Catalog: Vintage Arts: Decorative Art: Metals: Silver (189)

An unusual mid-Century Taxco version of the classis sterling silver thimble jigger. Like most Mexican silver of the era, this piece has tremendous weight and a simple charm. The rim is engraved “Just A Thimbleful 1-1/4”. The bottom bears the hallmark of A. Dominguez and the Eagle stamp used in the late 1950s.

Origin: Mexico, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent, no dings. Dimensions: 1-11/16” tall. Weight: 41.4 gr.

A classic mid-century bell-shaped sterling silver double jigger. This example is a little taller than some, lending a more elegant appearance. The neck is stamped “Web-Sterling.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1960
• Condition: excellent, no monograms or dings
• Height: 4-3/8”
• Weight: 49.2 grams

A nice sterling silver double jigger with a turned ebony handle. The jigger has a smaller and a larger cup, each in bell form. The jigger is marked by Edward San Giovanni, who worked in Ridgefield, CT during the 1940s and 50s.

Origin: America, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms. Dimensions: 2-13/16 in high; 5-1/8 in long. Weight: 38.8 gr.

A classic mid-century sterling silver jigger by Smith & Smith and retailed by Black, Starr & Gorham, one of America's leading luxury stores in the 1950s. The jigger is simply decorated with a series of three incised rings that do double duty as markers for variously sized pours. The bottom is fully hallmarked. The jigger is presented with its original felt pouch and gift box, both marked "Black, Starr & Gorham."

• Origin: America, 1950-62.
• Condition: excellent; no dings or monograms; light staining on gift box.
• Dimensions: 2-7/16" tall.
• Weight: 29.4 grams.

Lovely pair of sterling silver short candlesticks, the sockets with an engraved design and flaring outline suggestive of a tulip blossom. The design has a nice Art Deco feel and is really much more interesting than the typical short candlesticks of this type. The bottoms are marked “Sterling” but have no maker’s mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent, the bottom edge of one stick has a few truly pinpoint-sized dings (not really visible except when upside down). Size: 4-3/8” tall; 3-1/2” diameter at base.

A Modernist sterling silver graduated jigger by Tiffany marked off in half-ounce increments. The bottom is marked “Tiffany & Co./Makers/Sterling Silver/22714.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1965
• Condition: very good, a few very small pinpoint dings on the bottom, no monogram
• Dimensions: 1-7/8” tall
• Weight: 43.3 grams

A figural Art Deco jigger in the form of a streamlined cat by Napier. Stand the cat on his ears and tail while you fill it to the 1 oz mark and then store him upright! The tail is marked “Napier”.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, plating intact. Dimensions: 3-11/16” tall.

Hand wrought sterling silver pickle fork in the classic "Granada" pattern by Old Newbury Crafters. This is among the most sought after makers of fine American silver. Every piece is made entirely by hand. The spoon surface is highlighted with a slight hammered finish. The reverse is marked "Hand Wrought ONC Sterling". The reverse also bears the mark for the artisan who made the piece, Roger R. Rowell.

Silver from Old Newbury Crafters is the service at Blair House, the official U.S. residence of visiting heads of state.

Excellent condition; no monogram. 6-5/8" long.

Very fine pair of George VI sterling silver master salt dishes. The salts are raised on paw feet surmounted by lion masks. The everted rims are gadrooned. The salts retain the original cobalt blue glass liners. The salts are identical, but were made in different years by the same silversmith. One has the date mark for 1936 and the other for 1939. The only difference is that glass liner in one is a little thicker than the other.

Origin: London. Condition: excellent, all original, no dings or monograms. Size: 2-7/8" diameter; 1-1/2" tall. Weight: 202.0 grams (silver only).

Very nice pair of sterling silver napkin rings in their original silk- and velvet-lined fitted box. The inside lid of the box is embossed with the mark "Viner's of Sheffield By Appointment To The Late King George V". Each napkin ring is fully hallmarked for Sheffield, England, 1966.

