Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (485)

A nice example of an antique scrambled glass paperweight by the New England Glass Company. The set-up contains a colorful variety of complex canes, filigree and twists in a nicely compact grouping. There are least three complex canes with white eagle silhouettes against a field of dark purple. There are no annealing problems and few bubbles in the set-up. The glass of the dome has good color and clarity. The bottom is concave with a basal ring.

Origin: America, ca. 1865. Condition: excellent, a fairly light ½-in scratch to the dome, no dings. Dimensions: diameter, 2-7/8 in; height, 1-13/16 in.

A stunning cut double-overlay white/cranberry/clear cologne bottle, mostly likely by the New England Glass Company. The broad base is slightly footed and decorated with opaque white casing cut in a classic foral vine pattern to a transparent rose-cranberry base. The panel-cut tapered neck is enhanced with a faceted applied ring. The open-top tulip-form stopper has a long knopped neck and white/cranberry panel cutting on the petals. The concave base is polished.

Origin: America, 1850-70. Condition: a 1/16" flake on an upper edge of the stopper visible on careful examination in raking light. Dimensions: 3-3/4" wide; 6-1/2" high.

Handsome hexagonal faceted glass paperweight featuring a detailed frost intaglio of a lion pressed into the base. The New England Glass Company made several different types of intaglio paperweights, and this piece is possibly an example of the company's work.

Origin: America, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, no chips, normal wear to base. Size: 2-7/8" diameter; 1-3/16" high.

A very good fruit bouquet paperweight by the New England Glass Company. Four pears alternate with cherries and foliage around a central pear. The lampwork fruit is particularly nice in this weight. The bouquet is presented against a spiraling double latticinio basket. The dome is high and offers nice magnification. The crystal is a bit sugary, as is typical of many NEGC weights. The concave base has a wide basal ring.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, absolutely minimal surface wear to the dome. Size: 2-1/2" diameter; 2-1/8" tall.

A unusually fine example of a scrambled weight by the New England Glass Company. The weight includes latticinio twists and millefiore canes. The set-up includes a complex red, white and blue cane (visible through the concave bottom of the weight) formed of a heart silhouette surrounded by stars. The canes are tightly packed for a very nice appearance. The glass is quite clear.

Origin: America, circa 1870. Condition: very good, a few small surface nicks on the crown, no cracks. Size: 2-5/8” diameter; 1-7/8” high.

Very unusual glass paperweight from the New England Glass Company. The weight is worked in a patriotic theme with shards of red, white and blue opaque glass rods making up the scrambled design--possibly in celebration of America's centennial in 1876. The center of the setup is punctuated with a large icepick bubble--a technique I have never seen used in an American scrambled weight. There is also a rare silhouette cane of a pine tree. The crown is high and has a lightly swirled finish. The basal concavity is quite deep and irregularly finished.

Origin: America, circa 1876. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks, no deep scratches. Size: 2-1/2" diameter; 2" high.

A wonderful Art Nouveau sterling silver cracker scoop in Blackinton’s 1904 “Daisy” pattern. The handle, decorated with flowers and foliage, nicely accents the ruffled edge of the bowl. Cracker scoops were originally used to serve small crackers similar to today’s oyster crackers. Now, the piece could be used to serve a variety of foods. Blackinton made a small line of very good sterling silver flatware in the Art Nouveau style. All U.S. embassies worldwide use Blackinton flatware for formal occasions. The back is marked with Blackinton’s hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1905. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monogram. Size: 9-13/16” long. Weight: 133.0 grams.

A gorgeous sterling silver cream ladle rare on two counts. First, Fessenden’s 1910 “Tulip” pattern is very uncommon. Secondly, while spoons were often engraved as souvenir pieces, serving pieces were hardly ever given this treatment. This is the only souvenir cream ladle we’ve seen. The matte gilt bowl is engraved with a very detailed representation of the U.S. Capitol Building underscored by “Washington DC”. The back is hallmarked by Fessenden & Co.

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monogram, original gilding. Size: 4-5/8” long. Weight: 16.0 grams.

Wonderful old Millville, NJ area glass paperweight wig stand or mantel ornament. The setup is pierced with five elongated icepick bubbles. Small bits of aventurine glass highlight the overall coloring of soft yellow and green. The top is heavily faceted with 33 printies of varying sizes. The cutting strikes me as being similar to the faceting seen on good New England Glass Company paperweights. The weight is raised on a baluster form pedestal and a foot. The glass is very heavy and of the finest quality. A similar wig stand/mantel ornament is pictured in Newell's "Old Glass Paperweights of Southern New Jersery".

