Catalog: Antiques (495)

Extremely rare oil lamp featuring a base of mercury glass decorated with floral painting and satin finishing. The floral decoration is an autumnal design depicting leaves and wheat in shades of brown, gold, green and cream, accented with cornflowers in blue and small orange flowers. The mercury glass has extensive satin finish which further emphasizes the shiny surfaces. The oil reservoir is flint glass of the highest quality cut in a 12-panel design. The metal mounting between the oil reservoir and the mercury glass base is gilt in a way that the mercury glass blends seamlessly into the rest of the lamp. The shade, no doubt a plain clear glass shade, is gone. The wick knob is marked "Ideal Brenner 20".

Origin: American, almost certainly New England Glass Company, circa 1840-80. Condition: excellent, no cracks or chips, painted decoration intact. Size: 17-1/2" tall (to top of burner).

A delightful early 19th century French silver tastevin featuring a 1770 Louis XV coin and a wonderfully decorated handle. The handle decoration depicts a man seated atop a wine barrel grasping a wine bottle in one hand and a Cupid's arrow in the other. The design is completed with the legend "Vive l'amour et le vin" ("Long live love and wine."). This type of handle was developed in the early 1700s and was used mostly in the Burgundy region. The use of real silver coins as a decorative element is seen in tastevins dating from the mid-1700s onwards. The handle is stamped with 19th century hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1840. Condition: excellent; 2 pinpoints to the bowl and a slight ding along the edge opposite the handle. Dimensions: 3-1/4 x 4-1/4 x 7/8 inches. Weight: 95.0 grams.

Phenomenal Art Nouveau crystal shallow bowl, the bottom with intaglio engraving of a large pansy blossom. The flowers petals are beautifully handpainted in shades of burgundy and then gilt. The flower is surrounded by translucent foliage. The scalloped rim of the bowl is gilt to coordinate with the floral decoration. This piece, with its single large flower, is much more assertive than the more common small reverse-carved pieces such nappies and short compotes. We're not certain if the bowl is Bohemian or French. The pansy was a very popular floral motif in France during the Art Nouveau period. The French word for pansy ("pensée") is also the word for thought and the floral image was often employed to signify and sentimental gift of remembrance or affection.

Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks, 98% of painting and gilding intact. Size: 10-1/2" diameter; 1-1/2" high.

A classic Sandwich glass hyacinth vase in a rich amethyst shade. The vase is entirely hand blown, shows the traces of hand marvering, and has a large oblong bubble on one side about two inches above the bottom. The deeply concave base has a rough pontil and a basal ring showing the expected wear. Hyacinth vases, sometimes called tuplip vases or bulb vases, were used to force flowering bulbs for wintertime blooms indoors. They were quite the rage and some Victorian homes had numbers of vases arrayed on windowsills. Pieces by Sandwich are uncommon. An identical example to this, except in cobalt blue and with a large rim chip, sold at auction in July 2006 for $2127.50.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 9" tall.

Flint EAPG ale goblet in the "Colonial" pattern, probably by the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company. The goblet has a very attractive, narrow form. Nice clarity.

Origin: America, ca. 1850. Condition: no chips or cracks, a scratch on the bottom interior of the bowl, normal frosted wear on the bottom. Size: 6-3/8" tall.

Outstanding and rare Victorian sterling silver berry or casserole spoon by Gorham in the 1885 "Nightingale" pattern. The design uses bright-cut engraving to show a nightingale amid foliage singing to a crescent moon (just visible i the upper left side of the design). The bowl is equally well-designed with bright-cut engraving, ribbing, and swirled edges. The surface has its original matte finish that contrasts nicely with the engraving. The handle is engraved with the name "Robina", leading to the assumption that the original owner may have chosen this piece because the bird looks much like a robin. The back is stamped with an early Gorham hallmark.

Origin: America, ca 1885. Condition: near mint, a miniscule pinpoint ding in the bowl. Size: 8-1/2" long. Weight: 64.5 grams.

Excellent Staffordshire children's cup illustrating the letter "H". The blue transfer decoration shows the letter amidst scenery filled with "H" words--horse, house, hound and horn. The cup has very nice color and a thick bluish glaze typical of Staffordshire pottery.

Origin: England, circa 1850. Condition: very good, a tiny (1/8") flake at the top rim. Size: app. 3" diam., 3-1/8" high.

John C. Moore period Tiffany & Co. sterling silver child's fork decorated with the nursery rhyme "Cock Robin & Jenny Wren." The fork shows the likeness of Mr. Robin wearing a tuxedo and Ms. Wren demurely peeking over her fan. The back is marked "Tiffany & Co. Sterling". The back also bears the letter M designating manufacture between the years 1875 and 1891.

Condition: excellent; usual wear to outer tines; no monogram. Size: 6-1/4" long.

Victorian brass figural picture frame in the form of a medieval knight's shield with a halbeard and lance. Cut from heavy-gauge brass, this frame shows great originality and design sense. The back has a hinged easel.

Origin: England, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent. Size: 8" x 5".

