Catalog: Vintage Arts (284)

A sterling silver vermouth dispenser in the form of a watering can. These were made by Boardman and retailed primarily at Cartier's flagship store in New York and by Tiffany. This particular example was retailed by Schroth's jewelers in Montville, NJ. When tipped, the dispenser lightly sprinkles just a drip of vermouth into the glass for the perfect martini. The bottom is marked “Sterling” and is signed “Schroth”.

Origin: America, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent. Size: 3-1/8” tall. Weight: 49.7 grams.

A good bronze footed trumpet vase by Carl Sorensen. The surface is patinated in a dark mottled green and is enhanced with parallel engraved lines forming bands decorated in a darker green patination. The small foot makes this one of Sorensen's more unusual vase designs. Sorensen made a variety of decorative metalwares, but little is known about him. He worked in Pennsylvania, and his pieces were possibly sold by Roycroft and Tiffany. The base is signed "Carl Sorensen" and also has his hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, a slightly flattened area along the upper rim is just barely visible when seen from the right angle. Size: 6-1/2" tall.

A nice bronze trumpet vase by Carl Sorensen. The surface is patinated in a mottled green, and the lower part of the vase is enhanced with parallel bands of various widths. A matching band appears around the outer top rim. Sorensen made a variety of decorative metalwares, but little is known about him. He worked in Pennsylvania, and his pieces were possibly sold by Roycroft and Tiffany. The base is signed “Carl Sorensen” and also has his hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: very good, patination is excellent, there is a slightly flattened area along the upper rim visible when viewed from just the right angle. Size: 5-7/16” tall.

A French Art Deco cocktail pick set in the unusual form of a large snail accompanied by a pair of baby snails. The snail is usually alone or perhaps with just one smaller one. They are worked in chrome and are set on a mahogany base. The design is by the famed French Art Deco illustrator Benjamin Rabier, who had a side jpb designing entertaining barware. The twelve picks have unusual green bakelite finials. Sets such as this were used on bar and café counters to serve cocktail garnishes, canapés, or even escargot.

• Origin: France, ca. 1930
• Condition: excellent; very light wear to wooden edges; all original
• Dimensions: 7” x 3-1/8” x 4-1/4”.

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.

A classic Art Deco porcelain water jug advertising Ricard Anisette. In the south of France, tradition dictates that Ricard and other anise-flavored spirits be drunk with a side of water. Makers such as Ricard and Pernod provided advertising pitchers to local bars to increase their sales. This globe form is the classic shape from the first half of the 20th century. The bottom is marked “Ateliers de Céramique Ricard/Made in France”.

Origin: France, ca. 1930. Condition: good, there is a firing line in the spout and a flattened area on the foot, both original to the making; no subsequent chips or cracks. Size: 6” tall at handle.

Lovely pair of porcelain compotes in the "Dresden Garland" pattern by Schumann. The pierced rims are heavily decorated with colorful flowers and gilding. Each compote is centered with a floral bouquet surrounded by entwined gilt and floral garlands. The decorative motifs are echoed on the pedestals. The bottoms are marked by Schumann.

Origin: Germany, ca. 1920. Condition: mint. Size: 7-1/2" diameter; 4-5/8" tall.

A classic figural sterling silver thimble jigger by Thomae & Co. The rim is engraved "Only A Thimble Full." The interior retains a small amount of its original gilding. Several companies made variations of this jigger, but those by Thomae are among the best due to their superior weight and workmanship. Origin: America, ca. 1935. Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms. Size: 2" tall. Weight: 41.4 grams.

A superb set of four Art Deco chrome shot glasses, each with a different color of opaque enamel at the rim, enclosed in a fitted leather case by Newey. Newey was a major English maker of leather goods and a supplier to top-level retailers such as Harrod's. The case is embossed with Newey's logo and each of the shot glasses is marked "Made In Germany."

Origin: Germany/England, ca. 1930. Condition: virtually mint; no dings, no scrapes to the leather. Size: shot glasses, 1-3/4" tall; case, 2-11/16" tall.

An Art Deco sterling silver handled double jigger by silversmith John Hasselbring (Brooklyn, NY). The angularity of the handle contrasts nicely with the traditional shape of the cups. Stamped with Hasselbring's hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: very good, a few pinpoints on handle and cups visible in strong, raking light; no monograms. Dimensions: 5-3/8" x 4-1/8". Weight: 78.7 gr.