Origin: Millville, NJ area, late 19th century. Condition: very good, a fleabite on the edge of the top printy, another about a third of the way down the crown, and another on the edge of the foot; a small moon on the perimeter of the weight. Size: 6" tall; foot 3-1/16" diameter.

Outstanding and gorgeous Victorian liquor decanter in cranberry overshot glass. The body is blown in a ribbed shape and is accented with vertical gilt stripes. The neck is fitted with a silverplate collar and the most extraordinary silverplated jockey head stopper.

Origin: probably England, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, except for two very short, stable hairlines at the neck that are original to the piece; stopper retains the original cork and fits well. Size: 12-3/4" tall.

Painted cast iron paperweight, probably by Hubley.

Origin: America, ca. 1920. Condition: very minimal paint loss (less than 5%). Size: 1-5/8" tall.

Painted cast iron dog paperweight, probably by Hubley.

Origin: America, c. 1920. Condition: good, about 10% paint loss. Size: 1-5/8" tall.

19th century cast iron figure of an angel raising a laurel wreath above her head and holding a ship's anchor. Obviously intended as a symbol of the wishes for a sailor's safe return from the sea, the plaque was probably used to decorate the wall of a sailor's home in an Atlantic coast seaport.

Origin: America, circa 1860s. Condition: excellent, light rusting on surface. Size: 14" tall.

A beautiful pair of cut glass square bowls, the steep sides blown out into a scalloped shape. The bottoms are cut in Russian pattern, with the buttons cut in Harvard, diamond and a diamond variant. The sides are in panels of a Harvard variant, panels of Russian matching the bottoms, and panels of diamond. The panels are topped with flashed star cuts and are separated by columns of vertical fluting. The edge is finished with teeth. The cutting is very precise and extremely sharp, and the bowls are hand-polished. Unsigned. Both bowls fluoresce yellow under UV light.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, one bowl has a 3/16” flake on the outside of one tooth and a few extremely tiny roughnesses on the interior of the teeth. Size: 6” x 6” x 2-7/8”.

A pair of elegant Art Nouveau enameled Bohemian glass bowls with floriform decoration. The petals of a vivid pink flower curl up the sides and are interspersed with green tendrils. The flowers are echoed in the undulating rim decorated with a thin line of gilding. The overall workmanship is superb. This sort of decoration was produced by Theresienthal, Meyr’s Neffe, Lobmeyr or Fritz Heckert, and the quality of these pieces is consistent with any of those makers. Typically, this style is seen in goblets, but other tablewares such as these are more uncommon.

Origin: Bohemia, ca. 1895-1905. Condition: excellent, light wear to gilding at rim, no other enamel wear, no chips or cracks. Size: 3” tall, 4-1/2” diameter.

A pair of carved bone master salt spoons decorated with elephants on the handles. Circa 1900. Excellent condition. 2-3/4” long.

Elegant pair of Chinese export porcelain soup plates decorated with a floral scene in the famille rose palette. Pheasants, beetles and butterflies are scattered among the pink peonies, orange pomegranates and blue-green bamboo stalks. The rim is decorated with a striking band of blue and gold strapwork in the Persian taste. The contrast of the restrained formal border pattern against the exuberant naturalistic design of the bowl is striking.

Origin: China, ca. 1800. Condition: no chips or cracks, normal moderate wear to gilding. Size: 9-3/4” diameter.

A superb pair of sterling silver footed baskets by Lambert & Co., one of the most highly-esteemed Victorian silversmiths in London (mentioned by Charles Dickens in his writings). The baskets are ornately pierced and rise on ornate scrolled foot collars. The rims are decorated classically with acanthus leaves and scrolls, but a hint of Art Noveau appears in tiny irises, chrysanthemums and forget-me-nots that are scattered along the rim. The swing handles are also pierced and heavily decorated with matching floral motifs. The baskets are ideal for small flower arrangements, nuts, candies, etc. These baskets are of the finest quality and are fully hallmarked for London, 1908-09, and with the maker’s mark for Lambert & Co. as well as the company’s retail shop at 12 Coventry St.

Origin: England, 1907-08. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no dings or monograms. Size: 5-1/2” diameter; 5-1/2” tall. Weight: 507.0 grams.

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 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.