Condition: mint. Size: 2-3/8" x 11/16" x 3/4".

These lovely sterling silver spoons are in a Colonial Revival pattern, simply decorated with a shell at the tip of the handle. The backs are stamped with the high-end retailer's name "Bigelow, Kennard & Co." of Boston, indicating a date before 1922. The backs of the handles also have a monogram "T" in a style that would point to ca. 1890-1900, and the mark 925/1000 which would also support that date range.

Although the maker is unknown, it is very similar to a number of patterns called "Shell" that were made by virtually all the more important silver manufacturers at the time (Gorham in 1890; Reed & Barton in 1900; Towle in 1889; Frank Smith in 1890; Mt. Vernon in 1865; and Lunt in 1888). It appears most similar to Frank Smith's version, but would work nicely with any of these or other Colonial Revival patterns.

Excellent condition. 8.5" long.

Handsome pair of large cobalt glass oval open salt dishes in pierced sterling silver holders. The bottoms are hallmarked by Watrous.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent. Size: 3-3/16" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/16" tall.

Pair of elegant cut crystal bud vases with sterling silver footrims. The vases are cut with a simple starburt pattern near the upper rims. Marked "Wallace Sterling R-62".

Origin: America, circa 1960. Condition: excellent, no dents or chips. Size: 8" tall.

Silver mounted agate sculpture in the form of a Kiwi or a similar bird. The silver is well worked and complements the rich brown shadings of the agate. The silver mountings are marked "P. Rata 833".

• Origin: Portugal, 1950
• Condition: excellent, some natural pitting in the stone
• Dimensions: 2-1/4" tall

A very large and heavy sterling silver double jigger with a turned ebony handle by Quaker Silver Co. The cups are decorated with an ornate acanthus leaf and bead design reminiscent of Jensen and other Nordic designers of the early 20th century. The jigger is stamped with Quaker's hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent, a couple of very tiny pinpoints along the rim of the smaller cup. Dimensions: 4-15/16" tall; 10-3/4"long. Weight: the silver portion is approximately 150.00 gr.

A classic mid-20th century French silver tastevin of traditional form. The bowl is decorated with angled godrons for evaluating white wines and small convex perles and larger concave cupules for use with red wines. The handle, also, is in the traditional snake form. Up until the mid-20th century, a few silversmiths in France were able to raise an entire tastevin from a single Napoleon III 5-franc coin. The work was accomplished solely with the aid of variously-sized hammers which were used to thin and spread out the original coin and a series of other tools used to form the decorations. They can often be identified by the the exact weight (always 32.5 grams before the addition of the handle). Only a handful of master silversmiths were able to create a tastevin in which the phrase “DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE” (“God protect France”), which originally appeared on the rim of the 5-franc coin, was still legible at the rim of the tastevin. The last silversmith with this documented ability stopped working in 1968. The tastevin is stamped with the “Minerve” mark for 800 silver and with an illegible maker’s mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent. Size: 25/32” high; 2-3/4” diameter (excluding handle). Weight: 32.9 grams.

Elegant sterling silver basket of sterling silver, pierced to reveal a cobalt blue glass liner. The neo-Gothic style piercing is accented with a tiny band of beading just below. The basket is raised on a foot. The swing handle is unadorned. The bottom is hallmarked by Redlich.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, no dings or cracks, no monogram. Size: 5-1/2” tall to top of handle; 4-1/4” diameter. Silver Weight: 122.5 grams.

A delightful mid-century modern jigger by Reed & Barton. The figurine of the town drunk has a 1920’s feel, but the interior green enamel identifies the jigger as part of Reed & Barton’s “Color-Clad” line designed by John Prip and introduced in 1961. The bottom is marked “Reed & Barton 2oz” and has the pattern number “260.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1961
• Condition: excellent, no plating wear or enamel damage
• Dimensions: 2-7/16” tall