Catalog: Vintage Arts: Decorative Art (265)

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 fantastic figural sterling silver and stag horn graduated jigger, each cup in the form of a whisky barrel. The barrels are fully detailed with engraved staves, raised hoops, and bung holes. The jigger is finished with a polished stag horn handle in an amber shade. The portions are well-made with good weight and detail. The ferrule is marked "Sterling" and also has serial numbers and an indistinct maker's mark

• Origin: America, ca. 1920
• Condition: excellent, a 1/8" pinpoint on the the bung hole of the larger barrel
• Dimensions: 4-1/8" wide; 7" long

An elegant second standard (800/1000 pure silver) French tastevin. Rather than the typical "perles" and fluted "godrons", the bowl of this tastevin is decorated with repousse grape leaves and berries in the 18th century style. This treatment is the classic Dijonais interpretation of the form. The handle is in the tradition form of two entwined snakes grasping an apple in their mouths, thought to remind drinkers of temptation and sin. The tastevin is fully hallmarked and has an unidentified maker's mark (EE with a plumb bob).

• France, ca. 1925
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail, a small porosity blemish (1/4") under the rim on one side
• Dimensions: 3-1/4" x 4-3/16" x 1"
• Weight: 55.7 grams

For centuries, tastevins have been important accessories for French wine lovers, but until now we’ve never seen one that actually depicted “French wine lovers” in such graphic detail! Absolutely nothing is left to the imagination with this grouping of three. The unidentified maker is known to have made a similar tastevin depicting “Pétanque Fanny” merely lifting her skirts from behind. This very rare version goes quite a bit further, with Fanny in the clutches of a pair of old men. The tastevin is in otherwise traditional style. The side is stamped with the maker’s mark “MH”.

Origin: France, ca. 1920. Condition: very good, some dulling of the finish and very slight indentation to the rim at the top. Dimensions: 3-3/14” diameter (excluding handle).

12 sterling silver demitasse spoons in Kirk's wonderful "Repousse" pattern. Certainly the most famous of all silver patterns to emerge from Baltimore, "Repousse" they are filled with flowers such as roses, daisies and forget-me-nots. The backs are marked "S. Kirk & Son Sterling." The set of 12 is accompanied with it's original felt protector with 12 individual holders for the spoons.

Origin: Baltimore, MD, circa 1924. Condition: mint, excellent, no monogram and nicely polished. Size: 4-3/8" long. Silver weight: 184 grams.

A beautiful set of six sterling pastry or cake forks designed by Bernard Cuzner for Liberty & Co. in 1923. The handles are elegantly enhanced with blue and green champleve enamel in a sort of peacock feather design. Cuzner was Liberty’s most influential silver designer in the 1920s. This set is fully hallmarked by Liberty and has the date mark for 1928. They are presented in their original silk-lined fitted case.

• Origin: England, 1928
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, very minor wear to the case
• Dimensions: 5-1/8” long
• Weight: 86.3 grams

A terrific first standard (950/1000 pure) silver tastevin by the acclaimed Dijon silversmith Marc Parrod. Though working in the very early 20th century, Parrod was fond of creating tastevins in fantasy styles of the 18th and early 19th centuries. Among his catalog of motifs were sides with repoussé decoration of grape clusters and leaves, bottoms inset with royal coins or medallions, double snake handles representing temptation in the Garden of Eden, and handles with engraved scenes or witty sayings. He must have had some /extra time when he made this tastevin, because it includes all these except the snake handle. In its place is a “tab handle” engraved with a cluster of grapes surrounded by a heart below the saying “A bon vin bonne humeur” (“To good wine and a good mood”). The bottom features a medallion (“jeton”) with the image of Louis XVI surrounded by a legend translated as “the most Christian King Louis XVI 1785”. The reverse of the medallion shows the coat of arms of the Duchy of Burgundy and the inscription “Comitia Burgundiae.” Silver jetons were struck by various civic governments (in this case, the Three Estates of Burgundy) or by the Crown itself to honor important people, significant historic occasions, or personal visits by the King. The rim is engraved with the name of the tastevin’s original owner Paulin from the wine village of Corton. The handle is stamped with Parrod’s mark and first-standard silver marks.

• Origin: Dijon, ca. 1903-1944 (most likely toward the earlier part of this period)
• Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms, sharp detail
• Dimensions: 2-7/8” x 3-13/16”
• Weight: 67.2 grams

An uncommon boxed set of twelve Art Deco sterling silver cocktail picks with red bakelite finials in the shape of maraschino cherries. The picks are presented in their original velvet and silk-lined fitted box. Each pick is marked “Sterling Silver”. It's quite rare to find a set of a dozen picks rather than the standard six.

• Origin: America, ca. 1920.
• Condition: picks are excellent; box shows expected wear for the age.
• Dimensions: picks, 3” long.
• Weight: 24.8 gr.

A beautiful Art Deco green overlay cut crystal perfume bottle in Design "7623" by Cristalleries de Nancy. The bottle is cut in alternating pillars accented with stars and printies. The hollow-blown stopper is cut to match, with a large start at the apex. The base is stamped with the acid signature "Cristal Nancy France." This particular pattern is more often seen in cranberry overlay and in a round shape rather than square. The pattern was likely designed by Auguste Houillon, the company's artistic director.

