Catalog: Antiques (495)

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.

Very nice glass calabash in aqua blue. One side features hands clasped across a patriotic shield surrounded by stars and olive branches and the word "Union". The other side is decorated with an American eagle grasping a banner, shield, arrows and olive branches. The calabash has a polished pontil on the bottom and an applied lip at the neck.

Origin: America, mid-19th century. Condition: excellent, no cracks or chips, nice molded detail, the pontil has some brownish surface discoloration. Size: 9-1/8" 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.

A lovely set of six sterling silver strawberry forks in Lunt’s 1893 “Navarre” pattern. This pattern was actually developed by A. F. Towle & Sons, which eventually was purchased by Lunt Silversmiths. The handles are beautifully decorated in an asymmetric pattern of volutes, acanthus leaves and flowers. The slightly splayed double tines retain their original matte gilding. The backs are marked with the A.F. Towle hallmark and the retailer’s mark “G. Frank”.

Origin: America, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, original gilding, no monograms. Size: 4-25/32” long. Weight: 52.0 grams.

Outstanding pair of early American coin silver sugar tongs. The arms are cut in a modified fiddle shape and are decorated with superb applied fruit baskets. The claws are shaped as scallop shells. The end has a period monogram “BC”. These are undoubtedly the finest coin silver sugar tongs we’ve seen. The inside is marked with an unidentified pseudo-hallmark.

Origin: America, probably New England, circa 1815. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 6-5/16” long. Weight: 51.5 grams.

A delightful Georgian lacquered papier-maché snuffbox or tobacco box. The hinged cover is decorated with a handpainted scene depicting a court scene. The sides of the box are painted in colorful floral tracery against a dark green ground. The bottom is decorated with a large gilt medallion against a black background. Interestingly, the facial characteristics of the two people appear to be Chinese, but the interior decor is most definitely in the Persian taste. It is, of course, almost certain that the decorator never stepped foot outside the town in which he was born, and had no idea that Middle Eastern and East Asian people look different.

Origin: probably England, ca. 1800. Condition: excellent, surface decoration is very fine, light wear along the edges of the lid. Size: 3-1/2" x 2" x 1-1/16".

Elegant Victoria sterling silver pin cushion by Gorham. The silver surface is encrusted with repousse decoration of chrysanthemums and forget-me-nots. A rococo reserve is engraved with a period 3-letter monogram. This style of decoration is rather unusual for Gorham. The bottom is fully hallmarked, including the date mark for 1901. The pincushion also retains its original red velvet covering, a rare survivor.

Origin: America, 1901. Condition: excellent, no dings or dents; original velvet covering. Size: 3" diameter; 2" tall.

Ornate Victorian sterling silver pie server by Gorham. The pattern is very similar to "Dresden", but is not an exact match. The handle is covered with various motifs, including shells, flowers, scrolls, and foliage. The bowl is very nicely scalloped and elegantly decorated with engraving to match the handle. The original gilding has faded to a soft lemon shade. Pie servers are not very common and are quite useful for all sorts of pie, pastries or cakes, or even tea sandwiches. The back is marked with one of the earlier Gorham hallmarks.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: very good, light wear to details on the handle, no monogram, original gilding intact. Size: 9” long. Weight: 74.0 grams.

A nice Staffordshire inkwell or quill holder in the form of a recumbent deer. The naive painted decoration almost makes it look as if she's wearing a little black hat. The doe is posed on a white base molded as a rocky outcropping. The base is highlighted with a burnished gilt line.

Origin: England, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, no damage. Size: 4-3/4" x 2" x 4".

A very fine early cut crystal wine decanter with etched grapevine decoration. The neck is panel cut and accented with a diamond-cut ring at the base. The panel cutting extends past the ring on the shoulders and resumes at the base. The sides are beautifully decorated with an etched grapevine pattern. The etching is finely done. The base is star-cut. The hollow-blown stopper is panel cut to match the decanter's neck. The inside of the neck and the base of the stopper are etched with matching numbers, indicating this is the original stopper. The glass is quite heavy and very brilliant. If American, the decanter is probably the product of the New England Glass Company. If European, it is either English or Bohemian.