A very nice pair of Staffordshire spaniels highlighted with gilt decoration. Each dog wears a collar with a padlock and a chain. The muzzles are decorated with pink and black overglaze enamel, and the eyes are set with glass eyes. Both have the whimsical "Joan Crawford" eyebrows. Spaniels with glass eyes, although a bit later than some of the other Staffordshire figures, are difficult to find.

Origin: England, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, no damage, one dog has a slightly open seam on top of the ear that is original to the making. Size: 8-1/2" x 3-1/4" x 9" tall.

Wonderful pair of Hubley cast iron paperweights in the form of African-American children. The little girl wears a yellow jumper over a white blouse and the little boy wears yellow pants and a white shirt. This is the only pair of black memorabilia iron paperweights we’ve seen.

Origin: America, ca 1920. Condition: very good, expected paint wear on high spots. Size: 1-3/8” tall.

A lovely pair of imperial Russian spoons, the backs of the bowls decorated with finely engraved scenes depicting portions of the Arsenal and the State Historical Museum on Moscow’s Red Square. The handles are finished in the traditional twist motif. The surfaces are gilt, and the engraving is worked through the gilding in some areas and more lightly in others, allowing a nice contrast of colors within the design. Each is fully hallmarked for Moscow, dated 1889 and with the maker’s mark for Ivan Alexeyev (1876-1912).

Origin: Moscow, 1889. Condition: excellent, gilding intact. Size: 5” long. Weight: 27.2 grams (the pair).

Pair lovely Minton porcelain cabinet plates featuring handpainted pastoral scenes. One shows a footbridge over a rushing stream and the other shows a pair of cows wading in a pond. Both are surrounded by Minton's famous turquoise blue. The edges are gilt and embossed with a foliate pattern. The backs are impressed "Minton" and have the year mark for 1879. Origin: England, 1879. Condition: the bridge plate is excellent, with about 10% loss to the gilding along the rim; the cow plate is good, with about 70% loss to the gilding along the edge and along the inner rim. Size: 9-1/8" diam.

Extremely rare pair of Victorian cast iron flamingo garden ornaments. Dating from the late 19th century, these flamingos are exceptional. I've seen many later versions in concrete or plastic, but never another pair this old or made of cast iron. These birds appear to be enjoying their third or fourth layer of paint, but the newest layer appears to be a good 50 years old. The outermost and innermost layers are nearly the same color, with an intervening layer of softer pink. The most recent painter splattered some of the pink paint onto the green bases. Each bird was cast in two parts. The legs are screwed into openings at the bottom of the birds and then into the cast bases. The detail is outstanding, with even the bases having a rocking texture. I cannot find a signature, but there could possibly be one underneath the paint.

Origin: American, possibly by Fisk or another iron foundry of equal stature, late 19th century. Condition: see description of paint history above; no missing parts or cracks; rust appropriate to age. Size: 15" and 19.75" tall.

Rare pair of Staffordshire earthenware figurines of whippets. Each dog poses over a rabbit he has brought to the master of the hunt. The cushion bases are decorated with a simple gilt line.

Origin: England, circa 1850. Condition: excellent, a tiny bit of glaze roughness on the tip of one nose, blacklight examination indicates no repairs or repainting. Size: 3-7/8" tall.

Pair of Staffordshire pottery cake plates with light blue transfer decoration in the Canton or "Willow" theme. Neither plate is marked.

Origin: England, circa 1850. Condition: one plate has a crow's foot visible only from the back; the other has a 1/2" flake on the back of the rim; both have some staining, particularly along the rims. Size: 10" diam.

Pair of kettle-form sterling silver salt dishes raised on ball feet. The top edges are decorated with a simple beaded border, ensuring that the salts will coordinate well with any silver pattern. The bottoms are hallmarked by Watrous.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms.

An extraordinary pair of painted tin toleware planters in the form of canoes. One is painted white with blue and red accent stripes and the other is red with blue and white accents. Each of the canoes has its original leather-wrapped wire hanger, and the undersides have trays to catch water drips. The drip trays also allow the canoes to placed on a surface instead of hanging. The paint is completely original and has a great crusty surface. The shape has the distinctive exaggerated upturned bow and stern associated with birchwood canoes.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original, white canoe has some paint loss on the drip tray legs, red canoe has some paint loss long the top edges of the plant holder. Dimensions: 15-1/2 x 4-1/4 x 7-3/4 inches.

