Catalog: Antiques (495)

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.

A very nice folding corner shelf of lacquered papier-mache with metallic decoration of Chinese court scenes. One wall shows ladies riding in a rickshaw while the other shows ladies strolling in a court garden with their guardian. The scalloped edge of the shelf is decorated with a gilt edge.

Origin: England, ca. 1840. Condition: excellent, no cracks, bright coloring. Size: 5” wide; 7-3/8” 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.

Very rare Staffordshire pottery child's plate with an ABC rim surrounding a hand-colored transfer print of a railroad steam engine emerging from a tunnel. The plate is very colorful and is highly desirable because of the train decoration.

Origin: Staffordshire, England, ca 1895. Condition: very good, two very tight hairlines about 1" long, a couple of potting and painting flaws. Size: 7-1/2" diameter.

Very good Staffordshire figural group portraying a young man and woman in a garden. He holds a floral wreath while she holds a potted rosebush. The decorative painting is very nice, especially the facial details.

Origin, Staffordshire, England, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent; no chips or cracks, gilding intact. Size: 7" tall.

A nice early Staffordshire pottery child's cup decorated with a transfer scenes of children playing leap frog on one side and "peg top" on the other. The black transfer is highlighted with red overglaze enamel. The cup is accented with a molded foot and a strap handle. Teh glaze has the slight bluish tint found in Staffordshire pottery of this period.

Origin: England, ca. 1850. Condition: normal crackling to glaze, a few small flakes at the rim and two tight hairlines. Size: 2-3/4" tall.

A very well-cut low bowl in an unidentified pattern. The cutting is deep, sharp and precise. The pattern comprises three panels of star- and diamond-cut cane, divided by elongated loops enclosing flashed fans and strawberry diamond, alternating with hobstars. The blank is heavy and very clear.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, a 1/32" fleabite on the inside edge of one tooth. Size: 7-1/4" diameter; 2" high.

Attractive and unusual Victorian inlaid wood stereographgraphoscope. When the lid is raised and a stereograph is inserted in the holder, the viewer looks through the magnifying portal for a realistic three dimensional view.

Origin: probably English, ca. 1850. Condition: very good, although there is some chipping of the veneer along the edges. Size: 5.25" x 3.25" x 1".

Lovely sterling silver berry or casserole spoon in Towle's 1890 "Albany" pattern. Very Victorian in its styling, the decoration makes good use of delicate flowers, swirling foliage, and a beautifully double-scalloped and matte gilt bowl. The back is marked with Towle's hallmark.

Origin: America, circa 1890s. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, period monogram "H"(?). Size: 9-1/8" long.

A classic 19th century French silver tastevin of traditional form by master silversmith Alexandre Vauger. This example is of small size, intended for use in evaluating cognac, Armagnac or calvados instead of wine. Unlike the “perles” and “godrons” found on the walls of a wine taster, a cognac taster more accurately reflects the liquid’s color using a smooth surface. Similarly, cognac tasters are smaller than wine tasters because the alcohol is considerably stronger and a smaller taste is more appropriate. The bottom of the interior features a partial image of Hercules flanked by female figures representing “Liberty” and “Equality” that once appeared on the 5-franc coin of the Third Republic. The back of the coin, dated 1876, is visible on the bottom of the tastevin. The taster is finished with a classic engraved double serpent handle, the heads grasping the apple of temptation.

Accomplished French silversmiths prided themselves on the ability to raise an entire tastevin from a single 5-franc coin, using only hammers and a few other hand tools to thin, spread and shape the flat coin into a finished tastevin. Only a handful of masters were capable of raising the tastevin with the words “DIEU PROTÉGÉ LA FRANCE” (“God protect France”), originally found around the outer edge of the coin, still visible along the top edge of the tastevin. The last silversmith proven to have mastered this skill stopped working in 1968.

This tastevin is stamped with French silver hallmarks and has the master silversmith’s mark for Alexandre Vauger, who worked in Paris 1884-1887.

Origin: France, 1884-87. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 48 x 66 mm (1-7/8 x 2-5/8 in). Weight: 30.9 grams.

Large Victorian sterling silver meat serving fork, the tines with matte gilding and bright-cut engraving. The reverse is marked "925 Sterling 1000". Nice weight. Unknown American maker.

Origin: American, circa 1890. Condition: excellent; no monogram. Size: 8-1/8" long.

A lovely Victorian parcel-gilt sterling silver demitasse spoon, the bowl decorated with enameled Easter lilies. The back is marked “Sterling”.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, original enamel and gilding intact, sharp detail. Size: 3-3/8” long. Weight: 4.5 grams.