Origin: probably American, ca. 1850. Condition: the stopper has a 1/8" flake at the very top and a few small roughnesses at the high points around the periphery, some discoloration to the interior, otherwise excellent. Size: 14-1/2" tall.

A marvelous and rare Victorian figural cigar cutter in the form of a champagne bottle. The bottle is carved of bone and has a silverplated top intended to represent the bottle’s foiled neck. The cutter is shaped as the bottle’s label and is engraved “Bollinger”—one of the most famous of champagnes during the Victorian era. The metal collar is stamped with English registry marks dating the cutter to 1883 and also with a design number. The cutter has a bale so it can be suspended from a watch chain.

Origin: England, 1883. Condition: excellent. Size: 2” tall.

Stunning Victorian bronze picture frame, the border inset with gold velvet completely encrusted with gold thread embroidery of twining vines and flowers. The easel back is covered in gold moire silk.

Origin: probably French, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent; some staining on the back side. Size: outer--2.5"x3.25"; sight--1.5"x2.25".

A set of eight sterling silver fruit spoons in Gorham’s elegant 1910 “Buckingham” pattern. The handle is bordered by a series of intertwined scrolls before terminating in an acanthus leaf motif. The backs of the handles have decoration mirroring the fronts. The pattern is extremely similar to “Chantilly” and could easily be used with a Chantilly service. The backs are marked with Gorham’s early 20th century hallmarks.

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monograms. Size: 5-25/32” long. Weight: 251.0 grams.

Handsome gilt bronze figure of a reclining dog (some variety of hound) mounted as a paperweight on a butterscotch marble base. The statue retains its original gilt surface and has achieved a very pleasing patina. The marble base is richly colored with gray veining.

Origin: France, circa 1850. Condition: some flaking to bottom edges of marble base, no cracks, no damage to bronze figure. Size: 4-1/4" x 2-3/8" x 2-1/4" tall.

Very handsome and heavy sterling silver master salt dish in the Georgian style. The flattened spherical body has a modified egg and dart border and is raised on acanthus leaf legs terminating in animal paw feet. Goodnow & Jenks was Boston's finest silversmith, albeit only for a short period, 1893-1905. The bottom is marked with the maker's mark, as well as a partially obscured retailer's mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1895. Condition: no dings or deep scratches, light pitting to the interior that can be removed by a light buffing. Size: 2-3/4" diameter; 1-5/8" tall. Weight: 73.5 grams.

A very nice mauchline ware wooden hinged box decorated with seven Washington, DC scenes. American scenes are more difficult to find than English or Scottish scenes, and to find seven different images of the Washington DC area is most uncommon. The box retains its original blue silk lining. With the exception of Mount Vernon, all the buildings had been completed only 5-15 years before this piece was produced.

Origin: Scotland, ca. 1890. Dimensions: 7 x 4-7/8 x 3-7/8 inches.

A pretty Victorian mercury glass vase in rare peacock blue. The surface is frosted and enhanced with painted decoration of fuchsias an autumnal colors. Some areas of the background are left unfrosted for a nice contrast. Blue is a very unusual color for mercury glass pieces.

Origin: America, ca. 1850. Condition: very good, no chips or cracks, lead plug is missing and some oxidation in the foot and light oxidized pinpoints the main part of the body. Size: 8” tall.

A nice South Jersey glass paperweight with a frit “Home Sweet Home” design. The motif features a log cabin with puffs of smoke coming out of the chimney, surrounded by the “Home Sweet Home” legend and a laurel wreath bough at the bottom. The top is cut with a single printy. The bottom is flat and polished, without the incised ring that appears around the periphery of many South Jersey weights.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, very light normal scratches to surface, no chips or cracks. Size: 3-1/4” diameter; 2” tall.