Catalog (2433)

A fascinating English Art Deco sterling silver hors d'oeuvre or dessert set cast and engraved with Egyptian motifs. This set is hallmarked for 1922—the year King Tut's tomb was discovered by English archaeologists in Egypt. Everything Egyptian suddenly became a design craze. This set features ornate depictions of everything Egyptian—the Step Pyramid of Zoser, a pharaoh wearing a nemes headdress, papyrus, lotus, ibis, Horus wings, and more! The spoons with the spade-shaped bowls are gilt, suggesting they were intended for use with salty foods that would tarnish bare silver. The spoons are presented in their original fitted case. Each spoon is stamped with Birmingham date marks for 1922 and the maker's mark for Levi & Salaman.

• Origin: England, 1922.
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, slight wear to gilding on spade-shaped spooons; case has slight spotting to lining, but otherwise superb.
• Dimensions: oval spoons, 4-13/16"; spade spoons, 4".
• Weight: 78.8 grams.

A striking pair of double-sided cufflinks worked in 18K yellow gold. Each hexagonal face is decorated with a blue and white champlevé enamel pattern that highlights its “quilted” texture. Each face is centered with a triangular sapphire cabochon bezel-set in platinum. The sapphires have bright color that beautifully accents the enamel. The faces are connected by chains. Each cufflink is marked “18Ct” and has another unidentified mark. They are well-traveled, also bearing old London import marks and French import marks.

• Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 1920.
• Dimensions: faces, 9/16” x 9/16”.
• Approximate Total Sapphire Weight: 1.24 carats.
• Weight: 6.4 grams.
• Condition: excellent; all original; no enamel damage.

A delightful and very rare French Art Deco silverplate cocktail shaker with enamel recipe decoration by Deschamps Frères of Paris. The enameled decoration depicts a pair of scrolled documents with seals presenting recipes for “Torelli” and “Winter Palace” cocktails. Both are rather unusual variations on a classic martini. Adolphe Torelli was the barman at the famous Winter Palace Hotel in Nice. His book, “900 Recette de Cocktails et Boissons Américaines: Guide du Barman et du Gourmet Chic” (“900 Recipes for American Cocktails and Drinks: A Guide for the Bartender at the Stylish Gourmet”) was published in 1927. It was among the first important bartender’s books from the cocktail era. This shaker was likely produced just after the publication. Deschamps Frères opened in 1920 and was known at the time for its interesting enameled silverplate barware, but the items are quite rare today and the enamel is often in poor condition. The bottom is stamped with Deschamps’ maker’s mark.

• Origin: France, ca. 1927.
• Dimensions: 8-1/4” tall.
• Condition: good; no dings; some yellow enamel loss; isolated pitting, light dulling and superficial scuffs to some areas of the plating.

An uncommon boxed set of twelve Art Deco sterling silver cocktail picks with red bakelite finials in the shape of maraschino cherries. The picks are presented in their original velvet and silk-lined fitted box. Each pick is marked “Sterling Silver”. It's quite rare to find a set of a dozen picks rather than the standard six.

• Origin: America, ca. 1920.
• Condition: picks are excellent; box shows expected wear for the age.
• Dimensions: picks, 3” long.
• Weight: 24.8 gr.

A classic pair of double-sided 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the round faces enhanced with engine-turned engraving and opaque black champleve enamel borders. The borders are further accented with a gold strapwork motif. The connectors are marked with unidentified American hallmarks, “HB” and “14K”.

• Origin: America, ca. 1920.
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage.
• Dimensions: 19/32” diameter.
• Weight: 9.2 grams.

A pin featuring three horses, each sporting a red enamel bridle by the New York maker Sloan & Company. The horses are finely detailed. The clasp is stamped with Sloan's 14K mark.

• ORIGIN America, ca. 1920.
• DIMENSIONS 1 3/4" x 9/16".
• WEIGHT 5.4 grams.
• CONDITION excellent; no enamel damage; sharp detail.