Heavy sterling silver serving spoon in Gorham’s wonderful 1888 “Versailles” pattern. This was a multi-motif pattern, meaning that each type of flatware in a service had a different handle design. This serving spoon shows a farmer in Classical dress carrying sheaves of wheat—quite a curious motif compared to the ornate scrolls and shell motifs that make us the rest of the design. The back of the handle is marked with Gorham’s older hallmark and also the mark for extra heavy weight—not often encountered, even in this high-end pattern.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: very good, no monograms, no dings or deep scratches, sharp detail, the bowl shows normal use but could easily be buffed. Size: 8-1/2” long. Weight: 80.25 grams.

A very fine 12-piece set of gilt silver and mother of pearl dessert, fruit or cheese knives presented in their original fitted box. The tapered mother of pearl handles are tipped with silver finials and ferules decorated in a Louis XVI-style ribbon and reed motif. Most similar sets have plated blades, but these are silver. The silver is gilt, a process that is decorative, but also serves to prevent corrosion from the salts in cheeses which were often served in France as a dessert course. The gilding has faded to a very nice, light lemony color. The interior lid of the velvet- and silk-lined box is marked by the maker, “J. Fayard/Fabricant Orfèvre Joaillier/St Etienne”.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: knives are excellent, no dings, no cracks, normal fading of the gilding; the box shows considerable wear and has a slightly warped lid. Size: 7-1/2” long.

Cold-painted Viennese bronze sculpture of a devil by Franz Bergman. This half-goat half-man figure is very well detailed, even showing the individual vertebrae along his back and the curls of his hair.

• Origin: Austria, ca 1900
• Condition: near mint; tiny surface rubs at sharp points such as the fingertips
• Dimensions: 2-1/4" tall

Extremely rare set of six transferware dessert plates depicting Napoleon’s great victories. The rims are printed with crowned “N”s encircled by laurel wreaths and military decorations, alternating with escutcheons with the Emperor’s signature hat and sword. The scenes are entitled “Mort De Desaix A Marengo”; “Le Ge’al Massena Devant Zurich 25 Decembre 1799”; “Bataille De Friedland 14 Juin 1807”; “Combat De Benhout 8 Mars 1799”; “Bonaparte A Arcole 17 Novembre 1796”; and “Napoleon Haranguant Les Troupes Bavaroises Et Wurtembergeoises”.

All the plates were made by Boch Freres of La Louviere, Belgium. Most are marked with the company’s stamp. The monarchy was in and out of favor frequently during the 19th century, and few of the Napoleon transferware items survived.

Origin: Belgium, circa 1850s. Condition: all are in excellent condition with no chips or cracks; one has light crazing to the glaze and minimal discoloration; all the transfer decoration is well-detailed and strongly-colored. Size: 8-1/8” diameter.

A lovely Bohemian zwischengoldglass liqueur beaker, the bottom featuring an inset gilt and enameled design of bouquet of violets. The panel cutting along the beaker’s sides causes the design to be visually repeated when looking into the interior. These glasses have become increasingly difficult to find.

Origin: Bohemia, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, gilding intact, no chips or cracks. Dimensions: 2-7/16” tall.

Sterling silver berry spoon in Towle's 1884 "Arlington" pattern. This rare pattern featured a different repousse design on each piece of the service. The gilt spade-shaped bowl is engraved with climbing roses growing on a trellis. This decoration is especially interesting.

The pattern is named after Robert E. Lee's plantation, "Arlington". Union troops buried their dead in Mrs. Lee's rose garden as a spiteful act, and unwittingly created Arlington National Cemetary.

Origin: America, c. 1880s. Condition: excellent, gilding intact, no monogram. Size: 6-7/8" long.

A wonderful and very rare Baccarat cut crystal perfume bottle in a simple panel cut enhanced with blue opaline “gems”. The lip of the bottle is cut in a deep petal shape. The stopper matches the décor of the bottle. Though known as “opaline” now, this type of glass was called “agate glass” when it was created at Baccarat in 1842. This pale blue color was called “bleu celeste” (“heavenly blue”). A very similar bottle has a full-page illustration in Jean-Louis Curtis’ landmark book “Baccarat.”

• Origin: France, ca 1845
• Condition: excellent, some extremely tiny abrasions to the facet edges of the gems on the stopper
• Dimensions: 4-1/8” x 4-1/8” x 6-1/4”

An uncommon set of six nut picks, the mother of pearl handles attached to the silverplate picks with sterling silver ferules. The ferules are decorated with ropetwist borders flanking an ornate acanthus leaf pattern. In the Victorian era, fresh nuts would have been served alongside and cheese and fruit as a dessert course. The ferules are marked "Sterling".

Most sterling silver flatware services before 1900 had mother of pearl cutlery instead of knives that matched the rest of the service. Mother of pearl pieces such as a nut picks are considerable less common than knives.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, no plating loss. Size: 5-1/4".

Beautiful set of six sterling silver seafood forks in terrific Art Nouveau pattern by Joseph Seymour. Each piece is covered from the tip of the handle to the very beginnings of the tines with curves and stylized chrysanthemum-like blossoms in the Japonaise style. The tines are nicely curved and barbed. The backs are hallmarked by Seymour.

Origin: America, ca. 1885. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monograms. Size: 6-1/8” long. Weight: 87.5 grams.