Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (485)

High quality porcelain tea saucer in a most unusual design incorporating polychrome fantasy flowers with pink luster, probably made for the American market. The body is a typical Regency style with tall, sharply angled sides. Origin: England, c. 1800-1820. Condition: mint. Size: 5-5/8" diam.; 1-1/4" high.

A nice coin silver rattail spoon by John Brown, active in Baltimore from 1799, after apprenticing in Philadelphia. The bowl is rather narrow, suggesting it was to be used as a pap spoon. The spoon must have been an early piece from Brown's shop, as the design is quite clearly drawn from late 18th century styles. The three-letter monogram in a bright-cut cartouche is also characteristic of the period. The back is marked with Brown's punch.

Origin: Baltimore, ca. 1800. Condition: a few small to moderate dings in the bowl. Size: 5-5/8". Weight: 11.25 grams.

A very nice Nanking Chinese export porcelain plate. The blue decoration is finely worked and the body color is excellent.

Origin: China, ca. 1820. Condition: very good, no chips, two tight 1" hairlines visible on the back side at the rim. Size: 8" diameter.

High quality porcelain tea saucer in a most unusual design incorporating polychrome fantasy flowers with pink luster, probably made for the American market. The body is a typical Regency style with tall, sharply angled sides.

Origin: England, c. 1800-1820. Condition: mint. Size: 5-5/8" diam.; 1-1/4" high.

A wonderful French first empire tole ware monteith, the sides hand painted with bouquets of colorful flowers against ivory-colored reserves flanked by gilt grapevine designs. The sides rise to handles cast in the form of swans’ heads--a feature very rarely seen. Verrieres are typically oval in shape, but this example is round. The bowl is unusually raised on four lion’s paw brass feet. As a whole, this is one of the more elegant and interesting early tole verrieres or monteiths we’ve seen.

Elegant glassware was a luxury and even the wealthy didn’t have enough to provide a fresh glass with each different wine course during a formal dinner. The monteith or verriere contained water, and the guests’ glasses could be hung from the notched rim to be rinsed in the communal bath. Sometimes, the vessel was filled with cold water and the glasses were simply hung there to be chilled before the service.

Origin: France, ca. 1800. Condition: excellent original paint with slight loss to one bouquet, the interior shows surface rust as expected; three of the notches seem to have been bent and then straightened out again, but this appears to have happened long ago and without any re-painting. Size: 9-1/4" x 12-5/8" at handles; 4-1/2" high (6-1/4" at handles).

A very fine Chinese export porcelain sauce tureen with blue decoration in the Fitzhugh pattern. The oval body is finely potted with intertwined twig handles and applied berries where they join the body. The lid has floral finial. The quality and detail of decoration suggests a date in the early part of the 19th century. The glaze has a slight bluish cast.

Origin: China, ca. 1810. Condition: excellent, no chips, the inside of the lid has a hairline not visible from the outside, no restoration. Size: 8” x 5-1/4” x 6” tall.

A pair of sterling silver berry spoons of the finest quality dating to the reign of George III. The quality of the repousse and bright cut decoration is beyond compare. The design of the bowl includes cherries, applies, pomegranates and foliage. The backs are clearly hallmarked for London, 1800 and for the maker Thomas Wallis. Excellent condition; no monograms or removals. 9" long.

Very nice Chinese export porcelain tea pot in Canton decoration. The slightly tapered drum-shaped body is decorated with typical Canton scenes of islands, bridges, boats, etc. and is accented with a raincloud border along the top edge. The lid, spout and handle are also decorated with typical motifs. The color is very nice with terrific clarity and depth. Likewise, the body is of nice color.

Origin: China, circa 1820. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 6-1/2” tall to top of finial; 8-1/8” wide from spout to handle.

Gilt George III sterling silver serving spoon with gadrooned edges and a beautifully scalloped bowl. Spoons that are completely gilt are quite rare. The reverse is hallmarked for London, 1784. The maker’s mark is barely visible and is illegible.

Condition: excellent, no monogram. Size: 8-7/8” long.

Superb Georgian sterling silver swing-handle basket. The bottom of the basket is formed of a silver sheet stamped and pierced in an intricate grapevine motif. The sides, constructed of interwoven silver wire, rise from the base and are decorated with grape cluster appliqués. The rim suggests grape vines, as well. The swing handle is decorated at the top with another cluster of grapes and foliage. The whole is raised on acanthus leaf feet. The inside of the handle is hallmarked for Edinburgh, Scotland, 1795. The sovereign’s head duty mark is stamped, but there is no maker’s hallmark, suggesting perhaps that the basket was a commissioned piece. In its time, the basket would have been used for serving sweets or small fruits. The design was very fashionable the piece is well-executed, making it a choice piece of Scottish Georgian silver.