An Edwardian 14K yellow and rose gold bracelet featuring three Essex crystals of flying ducks set between depicting cattails. The cattail leaves are worked in gold that is very slightly tinted green, and the brown part of the cattail is rose gold. Reverse-carved intaglios became popular in the Victorian era, especially to depict sporting and hunting themes. They remained popular through the early part of the 20th century. The crystal depict three different species, including a mallard. Each duck is shown flying over water. The carving and painting are nicely done. The back is marked “14K”.

• ORIGIN America, ca. 1920
• CONDITION very good, all original, the crystals have faint moisture marks around the edges (much less visible than in the photos)
• DIMENSIONS 7-5/8” long; 9/16” wide
• WEIGHT 20.5 grams

A lovely 14K gold pendant designed as a young woman's face captured in a crescent moon. She wears a large brimmed bucket hat with trailing ribbons in the style of the early 20s. In Victorian jewelry symbology, the crescent moon was a reminder of the moon goddess Selene (AKA Luna) and was often used to signal female empowerment. The reverse is marked "14K."

• America, ca. 1920
• Excellent condition; converted from an antique stickpin
• Dimensions: 7/8" x 7/8" excluding bail
• 2.7 grams

A very attractive pair of Art Deco cufflinks featuring sugarloaf cabochons of moss agate (“dendritic agate”) in simple 14K gold collet settings. The agates have a very nice pattern of wispy green inclusions against a creamy translucent background. The connectors are marked “14K” and have an unidentified maker’s mark.

• Origin: America, ca. 1925
• Dimensions: faces, 9/16” x 9/16”
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Weight: 11.0 grams

A handsome pair of 14K gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces set with dark green jasper plaques. The gold has a soft “bloom” sometimes seen on jewels from the late 19th century. The jasper plaques are deeply colored, appearing nearly black except in bright light when the green comes through. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Origin: America, ca 1930
• Dimensions: faces, 19/32” x 9/16”
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Weight: 11.8 grams

An elegant Edwardian 14K gold chain comprising bar links engraved in a delicate foliage pattern. The chain is completed with a hidden box clasp. This chain could be worn alone or suspending a single pendant or locket. It would also look fantastic suspending charms between the bar links. Marked 14K.

• Origin: America, ca 1915
• Dimensions: 16 1/2" long
• Condition: excellent
• Weight: 10.8 grams

A classic Art Deco 18K white gold Russian braid chain necklace with opal cabochons and faceted onyx beads sandwiched together into egg-shaped stations along the length. The opals have nice play-of-color with a preponderance of blues and greens. Most station chain necklaces are quite long, but the shorter length of this example makes for a very wearable, delicate look. The clasp is stamped with French 18K marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1925
• Condition: very good, two opals have small flakes on the pointed end visible upon very close inspection
• Dimensions: chain length, 17-1/4”; stations, 3/16” diameter
• Weight: 2.8 grams

A handsome pair of early Art Deco double-faced cufflinks in 14K yellow gold enhanced with black champleve enamel. The faces are decorated with engine-turned engraving in a striped pattern surrounded by enameled borders. The faces are attached with bar connectors, stamped with 14K hallmarks for an unidentified maker.

• Origin: America, ca. 1920
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage or monograms
• Dimensions: faces, 9/16" diameter
• Weight: 8.0 grams

A nice Art Deco 14K white gold bar link chain. The bars alternate with groups of three round links. The bars reflect light, so the chain has a pleasant shimmer. The clasp is marked "14K".

• Origin: America, ca. 1925
• Condition: excellent
• Length: 21-3/4"
• Weight: 3.1 grams

A lovely 14K gold Art Nouveau pin in the form of a bouquet of violets by Krementz. Three flowers on long golden stems are accented with a pair of leaves decorated with iridescent translucent enamel. Each flower comprises five dark purple enameled petals surrounding a seed pearl. In the Victorian flower language, the violet represented modesty. The back retains the original pinstem and clasp, marked 14K and bearing Krementz's hallmark.

• Origin: America, ca 1920
• ConditionL excellent
• Dimensions: 1-13/16" x 7/8"
• Weight: 4.5 grams

A fine pair of French 18K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces decorated with champleve and en plein opaque red and black enamels. The connectors are stamped with French 18K marks and an illegible master goldsmith's mark.

