Catalog: Vintage Arts: Decorative Art: Metals (215)

A nice set of sterling silver cocktail picks, the tops decorated with colorful enameled roosters. The use of the rooster (“cock”) motif in Art Deco barware was a play on the word “cocktail”. Each pick has a hook on the back of the rooster so that it can hang from the edge of the glass. Each is fully hallmarked for Birmingham, 1927. The picks are presented in their original fitted case embossed Abercrombie & Fitch.

Origin: England, 1927. Condition: all original, no enamel damage, box has significant wear. Size: 3-3/16” long. Weight: 13.5 grams.

A handsome sterling silver Art Deco double jigger by Thomae & Co. Each cup is simply enhanced with a single raised band for Art Deco austerity. The rim is fully hallmarked.

Origin: America, ca. 1935. Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms. Size: 3-3/4" tall. Weight: 60.7 grams.

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 superb set of four Art Deco chrome shot glasses, each with a different color of opaque enamel at the rim, enclosed in a fitted leather case by Newey. Newey was a major English maker of leather goods and a supplier to top-level retailers such as Harrod's. The case is embossed with Newey's logo and each of the shot glasses is marked "Made In Germany."

Origin: Germany/England, ca. 1930. Condition: virtually mint; no dings, no scrapes to the leather. Size: shot glasses, 1-3/4" tall; case, 2-11/16" tall.

A classic Art Deco figural cocktail shaker in the form of traditional milk can by Reed & Barton. The “Milk Can” was introduced in 1959 and came in two sizes, with the 32-ounce size retailing for $35. This shaker was a luxury product and was made with Reed & Barton’s highest quality plating. The bottom is stamped “Reed & Barton/27/32 oz.” It also retains the original paper lable.

Origin: America, ca. 1959. Condition: near mint, no dings or scratches. Size: 9-1/2” tall.

A very fine and extremely rare Art Deco sterling silver cocktail shaker by exclusive Tuttle Silvermsiths. At the end of the Art Deco era, just before modernism began to take a firm hold, a few leading American silver companies started reinterpreting Stuart adn Georgian silver designs for modern purposes. This shaker is just such an example. The urn finial cresting above the everted rosette cap is a new take on late Stuart and early Georgian design, as is the overall severe cylindrical shape and the double-reeded banding. The final look is an extraordinary blending of 17th century design and the "skyscraper" design of the 1920s and 30s. The bottom of the shaker is marked with Tuttle's maker's mark, as well as the retailer's mark for Shreve, Crump & Low. It is also marked "London Reproduction 1660-1684". And finally, it is marked with the monogram for Harry S. Truman with the Roman number I, indicating the that shaker was made during the first Truman administration (1945-49). Tuttle is not a widely-known American silver company precisely because all its products were made entirely by hand and were extremely expensive. It was available only to the elite.

Origin: America, 1945-49. Condition: excellent, a few insignificant waves from "ice cube dings" only visible in strong, raking light. Size: 14-1/2" tall. Weight: 1,106 grams.

A fun mid-century chrome and bakelite stoplight handled jigger. The side is marked off in three increments--"Safe", "Caution" and "Danger"--each with a jeweled light. The bottom is marked "Reg'd Design/Glo-Hill Canada". Montreal-based Glo-Hill made a creative range of barware and serving pieces for modern entertaining.

Origin: Canada, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent. Size: 3-13/16" tall.

A classic figural sterling silver thimble jigger by Thomae & Co. The rim is engraved "Only A Thimble Full." The interior retains its original gilding. Several companies made variations of this jigger, but those by Thomae are among the best due to their superior weight and workmanship.

Origin: America, ca. 1935. Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms. Size: 2" tall. Weight: 37.8 grams.

A vintage sterling silver figural jigger by Alvin, the sides marked off with enameled stoplights in green, yellow and red. Each light is accompanied by the words “Go”, “Caution” and “Stop”. The bottom is hallmarked by Alvin.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: very good, a couple of pinpoint dings on the bottom edge; no enamel damage. Size: 2-1/2” tall. Weight: 35.5 grams.

A fine sterling silver double jigger in an Art Deco pattern by Tiffany & Co. The only decoration are incised bands around the lip of each cone-shaped vessel. This severe geometric style is typical of the Art Deco wares produced by Tiffany. The jigger is fully hallmarked by Tiffany and is stamped with the date mark used 1907-1947.

Origin: America, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent, three tiny pinpoint dings. Weight: 86.5 grams. Size: 4-3/4” tall.

A wonderful heavy sterling silver double jigger by modernist silversmith Alphonse La Paglia. The two tapered vessels are joined by a series of silver spheres and rings that are reportedly intended to represent flower bulbs and roots. The overall appearance is severe and very elegant. La Paglia originally worked in the U.S. for Georg Jensen USA, then at International Silver beginning in 1952 until his death the following year. His designs were produced until 1957. The jigger is marked with one of La Paglia's hallmarks used at International and with the pattern number 116.

Origin: America, 1952-57. Condition: excellent, light ding on one edge; no monograms. Size: 3-32/32" tall. Weight: 11.0 grams.

A sterling silver vermouth dispenser in the form of a watering can by Cartier. When tipped, the dispenser lightly sprinkles just a drip of vermouth into the glass for the perfect martini. The bottom is marked “Sterling” and is signed “Cartier”. These watering cans were made for Cartier’s New York flagship store.

Origin: America, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent. Size: 3” tall. Weight: 48.8 grams.

A complete set of six stacking chrome cocktail or canape plates designed by Lurelle Guild for the Chase Company. Each of the plates has an indented ring in which the foot of a cocktail glass fits perfectly, and an aerodynamic wing that serves as a handle. In advertising the plates, Chase said "With this smart looking canape plate, you can hold a cocktail, a canape and a cigarette in one hand and shake hands with other." Curiously, set of these plates are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Yale University Art Gallery, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Origin: America, 1934-41. Condition: excellent, normal surface wear consistent with age and use, no plating damage. Size: 6-1/4" diameter, excluding handle.

A rare silverplate cocktail recipe disk by Napier. The silverplate case holds a celluloid dial that can be rotated to show printed recipes for twenty classic cocktails. A jump bail allows the disk to be hung by a chain around a cocktail shaker or decanter. The rim is marked "Napier Pat. Pend." We've never seen this particular Napier design before.

Origin: America, ca. 1935. Condition: very good, very minor plating wear as is typical of Napier pieces. Dimensions: 2" diameter.

A boxed set of six pewter decanter labels or bottle tags for Scotch, rye, bourbon, gin, vodka and brandy by Stieff for Historic Newport. Newport, RI was one of the most important pewter-making cities of Colonial America, and these tags are made according the 18th century models.

Origin: America, ca. 1976. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 2-5/8 x 1-1/4" (excluding chains).

A vintage sterling silver vermouth dispenser by Gorham in the form of a syringe. These were called “Martini Spikes” when sold by Gorham in the 1960s. The functioning plunger allows vermouth to be drawn up into the syringe, then dispensed in precise doses into your favorite cocktail. Marked “Gorham Sterling 429 Pat. Pend.”.

Origin: America, 1967-70. Condition: excellent, no monograms, no dings. Size: 6-3/8” long.

A witty sterling silver vermouth dispenser in the form of a watering can by Cartier. When tipped, the dispenser lightly sprinkles just a drip of vermouth into the glass for the perfect martini. The bottom is marked "Sterling" and is signed "Cartier".

Origin: France, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent. Size: 3" tall. Weight: 49.1 gr.