Origin: Scotland, 1795. Condition: excellent, very sharp detail, no dings, no monograms, all original. Size: 8-3/4” x 7-1/4” x 6-3/4” tall to top of handle. Weight: 398.0 grams.

A rare French silver (950/1000 pure silver) tastevin from the reign of Louis XVI. This classic example features a classic design of angled “godrons” (grooves) accented with raised “perles” (pearls). The lack of deeply recessed “cupules” suggests that this wine taster was specifically intended for use with white wines. The center of the bottom has the expected tiny lathe mark where the vessel was raised from a solid block of silver. The handle is formed as a coiled snake in the traditional manner. The edge is engraved with the name of the original owner, Monsieur Robert. The tastevin bears the charge and discharge marks for Paris (1789) and an illegible master’s mark.

• Origin: France, 1789
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 3-1/16” x 3-7/8”
• Weight: 72.9 grams

Extraordinary late 18th century German silver sugar scissors in the form of a circus monkey. The monkey is wearing a harlequin suit and a bonnet and is grasping two rings that, upon closer inspection, are serpents. Monkeys were very popular exotic animals and inspired wondeful tableware including Meissen figurines and assorted silver. Often they were shown wearing human clothing and performing human tasks. The tongs are fully marked with late 18th century German hallmarks.

Origin: German States, ca. 1775. Condition: excellent, all original, very little wear. Size: 4-1/2" long. Weight: 55.0 grams.

Terrific pair of sterling silver sugar tongs dating to the reign of George III. The design (made by cutting reflective facets in the silver) is very nicely executed on this quality piece, and unlike many Georgian tongs, these are quite heavy.

The tongs are marked with the lion passant and the script hallmark "GS" for George Smith, entered in London in 1782. Since the tongs bear no other marks, they were probably made to order and the duty was never paid.

No monogram and in excellent condition. 5-5/8" long.

Lovely porcelain figure of a billy goat standing on a pad decorated with flowers and foliage. The pad has a slightly impressed decoration on the front and gilt lines at the edges. A gold anchor mark is painted on the back of the base.

Origin: England, 1756-69. Condition: mint, except a tiny flake on the bottom of the pad base. Size: 1-3/8" x 2-1/8" x 2-1/4" tall. The anchor mark is just under 1/4" tall.

A phenomenal and extremely rare George III sterling silver footed wine bottle or decanter coaster retaining its original ruby glass liner. Bottle or decanter coasters of the period are typically formed as simple round collars over turned wooden bases, perhaps enhanced with a bit of engraving or a border. This example is much finer than most others, with its ornately hand-sawn pierced gallery and undulating rim, the whole raised on tall volute feet with scrolled terminals and acanthus leaf capitals. Laurel wreath swags complete the design. The stand is finished with a blown ruby glass liner, precisely cut to fit the silver (it aligns with the silver only if placed exactly correctly). The pierced gallery has a small reserve that appears never to have been engraved. The silver is fully hallmarked for London, 1774-75. As was the practice, the hallmarks were applied before the decoration was complete, and when the piercing was performed, the maker's mark and duty mark were obliterated. Only the edges of those two punches are visible amongst the piercing.

Origin: England, 1774-75. Condition: excellent, all original, no repairs, a few tiny fleabites on the rim of the glass liner. Size: 5-3/8" diameter; 4-1/2" high. Silver Weight: 322.0 grams.

Rare four-lobed copper bowl decorated in painted enamel. The decoration pictures three ancient Chinese warriors in a landscape. Like nearly all enamelware, this piece has suffered from the ravages of time, but the fine detail of the decoration and the rarity of the form more than compensate for the condition.

Origin: China, late 18th century. Condition: numerous chips and cracks, particularly along edges. Size: 4-1/2" diam., 2-1/8" high.

Two-handled celadon jarlet; the glaze extending halfway down the body and in a soft green shade. The exposed earthenware is a reddish hue. Two applied strap handles connect the jar's lip to the shoulders. 15th-16th century. Origin: Southeast Asia, possibly Thailand. Size: 2.5" tall. Condition: Excellent.