• Origin: France, ca 1925
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage
• Dimensions: faces, 19/32" x 13/32"

A classic Art Deco first standard (950/1000 pure) silver jigger by the Parisian silversmith Auguste Roustang. The tapered form is simply decorated with a series of increasingly narrower steps at the base for a streamline look. The rim is hallmarked by Roustang.

• Origin: France, 1909-29
• Condition: excellent, no dings
• Dimensions: 1-15/16” tall
• Weight: 34.9 grams

Early German Halloween candy container featuring a composition black cat perched atop a red paperboard container. The bottom once had a stick-on label of some sort that scuffed up the paper, so there is no longer a “Made in Germany” mark, but this is clearly a German piece. The cat has tons of personality, from crossed eyes to a bright red mouth oddly shaped like human lips. MEEOW!

• Origin: Germany, ca. 1920
• Condition: very good, light paint flaking at the back and tip of one ear
• Dimensions: 3-3/4” tall

A handsome set of two-sided cufflinks, the round faces enhanced with off-centered concentric engraved lines radiating out from the sapphires. The overall effect is like a blue sun sinking below the horizon. The sapphires have nice pale violet blue color typical of Ceylon stones. The backs are marked 14K and have the maker’s mark for Fisher & Co.

• Origin: America, ca. 1925
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: faces, 9/16” diameter
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .52 carat
• Weight: 10.5 grams

A rare vintage pressed paper Halloween noisemaker in the form of a carrot. The colors are bright and the mouthpiece retains the reed, so it makes a nice squawky sound. The side has a handwritten price of 10 cents and is faintly marked "Germany."

• Origin: Germany, ca. 1920
• Dimensions: 8" tall
• Condition: excellent, bright color, working

A rare composition Halloween candy container in the form of a three-dimensional owl, complete with glass eyes. The container is large enough to hold quite a generous amount of candy!

• Origin: probably Germany, ca. 1920
• Dimension: 4-1/4" tall
• Condition: very good, but some cracking along side seams and a flake at the back edge of the container opening

A classic, heavy pair of Art Deco 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the oval faces finished in a simple reeded platinum border. Each face is centered with an old European cut diamond (G/H; VVS2). The backs are marked “Gold & Plat” (tested 14K) and have the maker’s mark for Carrington.

• Origin: America, ca. 1920
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: faces, 11/16” x 15/32”
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .32 carat
• Weight: 13.0 grams

A delightful and very rare set of 12 sterling silver cocktail picks with gilt Devil’s head finials presented in their original fitted box. The snarling devils come complete with horns! The picks are presented in their original velvet- and silk-lined fitted case. This is only the second set of Devil picks we’ve managed to find in over 20 years of dealing in vintage barware. Each is hallmarked by William Hutton & Sons, Ltd and has Birmingham date marks for 1928.

• Origin: Birmingham, England, 1928
• Condition: excellent, no bends, gilding completely intact, interior of case shows light wear
• Dimensions: picks, 3-5/16” long
• Weight: 53.8 grams

Two sets of English Art Deco sterling silver cocktail picks, the finials in the form of brightly enameled roosters. Each pick has unusual double tines that firmly hold olives, cherries, etc., and a hook on the back side that can rest on the edge of tall glass to keep them from sinking to the bottom. Each is hallmarked the silversmith Adolph Scott ("Amnora") and with the datemark for Birmingham, 1929. The picks are presented in their original fitted boxes.

• Origin: England, 1929
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, one pick missing, typical wear to fitted boxes
• Dimensions: 3-3/8" long
• Weight: 28.3 grams

A delightful vintage snowman feather tree topper made of spun cotton batting. He wears a black paper hat and carries and wood walking stick in one hand. Tough made for a feather tree, the size would be appropriate for a small live tree or he could be hung from a thread as an ornament.

• Origin: probably German, ca 1925
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Height: 5-1/8"

A stunning early Art Deco platinum bracelet set with diamonds and emeralds. The bracelet comprises seven rectangular plaques, each centered with an old European cut diamond. The plaques are hand-pierced in an ornate foliate pattern accented with a total of 84 smaller old European and single cut diamonds and 70 calibre-cut natural emeralds. The primary diamonds (two .44ct; two .46ct; two .55ct; and one .61ct) are very well matched and are graded G/SI1. Each plaque is slightly arched to accommodate the curve of the wrist. The clasp has a hidden safety catch and is stamped with French platinum hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1925.

