Old Friends  
3838f   This item is currently being auctioned

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Having a slender handle with pointed end, faint midrib on the reverse, and elongated drop on the backside of the bowl, this teaspoon measures 5 5/8" long and weighs approximately .4 T. oz. (12 grams).

It is marked GH in an oval, attributed to George Hendel (1776-1842), born in Philadelphia and working in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

This is an example of a "birdback" spoon, so identified for the, in this instance, "dove on a branch" image impressed on the heel of the bowl.

There are a wide... Click for details

Old Friends  
3820f   $24.00

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References indicate that William Braisted Heyer, born 1776, began his working career in New York City at the end of the 18th century and continued until his death in 1828, and for a short while during this time was in partnership with Jesse L. Gale.

Based on its style, with a straight sided, rounded end, slender handle with a slightly tipt backside, this spoon dates circa 1810.

It measures a lengthy 6", and has a weighty feel at approximately .8 T. oz.

Well crafted, it has a gently... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
NFS  

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This piece is not for sale, but help me solve the mystery of who made this piece, and I will send you a very nice coin silver spoon in thanks! These twist-arm American coin silver sugar tongs measure about 7 1/8 inches in length and weigh about 49 grams. The maker's mark is a fairly crude SR in a serrated punch. Please take a look at all the pictures. The engraved arms and circular reserve might indicate a Western Pennsylvania or Midwestern, or perhaps Shenandoah Valley origin, but so far... Click for details

Old Friends  
3657f   $225.00

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The name Wilson is deeply entwined with the history of Philadelphia silver dating from the first half of the 19th century, and that story began with Robert Wilson Senior (1766-1824) and continued through two more generations.

This item is double stamped "R.W" for the progenitor, Robert, who Catherine Hollan in Philadelphia Silversmiths notes, was "probably born in Scotland, [and] was listed as a silversmith in New York City directories 1803-10, then settled in Philadelphia in 1812."... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2307   Sold

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with short back midrid (a/k/a reverse fiddle tip't), pointed chamfered shoulders and a pronounced "flat" at leading edge, length 9 inches, weight 2.23 Troy ounces, monogrammed as shown. There is a small imperfection on back of bowl (see third photo) but otherwise fine condition.

We often speak of the "hallmarks" on American silver, but it is worth noting that very few pieces are actually hallmarked. This one bears the Baltimore assay office stamps commonly associated with 1824.

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20180107-08   $27.50

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Offered is a good early American coin silver teaspoon by noted Philadelphia silversmith William Seal, born and perhaps trained in Virginia but known to be working alone and in partnership in Philadelphia between 1810 and 1822. He lived until 1853 but the style of his silver does not post-date about 1820. This piece is in good condition overall, with moderate wear and no dents, splits or repairs. It is nicely engraved with a period script monogram and has a legible maker's mark as well as... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20180107-01   $95.00

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Offered is a nice pair of late 18th Century American coin silver sugar tongs marked only with a maker's mark of S.B - a mark given in Belden's "American Silversmiths" to Col. Standish Barry of Baltimore, MD. See Belden, page 49, mark d. for Barry. The strength of the attribution to Barry in Belden is based on stylistic similarities to known Belden work, and the relatively small number of potential craftsmen with the right initials working in the right time period. In any event, these sugar... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20180106-17   $125.00

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Offered is a nice pair of 18th Century silver sugar tongs dating by style to the 1760s or early 1770s, bearing only a maker's mark of T.H in a rectangle. This maker's mark is fairly crude and doesn't look like a British mark, but the proportions of this pair of tongs look more British than American to me. So, are these tongs British, and dodge paying duty? Were they perhaps made provincially within the UK proper, far away from an assay office? Could they be from somewhere else in the Empire,... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20180106-16   $65.00

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Offered is an interesting early American coin silver teaspoon or coffee spoon that by style appears to date to the 1750-70 timeframe; the maker's mark ends with an "E" that looks an awful lot like one of Samuel Edwards' marks, but I can't make out the first letter. The outline of the mark is right for Samuel Edwards as well, but the drop on the spoon is different from those I've seen used by Edwards. So, probably a different maker. Does anyone have a theory? This piece is engraved with block... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20171227-01   NOT FOR SALE

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For your consideration is an interesting late 18th Century style American coin silver spoon, marked "W (pellet) D". It is my assumption at least that this piece, which measures about 4 15/16 inches in length and weighs about 8 grams, is American. It does not feel Canadian or British Colonial to me, nor does it come across as Continental. The light weight, unusual shell-back decoration, small bowl size, mark and engraving to the handle indicate to me that it is probably American and quite... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20170714-02   $67.50

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Offered is a fine pair of early American coin silver sugar tongs by noted Philadelphia silversmith Joseph Anthony, who worked in that city from 1783-1809 on his own and from 1810-14 with his sons. This pair of tongs by style should date to about 1805-09 but could be a bit earlier. The maker's mark is one of Joseph Anthony's working alone, so this piece likely dates to no later than 1809. The maker's mark (see pics) is lightly struck, as is the case with most pieces by Mr. Anthony, and appears... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20170514-02   $57.50

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Offered is a nice little early American coin silver teaspoon by noted Delaware and Pennsylvania silversmith Isaac Woodcock, circa 1815. At this time, Isaac (son of noted silversmith Bancroft Woodcock) was working in Well's Valley, PA (between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg). This teaspoon bears one of Isaac Woodcock's full name maker's marks, and a period engraved script monogram that appears to be "NRG". This piece measures about 6 inches in length and weighs about 14 grams. Condition is barely... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20170514-01   $57.50

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Offered is a lovely example of a rare form in early American coin silver - a coffin-end pattern sauce or gravy ladle. This piece measures a little under 8 inches in length and weighs about 46 grams. It bears a lovely period script monogram of what appears to be "DSH". This piece has no maker's mark. Condition overall is very good, with no dents, splits or repairs; however there is a little spot on the underside of the handle where someone unfamiliar with antique silver did a scratch test... Click for details

Gebelein  
5314   $430.00

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Bright cut. Marked inside each arm, including eagle. Acquired 1933 by Metropolitan Museum of Art 1933 from Clearwater. Deaccessioned. Length 6-3/8". Weight 1.15 troy ounces. The monogram is a block B(pellet)R(pellet)D at the bow. Overall and mark condition are excellent (good tension).

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20170311-04   $29.50

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Offered is a very rare example of the work and maker's mark of Jean-Felix LeFevre (1780 - 1813), silversmith of Philadelphia. This piece is in fair condition at best, with a lot of surface wear and a dinged and dented bowl, but has a decent legible maker's mark and a period engraved script monogram. LeFevre's work is usually quite good, though this spoon is a bit lighter than most of his spoons. This piece measures about 5 1/2 inches in length and weighs about 14 grams. All in all a good... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
NFS   Not for Sale

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Offered is a challenge - identify the silversmith who made this spoon, with a verifiable and supportable attribution, and I will send you a surprise coin silver teaspoon in good condition (worth about $15-20) as a prize! I haven't yet found this mark anywhere, and thought it an interesting experiment to leverage the talents of some of the silver enthusiasts and experts out there.

This piece measures about 8 1/8 inches in length and weighs about 64 grams. It is marked "R.L" in an squarish... Click for details