A vintage sterling silver figural jigger in the shape of a thimble. The rim is engraved "Only A Thimble Full." The interior is gilt. The bottom is hallmarked by the Webster Silver Co. Origin: America, ca. 1935. Condition: excellent, some gilding intact, no dings. Size: 1-5/8" tall. Weight: 18.1 grams.

An elegant boxed set of gilt sterling silver demitasse spoons with fox head finials. Each spoon is stamped with the hallmark for William Suckling. Each is also stamped “Swaine & Adeney,” one of London’s most exclusive luxury goods shops for more than 270 years. The spoons are presented in their original velvet- and silk-lined fitted case. An extra spoon, apparently from a second box, is included.

• Origin: Birmingham, England, 1938
• Condition: excellent, gilding intact; box shows typical wear
• Dimensions: spoons, 3-13/16” long
• Weight: 84.3 grams.

This very rare novelty jigger in the form of a snowman measures with the body, opens bottles with the mouth, and when the top hat is removed, turns into a corkscrew!

• Origin: America, ca. 1930
• Condition: good, small area of paint loss on the hat rim, moderate plating wear particularly on the handles, paint touch-up on the face, a 1/8” pinpoint ding on the back side of the jigger.
• Dimensions: 4-3/4” tall

A French Art Deco cocktail pick set in the unusual form of a large snail accompanied by a pair of baby snails. The snail is usually alone or perhaps with just one smaller one. They are worked in chrome and are set on a mahogany base. The design is by the famed French Art Deco illustrator Benjamin Rabier, who had a side gig designing entertaining barware. The twelve picks have red bakelite finials. Sets such as this were used on bar and café counters to serve cocktail garnishes, canapés, or even escargot.

• Origin: France, ca. 1930.
• Condition: excellent; all original.
• Dimensions: 6-7/8” x 3-1/8” x 4-1/4”.

This wonderfully inventive Art Deco silverplate jigger measures 3/4, 1, 1-1/2 and 2 ounces. The cube joining the various cups shows measurements on one side and is stamped with the hallmark for Benedict Manufacturing Company (1894-1953) on the other. The cube is perfectly weighted so the jigger does not tip over when the upper cup is filled. This implement was created by the noted modernist designer Albert F. Saunders as a part of Benedict's "Modernistic" line. It was made in extremely small quantities and originals are very difficult to find.

• Origin: America, ca. 1930
• Condition: very good; one pinpoint ding; minimal plating wear
• Dimensions: 4-13/16” x 3-5/8”

A very rare "Cheerio" cocktail shaker in ruby glass with its original chrome top and recipe holder. The recipe holder contains a series of twelve cards that illustrate recipes for different cocktails. The recipes are far more varied than most recipe shakers, and include directions for a Hula-Hula, Princesse,Bamboo, Blackthorn and Aldo-Tropical. The cards have a patent date of 1934.

Origin: America, ca. 1934. Condition: recipe cards have water staining; the pour cap has a 1/4" split and the lid has a 1/4" ding; the bottom edge of the glass has a 5/8" flake that can be quite successfully hidden under the chrome recipe holder. Size: 11" tall.

A complete set of six stacking chrome cocktail or canape plates designed by Lurelle Guild for the Chase Company. Each of the plates has an indented ring in which the foot of a cocktail glass fits perfectly, and an aerodynamic wing that serves as a handle. In advertising the plates, Chase said "With this smart looking canape plate, you can hold a cocktail, a canape and a cigarette in one hand and shake hands with other." Curiously, set of these plates are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Yale University Art Gallery, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Origin: America, 1934-41. Condition: excellent, normal surface wear consistent with age and use, no plating damage. Size: 6-1/4" diameter, excluding handle.

A beautiful Art Deco green-cut-to-clear decanter designed by Charles Graffart for Val St. Lambert. The pyramidal shape capped by an inverted stopper is very linear and perfectly accents the austere overlay cutting pattern. The base is signed "Val St. Lambert" and the stopper is engraved with a number that matches the number inside the decanter's neck.

Origin: Belgium, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 9-1/8" tall.