Very rare Imperial Russian silver child's fork with vermeil and engraved floral decoration. In fact, I've never before seen a piece of Russian children's flatware. The maker's hallmark on the back is slightly obscured by the design, but the assayer's mark (AA/1895), the standard mark (84), and the city mark (Moscow) are very clear.

Origin: Moscow, 1895. Condition: mint. Size: 4-3/4" long.

Lovely Victorian pickle fork with a mother of pearl handle, a sterling ferule and silverplated tines.

Origin: England, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Size: 7-1/4" long.

Six lovely Victorian sterling silver cocktail forks decorated in a pattern of roses and foliage. The backs are also decorated and are hallmarked with a 4-leaf clover, but I cannot identify the maker. They are also marked "Sterling Pat. '92[1892]". Very nice quality.

Origin: America, circa 1892. Condition: excellent; period monogram "CLM". Size: 5-5/8" long.

American amberina glass tumbler of extraordinary coloring. The slightly ribbed outer surface complements the thumbprint interior design, creating an interesting optical effect. The glass is heavy and free of defects. The bottom has a concave polished pontil. Origin: New England. Size: 3-5/16" tall. Condition: mint.

Handsome Victorian covered brass box with a beaver finial. The beaver is cast in bronze and is shown chomping on a tree stump. The detail and workmanship on the finial is excellent. The box will polish very nicely, but we have left the original patina.

Circa 1890. Condition: excellent, a small ding at the bottom edge. Size: 5-3/4” tall; 2-7/8” diameter.

Hand carved giltwood letter "C". Gilt letters and numbers from 19th century trade signs have great graphic appeal and offer a fun opportunity to try to put together your name or initials.

Origin: American, 19th century. Condition: excellent, all original surface. Size: 6-1/4" high.

Ornate sterling silver meat serving fork featuring a heavily scrolled handle with matte-gilt, bright-cut tines. The back is marked "925 Sterling 1000". Many late 19th century silver makers did not otherwise mark their wares.

Origin: America, circa 1890s. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monogram. Size: 7-1/2" long.

A pretty Victorian mercury glass vase in tapered and ribbed columnar form with a foot. The body has a matte surface decorated with a pretty bouquet of blue and white flowers. The vase has a nice small size that is not easy to find.

Origin: Bohemia, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, a tiny area of oxidation near the base of the bouquet, no plug. Size: 6-1/8” tall.

A nice sterling silver long pickle/olive fork in the "Nautilus" pattern by Blackinton. The handle is ornately decorated with floral and shell motifs. The tines are parcel matte gilt and have foliate decoration at the shoulders to match the handle. The handle is monogrammed "L" on the front and has the date "[18]98" on the back.

Origin: America, 1898. Condition: excellent, original gilding intact, sharp detail. Size: 6-7/8" long. Weight: 14.0 grams.

Sterling silver bonbon spoon in Baker-Manchester’s 1900 “Spartan” pattern. The wonderful design incorporates a knight’s helmet with exuberant feathers and foliage. The matte-finished bowl has both pierced and bright-cut decoration. The reverse is marked with Baker-Manchester’s hallmark and the patent date.

Origin: America, circa 1900. Condition: very good, very light wear, no monogram. Size: 5-1/2” long.

Ornate sterling silver meat serving fork, the handle decorated with shells, scrolls, roses and beads, and the matte-gilded tines decorated with bright cut engraving. The reverse is marked "925Sterlin1000", a marking frequently seen on American sterling silver before silversmith's were required to identify their work.

Origin: America, circa 1895. Condition: excellent, period monogram "G". Size: 7-3/4" long.

A fine early 19th century silver tastevin in the 17th century Burgundian style, inset with a Louis XIV silver ecu coin. The coin is surrounded by a “couronne” of 27 perles from which extend elongated “godrons”. These elongated grooves, without any corresponding circular grooves typically meant the tastevin was intended for use only with white wines. The godrons are further enhanced with small bunches of grapes. The handle, in a stylized design of two entwined snakes, with the heads and beaks of ducks, is also typical of 17th century tastevins. The rim is engraved with the name of the original owner, Vincent Nuits. The tastevin was created by the Orfevre Parrod, an important Dijon silver maker founded in 1816, and is hallmarked appropriately.

After the final defeat of Napoleon, the Bourbon monarchy was restored to France, and reminders of the previous reigns appeared everywhere in French decorative arts. This coin, dating to 1652, depicts the boy king Louis XIV surrounded by the Latin inscription translated as “Louis XIV, by grace of God, king of France and Navarre”. The reverse is decorated with the royal crown over a shield of fleurs-de-lys. Though a 17th century tastevin would never have been made with a coin in the bottom, the combination of these two elements was a masterful stroke by Parrod and makes this tastevin a particularly desirable example.