A wonderful sterling silver trout set in Towle's 1884 "Arlington" pattern. The handles are decorated in the repousse style with a profusion of roses and foliage. The decoration lends itself to being mixed with many of the repousse patterns from the Baltimore area. It is the blade of the trout knife, wonderfully decorated with an engraved trout leaping into the air after biting a lure (the entire casting rod in the background), that really sets these servers apart. Complete Victorian services included fish sets, but trout servers are extremely uncommon. They are a bit smaller than regular fish servers and have a slightly different shape. Towle, in particular, seems to have been fond of the form. The backs are stamped with Towle's hallmark and the retailer's mark "H. G. Shupp".

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, light surface wear, a small bend at the tip of the knife's upper lip. Size: fork, 8-1/8" long; knife, 10-1/4". Weight: 140.5 grams.

A lovely pair of hyacinth vases in teal blue glass. The classic shape is slightly conical with a widely flaring rim for resting the bulb over the water. These vases are especially attractive because of their rich color. Forcing hyacinths and other bulbs to bloom indoors was something of a Victorian passion that continued well into the 20th century.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 7" tall.

A handsome pair of sterling silver sugar tongs from the reign of King William IV. The sides are decorated in a classical late Georgian shell and thread motif. The quality is very fine. The interior have pristine hallmarks for London, 1834-35, and the maker’s mark for William Eaton.

Origin: England, 1834-35. Condition: nearly mint, no monogram, sharp detail. Size: 6-1/8” long. Weight: 69.5 grams.

A superb Rococo-style first standard (950/1000 pure silver) tastevin by the master silversmith Marc Parrod. This large example retains the round shape of a traditional tastevin but replaces the usual bowl decoration with ornate bunches of grapes tied with ribbon bows and a remarkable handle treatment illustrating a young couple stomping grapes while holding hands. Parrod created excellent classic Burgundian tastevins, but his fantasy pieces stand apart from all the other Dijon masters. The tastevin is stamped with Parrod's master's mark as well as 1st standard silver marks from the Beaune assay office. That office closed in 1914, so we know that this example is from the earlier part of Parrod's career.

• Origin: Dijon, France, ca 1903-14.
• Condition: excellent; all original; one tiny ding on the top edge of the bowl.
• Dimensions: 3-3/4" x 4-15/16" x 1-5/8".
• Weight: 122.8 grams.

A very good first standard (950/1000 pure) silver small-size tastevin by the highly regarded Dijon silversmith Marc Parrod. This example retains the classic round shape with a convex bottom, but the usual "godrons" and "cupules" gare replaced by repoussé grape clusters alternating with raised "perles". Each grape cluster is accented with stylized vines. Parrod was particularly noted for this unique variation. The handle is in a rather unusual shape slightly suggestive of the double snake handles sometimes found on tastevins from the Bourgogne region. These smaller tastevins are less common than the larger ones. Smaller tastevins from the Bordeaux region were often used for tasting Cognac, so perhaps the smaller Burgundian versions were used for some other spirit, as well as wine. The bottom and handle are stamped with first-standard silver marks and with Parrod's mark.

• Origin: Dijon, France, ca. 1903-1944
• Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms, sharp detail
• Dimensions: 2-1/4” diameter (excluding handle)
• Weight: 25.8 grams

A very good first standard (950/1000 pure) silver small-size tastevin by the highly regarded Dijon silversmith Marc Parrod. This example retains the classic round shape with a convex bottom, but the usual "godrons" and "cupules" are replaced by repoussé grape clusters alternating with "cupules". Each grape cluster is accented with stylized vines. Parrod was particularly noted for this unique variation. The handle is in the traditional form of two snakes grasping an apple, alluding to the the Garden of Eden snake and reminding the drinker of temptation. These smaller tastevins are less common than the larger ones. Smaller tastevins from the Bordeaux region were often used for tasting Cognac, so perhaps the smaller Burgundian versions were used for some other spirit, as well as wine. The bottom and handle are stamped with first-standard silver marks and with Parrod's mark.

• Origin: Dijon, France, ca. 1903-1944
• Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms, sharp detail
• Dimensions: 2-1/4” diameter (excluding handle)
• Weight: 24.6 grams

Outstanding brass match holder the pocket formed in the shape of a shield and punch-decorated in a stars and stripes pattern. The pocket is surmounted by a punch-decorated American eagle underneath the motto “In God We Trust”. This motto was adopted in 1863 as a subtle government reminder during the Civil War that God was on the side of the Union troops fighting to end the evil of slavery. The backplate has a punchwork border and also a hole for hanging.

Origin: America, ca. 1860s. Condition: excellent, all original, nice patina. Size: 3-15/16” x 2-1/2” x 5/8” deep.