modelling. The bottom is marked "Made In Germany." Excellent condition. 3.75" tall.

Elegant reticulated sterling silver swing-handle basket with a cobalt blue glass liner. The basket is pierced in an intricate pattern that allows the deep blue glass to shine through. The handle is pierced to match. The basket could be used for sugar, bonbons, nuts, sauces, small floral arrangements, etc. The base is hallmarked by the Watson Co.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, all original, no dings or monograms. Size: 5-3/4" high. Silver Weight: 113.0 grams.

Elegant sterling silver berry serving spoon with very high quality bright cut floral engraving. The matte-finished bowl is engraved with a rose motif while the handle has a variety of flowers and foliage. The reverse is marked "Sterling" and "J.S. MacDonald". The firm was in business in Baltimore, circa 1900. Excellent condition, no monogram. 8.75" long.

Colorful thread box, the hinged top decoupaged with playing cards. Both the inside lid and the bottom have labels proclaiming "Brook's Soft Finish is the Perfection of Sewing Thread."

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: very good, some crackling of finish. Size: 5" x 4" x 2".