Cristalleries de Nancy was established in 1921 and after winning the gold medal at the 1925 Art Deco Exhibition in Paris, it became the primary challenger to Daum during the Art Deco period. Luxury perfume bottles and dresser accessories were the company's specialty. The company closed in 1934.

Origin: France, 1921-34. Condition: excellent, no damage to bottle, the stopper has a small moon below the surface at the very bottom of the stopper. Dimensions: 2-5/8" x 2-5/8" x 5".

A fascinating English Art Deco sterling silver hors d'oeuvre or dessert set cast and engraved with Egyptian motifs. This set is hallmarked for 1922—the year King Tut's tomb was discovered by English archaeologists in Egypt. Everything Egyptian suddenly became a design craze. This set features ornate depictions of everything Egyptian—the Step Pyramid of Zoser, a pharaoh wearing a nemes headdress, papyrus, lotus, ibis, Horus wings, and more! The spoons with the spade-shaped bowls are gilt, suggesting they were intended for use with salty foods that would tarnish bare silver. The spoons are presented in their original fitted case. Each spoon is stamped with Birmingham date marks for 1922 and the maker's mark for Levi & Salaman.

• Origin: England, 1922.
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, slight wear to gilding on spade-shaped spooons; case has slight spotting to lining, but otherwise superb.
• Dimensions: oval spoons, 4-13/16"; spade spoons, 4".
• Weight: 78.8 grams.

A set of six Art Deco sterling silver rooster cocktail picks by Albert Sydenham, presented in their original fitted box. The roosters are particularly finely detailed and are more three-dimensional than is usual in picks of this type. The interior of the faux-python box is stamped "JC Vickery", a luxury goods dealer that held warrants from most of the English royal family, as well as the Crowns of Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Norway & Sweden. Each pick is fully hallmarked and bears the date letter for 1927.

Origin: Birmingham, England, 1927. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 3-3/16" long. Weight: 12.7 gr.

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.

A nice Art Deco cocktail pick set formed as a dark red bakelite cherry atop a rosewood base holding six bright red bakelite cherry-finial picks. The cocktail pick holder (“porte-piques”) was once a fixture of every French bar or café, as well as private bars in the home. Today, they can be used for their original purpose or to serve small hors d’oeuvres.

• Origin: France, ca. 1930
• Condition: excellent, minor wear to the finish along the lower edge of one side of the base
• Dimensions: 2-5/8” x 2-5/8” x 4”

Six sterling silver demitasse spoons in their original velvet- and silk-lined fitted case. The spoons bear full hallmarks for Sheffield, 1934, along with design registry numbers for 1918 and the maker's mark for Mappin & Webb. One of England's leading silversmiths, Mappin & Webb is the official silversmith and jeweler to England's royal family. The inside of the box's lid is marked with their logo.

The spoons are in mint condition; the box has slight wear on the inside lid. Spoons are 4-1/2" long.

A set of 12 gorgeous Art Deco sterling silver coffee spoons decorated on both sides with guilloche enamels. Each spoon is worked in a different shade of translucent enamel over an engraved background. The spoons are presented in their original velvet-lined box. Each spoon is hallmarked for the Watson Co.

Origin: America, circa 1935. Condition: excellent, the dark purple spoon has a 1/16" flake to the enamel at one edge, the box shows normal wear appropriate to the age. Size: 4-1/4" long.

A classic figural sterling silver thimble jigger by Thomae & Co. The rim is engraved “Only A Thimble Full.” The interior retains a softly gilt surface. Several companies made variations of thimble jiggers, but those by Thomae are among the best because of their superior weight and workmanship.

• Origin: America, ca. 1935
• Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms
• Dimensions: 2” tall
• Weight: 35.6 grams

Lovely sterling silver low bowl in the "Repousse" pattern by Kirk. Beautifully accented with a scrolling border of shells, the heavily decorated border features roses, daisies, wild roses and other flowers with foliage. The bottom is stamped "Hand Decorated/S. Kirk & Son Inc./Sterling/714".

Origin: Baltimore, Maryland, 1925-32. Condition: excellent; no monograms or removals. Size: 8.25" diam.; 1.25" high. Weight: 8.8 troy ounces.

A very rare French first standard silver (950/1000 pure silver) tastevin, the bottom bearing the coat of arms of the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. The arms depict St. Vincent, patron saint of winemakers. The body is further decorated with the traditional raised “perles” for highlighting the reflections in the wine and recessed “cupules” and elongated “godrons” intended to concentrate the color during the tasting process. The handle is worked in the snake motif traditional in Burgundian tastevins. The rim is stamped with the master silversmith’s mark for Emile Mémery & Henri Hours.

The Confrerie was established in 1934 to promote the wines of Burgundy. Modeled on Medieval guilds, membership in the Confrerie is strictly controlled and is open only to sponsored candidates. A tastevin bearing the arms of the Confrerie could only have belonged to a member. Tastevins used by the Confrerie come in a few different variations (not all the members are wealthy and must make do with a silverplate taster), with the being the rarest and most prized. Known for their service to the elite of Burgundy, Alsace and Lorraine, Mémery & Hours were the preferred silversmiths to the Confrerie’s elite.

• Origin: Lyon, France, ca 1935
• Condition: excellent; sharp detail on the coat of arms; a minor ding on each of two “cupules”
• Dimensions: 3-1/16” x 4” x 1”
• Weight: 96.8 grams