Condition: excellent, all original, normal wear to emerald surfaces consistent with age.

Size: 11/32” wide; 6-3/4” long.

Weight: 27.5 grams.

Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, 6.22 cts; emerald, 1.47 cts.

An elegant pair of Art Deco 18K gold cufflinks decorated with geometric engraving and champleve enamels in opaque red and black. Each cufflink is hallmarked for 18K gold and has the master’s goldsmith’s mark (illegible).

• Origin: France, ca. 1925
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage
• Dimensions: 9/16” diameter.
• Weight: 8.1 grams

The wonderful gold medal won by James Ephraim Narraway at the 1929 tournament of the Correspondence Chess League of America (CCLA). The medal features a black and white enameled chessboard surrounded by a laurel wreath and surmounted by a crown. The back is engraved “C.C.L.A. 1929 Leaderhip ‘A’ 1st Prize Won By J. E Narraway.” The medal was likely originally attached to a neck ribbon, but would be really nice worn today as a pendant or on a chunky charm bracelet. Tested and guaranteed 10K gold.
Narraway was a three-time Canadian champion and a North American champion. In correspondence chess, each player mailed his next move to his opponent via mail. The first known game of correspondence chess was played between the Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros I and the Calip of Baghdad, Harun al-Rashi in the late 9th century. Even with the advent of postal service, a game organized by Narraway in 1891 lasted for more than three years. Though he lived to age 90, the 1929 game in 1929 was to be Narraway’s last gold medal win, at the age of 72.

• Origin: America, 1929

Condition: excellent, no enamel damage

Dimensions: 1-1/4” diameter (excluding bail and jump ring)

Weight: 16.4 grams.

A buff-cut oval amethyst perfectly offsets the superb gold setting in this Edwardian 14K gold gentleman’s ring. The stone sits in a high setting that is intricately engraved with classic motifs such as pendant bellflowers, swags, and fans that bridge the Edwardian period into early Art Deco. The ring is large, but the relatively light color of the amethyst and the use of smooth buff cut instead of full faceting keeps it from being overpowering. A woman could easily wear the ring, as well. The interior of the shank is stamped “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1920
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: shank tapering from 5/32” at the back to 1/2" wide at the front; 1/4” height from finger
• Finger Size: 9-1/2
• Weight: 8.29 grams
• Approximate Amethyst Weight: 4.11 carats

A finely crafted late Art Nouveau 18K gold ring in the form of a lion’s head clasping an old European cut diamond in its jaws. The engraving is very well done and displays great detail that extends halfway around the shank. The diamond is graded as H/VS1. The interior of the shank is engraved “P.R. 10 Avril 1924.” The ring is stamped with French 18K gold marks and with an unidentified master goldsmith’s mark.

• France, 1924
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 11/16” wide at front, tapering to 3/16” at back
• Finger Size: 10-12
• Weight: 13.0 grams
• Approximate Diamond Weight: .10 carat

A lovely 18K yellow gold, diamond, and ruby love pendant (“medaille d’amour”) with a rebus spelling out “Plus qu’hier, moins que demain” (“More than yesterday, less than tomorrow”), a line from the love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of “Cyrano de Bergerac”) in 1889. In 1907, the Lyonnais jewelry Alphonse Augis created a love token based on the poem. The word “plus” is represented by a plus sign set with a diamond and the word “moins” with a minus sign set with rectangular synthetic rubies. This example is in the original style with a “crêpe de chine” textured background and laurel wreath border. The back is monogrammed “MG.” The front is signed A.A. and the bail is stamped with French 18K marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1930
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail
• Dimensions: 11/16” diameter (excluding bail and jump ring)
• Weight: 3.5 grams

A delicate early Art Deco gold chain worked in 14K white gold filigree. Each of the baton-shaped links is centered with a short length of ropetwist to create the filigree appearance. Marked “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1925
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 25-5/8” long
• Weight: 3.6 grams

