Catalog: Vintage Arts: Decorative Art (260)

A classic Art Deco porcelain water jug advertising Ricard Anisette. In the south of France, tradition dictates that Ricard and other anise-flavored spirits be drunk with a side of water. Makers such as Ricard and Pernod provided advertising pitchers to local bars to increase their sales. This globe form is the classic shape from the first half of the 20th century. The bottom is marked “Ateliers de Céramique Ricard/Made in France”.

Origin: France, ca. 1930. Condition: good, there is a firing line in the spout and a flattened area on the foot, both original to the making; no subsequent chips or cracks. Size: 6” tall at handle.

Vintage sterling silver figural jigger in the form of a thimble. The rim is engraved "Just a thimblefull." Thimble jiggers became popular in the Victorian era and remained so through the mid-20th century. The base is hallmarked by Towle.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: a very small ding at the bottom edge visible upon close inspection. Size: 2" tall. Weight: 28.1 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.

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.

Very nice set of eight sterling silver cocktail picks with rooster finials brightly decorated in translucent basse-taille enamels. The engraved decoration underneath the enamel lends realistic feathery details to the roosters. The exposed areas of silver are gilt. The backs are marked "925S Norway Sterling."

Origin: Norway, ca 1950. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage. Size: 3-13/16" long. Weight: 29.5 grams.

A very rare "Cheerio" cocktail shaker in ruby glass with its original chrome top and recipe holder. The recipe holder contains a series of twelve cards that illustrate recipes for different cocktails. The recipes are far more varied than most recipe shakers, and include directions for a Hula-Hula, Princesse,Bamboo, Blackthorn and Aldo-Tropical. The cards have a patent date of 1934.

Origin: America, ca. 1934. Condition: recipe cards have water staining; the pour cap has a 1/4" split and the lid has a 1/4" ding; the bottom edge of the glass has a 5/8" flake that can be quite successfully hidden under the chrome recipe holder. Size: 11" tall.

A good bronze footed trumpet vase by Carl Sorensen. The surface is patinated in a dark mottled green and is enhanced with parallel engraved lines forming bands decorated in a darker green patination. The small foot makes this one of Sorensen's more unusual vase designs. Sorensen made a variety of decorative metalwares, but little is known about him. He worked in Pennsylvania, and his pieces were possibly sold by Roycroft and Tiffany. The base is signed "Carl Sorensen" and also has his hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, a slightly flattened area along the upper rim is just barely visible when seen from the right angle. Size: 6-1/2" tall.

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.

An Art Deco sterling silver handled double jigger by silversmith John Hasselbring (Brooklyn, NY). The angularity of the handle contrasts nicely with the traditional shape of the cups. Stamped with Hasselbring's hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: very good, a few pinpoints on handle and cups visible in strong, raking light; no monograms. Dimensions: 5-3/8" x 4-1/8". Weight: 78.7 gr.

A very nice Arts & Crafts bronze round tray with verdigris patina by Carl Sorensen. The surface is decorated in uneven concentric rings of darker and lighter green mottled patination, separated by thin bands of polished bronze. The outer edge is finished with a pair of cast handles in a pattern similar to Georg Jensen's "Blossom" design. Little is known about Sorensen other than that he worked in the Philadelphia area around 1900 and his pieces may have been retailed at Tiffany & Co. The bottom of the tray is marked "Bronze CS" and "Carl Sorensen". The handles are marked "1196".

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, fine original patina. Size: 13" diameter (15" at handles).

A vintage sterling silver vermouth dispenser in the form of a syringe by Gorham. These were called “Martini Spikes” when sold by Gorham in the 1960’s. The functioning plunger allows vermouth to be drawn up into the syringe and then dispensed in precisely-calibrated medical dosages into your favorite cocktail. The syringe originally cost $10 as is indicated on the original order form that accompanies this example. It also includes the original fitted box (though in poor condition).

Origin: America, 1967-70. Condition: excellent (except box), no monograms or dings. Size: 6-1/4” long.

A classic sterling silver double jigger, the stem enhanced with incised lines. The jigger is marked "Sterling".

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms. Size: 3-5/16" tall. Weight: 55.9 grams.

An unusual 1940s French cocktail pick holder depicting a "racoleuse"--a streetwalker--leaning against a lamp post and raising her skirt very high. The chrome is engraved in a way to show that her thin dress does nothing to hide her more perky attributes. A selection of bakelite and chrome cocktail picks a stored in the trash can on the other side of the lamp post. Cocktail picks, often with very elaborate holders, were vastly popular in France and come in infinite variety. This is the only example we've seen of this particular design.

Origin: France, ca. 1948. Condition: excellent, all original; one bakelite sphere is cracked. Size: base, 5-7/8" x 2-1/2"; 9" high.

An elegant sterling silver rollover jigger in Tiffany & Co.’s highly desirable 1961 “Bamboo” pattern. The jigger is designed so the stems on either side of the bowl rest on the rim of cocktail shaker or glass. Once filled, the jigger can simply be tipped sideways, allowing the liquid to drop into the vessel without spills. The handle is marked “Tiffany & Co. Sterling”.

Origin: America, ca. 1970. Condition: excellent, no dings, no monograms. Size: 6” long; 2-3/8” wide. Weight: 67.1 grams.

A rare, complete set of Art Deco sterling silver demitasse spoons in the "Zodiac" pattern by Tiffany & Co. presented in their original fitted case. The finial of each spoon features a streamlined illustration of a zodiac sign. The bowls are parcel gilt. The back of the spoons are stamped with the Tiffany hallmark used 1907-1947, and are also marked with the patent date 1926. These spoons were made for only a short duration and complete sets are quite difficult to find. The inside of the original case is stamped "Tiffany & Co. New-York Paris London".

Origin: America, ca. 1926. Condition: spoons are mint condition, the outside of the box shows considerable wear to the silk covering. Size: 4-1/8" long. Weight: 162.0 grams.

A sterling silver double jigger in International's classic1939 Art Deco "Royal Danish" pattern. The jigger is marked with one of International's older hallmarks. The double jiggers in this pattern are difficult to find.

Origin: America, ca. 1945. Condition: very good, one pinpoint to the side and a few pinpoints on the rim visible upon close inspection, no monogram. Weight: 65.5 grams. Size: 4-9/32" tall.

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 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.