Origin: Dijon, France, ca. 1840. Condition: ecellent, sharp detail. Size: 2-13/16” diameter (excluding handle); 3/4” tall. Weight: 72.7 grams.

Early Chinese export Rose Medallion porcelain condiment dish. The details are very finely painted and vibrantly colored. China, ca. 1860's. Excellent condition; the gilding along the top edges is worn away; no chips or cracks. 3-1/8" x 2-3/8" x 11/16".

Staffordshire pottery cup and saucer decorated in a rare combination of rococo brown transfer reserves with pink luster roses. The earthenware body is molded in a swirled pattern.

Origin: England, c. 1850. Condition: mint. Size: saucer, 5" diam.; cup 2-1/4" tall, 3" diam. (not including handle).

A delightful and very rare Staffordshire ironstone puzzle jug by Elsmore & Forster. The sides are decorated with colorful scenes of a cockfight below the lip, while the sides feature large images of the famed circus clown “Cashmore”. The foot, rim and handle are highlighted with red stripes. The interior has a hidden siphon system that causes the contents to spill when the jug is tipped, unless the pourer covers the small air hole on the inside of the handle. The base is marked with Elsmore & Forster’s underglaze stamp.

Origin: England, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 8-7/8” tall.

Six very nice sterling silver cocktail or seafood forks elegantly decorated on both the front and back sides. The backs are marked "Sterling Pat. Jan. 21 [18]'99". Unknown American maker.

Origin: American, circa 1899. Condition: excellent; no monograms. Size: 5-1/8" long.

Hand carved giltwood letter "G", unusual for being an italic letter and for the sides having contrasting black sand paint decoration. Gilt letters and numbers from 19th century trade signs have great graphic appeal and offer a fun opportunity to try to put together your name or initials.

Origin: American, 19th century. Condition: very good, all original surface, 40% wear to the black paint along the sides. Size: 7-3/4" high.

A beautiful Victorian sterling silver souvenir spoon from Saratoga Springs, New York. The handle depicts a Native American Chief wearing a feathered war bonnet, his bust surrounded by ears of corn and foliage. The bowl has a design picturing a young Native American man drinking from the natural springs and bears the legend “High Rock Spring Saratoga”. The bowl retains its original gilt surface. The back of the spoon is decorated with a tomahawk, bow and quiver of arrows. The stem is marked sterling and has the hallmark for Howard (1878-1902).

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: near mint. Size: 4-3/16” long. Weight: 11.4 grams.

A very good jasper ground glass paperweight by St. Louis. The sole decoration is the pink and white jasper cushion which completely fills the dome. The glass is heavy and nicely clear. The polished concave bottom has relatively wide basal ring.

Origin: France, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, a surface nick on one side about 1/2" above the base and a tiny fleabite about two-thirds up the side of the crown. Size: 2-3/4" diameter; 1-3/4" high.

A classic Baccarat cut crystal perfume bottle in a blue-cut-to-clear cane pattern. While several American and European companies cut this pattern, the stopper of this bottle is a known Baccarat design. It appeared in a Baccarat pattern book under the name “Stella.” The stopper has a blown teardrop in the interior and is accented with a star pattern at the top. Baccarat products were marked only with a paper label until logo until around 1930.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: very good; a few very minor nicks along the bottom edge (obscured by the design). Size: 4-15/16” tall.

Lovely Victorian sterling silver pickle fork, the handle decorated with shells and roses. The back is marked "925 Sterling 1000". Prior to 1916, many American silversmiths did not mark their flatware with their names. Unknown maker.

Origin: America, circa 1895. Condition: excellent, no monogram. Size: 5-5/8" long.

A very fine Chinese export porcelain basin with decoration in the Rose Medallion style. The interior bottom of the basin is divided into four quadrants, with alternating floral and courtyard scenes. The interior walls are likewise decorated. The everted rim is dcorated with floral reserves punctuating an allover floral pattern against a gilt background. The outer walls are decorated with simple sprays of peonies that echo the interior decoration. The quality of painting is quite nice and the colors are well-chosen. The rim is finished with a gilt band.

Origin: China, ca. 1865. Condition: excellent, only the slightest of wear to the gilding along the rim, no chips or cracks. Size: 16" diameter; 5" high.

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.

Terrific American majolica dish in the form of a fish. The painting on this example is especially nice, with very lifelike colors. The modeling is very crisp and clean. The back has a decorator's mark, but no maker's mark. It is possibly a product of Griffin, Smith & Hill. Perfect condition. Circa 1880. 7-1/2" x 10".