An exceptional pair of Art Deco platinum, emerald, diamond and onyx cufflinks by Cartier. Each face is made from a melon-carved emerald bead dating to India's Mughal Empire (17th/18th centuries), topped with a round onyx disk centered with an old European cut diamond. The emeralds, variously weighing approximately 5.94, 5.49, 4.53 and 4.20 carats, totalling just over 20 carats. The emeralds have a strong green color with natural inclusions characteristic of the Chivor mines in Colombia. The diamonds are graded as F color, VVS clarity. The faces are joined with removable dog clip connectors. The fixed mountings are marked with the workshop master's mark used in the 1920s and French platinum marks and are signed “Cartier.” The cufflinks are presented in their original fitted, silk- and velvet-lined, fitted leather case.

Jacques Cartier was one of the first European jewelers to travel to India and to acquire antique emerald, ruby and sapphire beads from the maharajahs. These stones were re-set in Cartier's Paris workrooms. One of the most important commissions using carved Mughal beads was a brooch for Marjorie Merriweather Post. That brooch features emeralds carved in the same shape as those in these cufflinks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1920
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: faces, approximately 7/16" diameter
• Condition: excellent; emeralds have surface wear consistent with 300-400 years of use as jewelry
• Weight: 8.4 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .24 carat; emerald, 20.16 carats

An elegant second standard (800/1000 pour silver) French tastevin. Rather than the typical "perles" and fluted "godrons," the bowl is decorated with repousse grape leaves, berries and shells in the 18th century style. This treatment is sometimes seen in tastevins made by Parrod, one of the most influential makers of tastevins in the 19th and 20th centuries. The single snake handle, thought to represent the snake from the Garden of Eden reminding drinkers of temptation, has an unusually well-detailed head. The tastevin is fully hallmarked and has an illegible maker's mark, possibly Parrod's.

• Origin: France, ca. 1925
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail
• Dimensions: 3-1/4" x 4-1/4" x 15/15"
• Weight: 55.9 grams

A Burgundian first standard (950/1000 pure silver) tastevin by acclaimed silversmith Marc Parrod. The style of this particular example is a bit of a departure from Parrod’s typical style. The handle is worked in the form of a snake, thought to represent the the snake from the Garden of Evil as a reminder that wine may lead to earthly temptation. But the bowl Parrod experimented with the decoration to the bowl. The elongated “godrons”, intended to help assess the color and clarity of wine, are pushed all the way up the sides of the bowl in a style more typical of the 18th century. A series of “perles” are arranged in a circle at the base of the “godrons.” Between the “godrons” Parrod has added repoussé decoration of grape clusters. And most interestingly, rather than a smooth surface, Parrod created a hammered texture that further enhances the wine’s color. The rim is engraved “Vernier Morey 1740.” The meaning of the engraving is unclear, but both names are familial names long associated with very good Burdundy wines. Obviously, the date was intended to represent the founding of a vineyard, a dynastic marriage, or some other major local history event. The rim is slightly out-of-round, but this is in the making where the engraving and maker’s marks were applied—a quirk that is not uncommon in French silver. The handle and body are stamped with the French first standard mark and Parrod’s master’s mark.

• Origin: France, ca. 1910
• Condition: very good, a small flattened area on the bottom edge under the handle visible when turned upside down
  • Dimensions: 3” x 4” x 1-1/4”
  • Weight: 88.6 grams

A delightful composition Easter rabbit figurine from the 1920s. The dapper figure is shown in a walking pose while wearing yellow shoes, a bright red jacket and a white waistcoat. He carries a spun cotton carrot over his shoulder. The bottom is stamped “Japan.”

• Origin, Japan, ca 1925
• Condition: excellent, a smattering of extremely tiny paint nicks
• Dimensions: 3-1/8” tall

The second figure is a happy Easter white rabbit nodder wearing a red jacket with a blue collar. The face and insides of the ears are painted in bright pink. The nodder mechanism allows the head to turn and jiggle slightly.

• Origin: Japan, ca. 1925
• Condition: excellent, a few minor paint scuffs along the ends
• Dimensions: 2-7/8” tall