Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160922-04   $85.00

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Offered is a fine fiddlethread pattern master butter knife bearing the mark of Mobile, AL jeweler and watchmaker Albert J. Leslie, and the manufacturer's mark of Wood & Hughes. This is not technically Southern coin silver as it is marked sterling, but it dates just to the end of the coin silver era, circa 1865-75. This piece measures almost eight inches in length and weighs about 44 grams. It is graced with a good period engraved script monogram and a clear, legible retailer's mark for A. J.... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160918-02   $125.00

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Offered is a rare example of a piece of American coin silver manufactured by Bailey & Co. of Philadelphia, but almost certainly retailed by the short-lived Nashville, TN partnership of John Campbell and George Washington Donigan, working as Campbell & Donigan circa 1853-55. Please click on the picture to see all the pictures of this piece and its marks. Silver bearing the mark of this partnership often has the same elephant pseudo-hallmark, and it appears Bailey & Co. supplied the partnership... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160819-03   Sold

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Offered is a fine early Winchester, Virginia coin silver ladle (probably a sauce ladle but perhaps a cream ladle) by by well-known Virginia silversmith James Meredith, who spent the majority (1812-60) of his career working in or around Winchester, VA. Judging by style, this piece should date to about 1825-35, but could be somewhat earlier or later. While spoons by Meredith are not uncommon, pieces like this ladle are much harder to find. As one can imagine, only the most successful citizens... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160807-01   $75.00

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Offered is a good early American coin silver table spoon circa 1810-25 by well-known silversmith Thomas McConnell, who worked from about 1797 to 1818 in Wilmington, Delaware (with a brief stint in Baltimore in 1814 or so), and then in Richmond, Virginia from 1818 until his death in 1825. This piece could have been made in either location as McConnell had known production under taxation in both locations, though the majority of his work that has a provenance points to a Delaware origin. This... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160626-02   $35.00

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Offered is a fine early fiddle pattern American coin silver teaspoon bearing the maker's mark B.LORD, for Benjamin Lord, a silversmith who began his career in Rutland, Vermont and moved to Athens, Georgia by 1831. Benjamin died in Athens in 1843. His two sons, Benjamin Buel Lord and Ebenezer Lord, also worked in Athens, and in theory his son Benjamin B. Lord could have marked this spoon. By style, this spoon could date from the 1820s or 1830s, so it is unknown whether or not it was made in... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160408-02   $245.00

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Offered is a very fine and rare set of six early American coin silver dessert spoons bearing the maker's mark of Andrew Ellicott Warner, Sr., and fully marked with Baltimore assay marks for the year 1819. It is challenging to find a complete set of dessert spoons this far back, much less a set with Baltimore assay office hallmarks. This substantial set bears clear marks on each spoon, as well as a period script monogram. The spoons average about 7 3/8 inches in length, and they weigh about... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160406-02   $125.00

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Offered is a lovely set of three early American coin silver teaspoons by watchmaker and silversmith Henry Biershing of Hagerstown, Maryland. Biershing was born about 1789 and was working in Hagerstown between about 1809 and 1843, the year of his death. These spoons measure about 5 3/4 inches in length and weigh about 36 grams altogether. They each have a period engraved block monogram and a clear maker's mark of H:B in a rectangle. They would most likely date to the first ten or fifteen years... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160313-01   Sold

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Offered is a lovely American coin silver handled cup by noted Washington, D.C. silversmith Robert Keyworth (born 1795 in England, died 1856 in Washington, D.C.). Keyworth was working on Pennsylvania, west of 9th Street, by 1820, and was had a long and successful career. He was active in the local militia, attaining the rank of Major in the 1st Regiment, D.C. Volunteers; he was also a committed Mason. This cup is quite large at over 4 inches to the top of the handle, and weighs a heavy 190... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160312-02   $95.00

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Offered is a very good and scarce example of an American coin silver turned handle butter knife or spreader, bearing the maker's or retailer's mark of Augustus Shmedtie of Washington, D.C. This pieces measures about 7 1/8 inches in length and weighs about 30 grams. In addition to the clear, well-struck mark for Shmedtie, it is engraved with decoration to one side of the blade and to the handle, and bears a period script monogram. This knife would most likely date to Shmedtie's early period... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160312-01   $85.00

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Offered is a very nice pair of early American coin silver table spoons by silversmith Nathaniel Munroe, and bearing his maker's mark as well as Baltimore assay marks for the year 1821. Baltimore was the only U.S. locality to institute a formal assay office and system, and pieces bearing these marks are coveted. These include a mark denoting the Arms of the State of Maryland, a mark of a male bust, and the dominical letter for the year. The website for the store Imperial Half Bushel, owned by... Click for details

Old Friends  
2643f   $60.00

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A lengthy 8 3/4," and weighing just over 1.2 T. oz., this tablespoon has a broad, tipt end handle that is characteristic of lower Ohio River Valley and environs design. And indeed, it is stamped "D. Mendel" and "Louisville," confirming its origins.

With one exception, standard references offer no information about this mark, and that one identifies it with David Mendel, 1852-65.

A private source, citing Boultinghouse "Silversmiths of Kentucky," notes there are two possibilities, David... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20151227-02   Sold

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Offered is a good American coin silver dessert spoon by Baltimore silversmith Robert Monteith, working circa 1814 to 1849. This dessert spoon is crested with a not-very-frightening looking lion, and also has slightly later script initials below. The maker's mark is very well struck. This spoon measures about 7 1/4 inches in length and weighs about 32 grams. Condition overall is quite good, though there is a 1/16" fissure at the bowl edge by the handle (on the front side only, so not a... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20151114-03   $17.50

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Offered is a good American coin silver teaspoon retailed by M. W. Galt & Co. of Washington, D.C., dating to 1857 or before. This can be established by the manufacturer's marks of Taylor & Lawrie of Philadelphia, who made this spoon and who were in business between 1837 and 1857. This spoon measures about 5 3/8 inches in length, and weighs about 12 grams. This piece bears a period engraved set of script owner's initials. Condition is good, with moderate wear and signs of use, but no notable... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20151114-02   $37.50

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Offered is an early American coin silver table spoon by Washington, D.C. silversmith and jeweler Samuel Lewis, who worked primarily on Pennsylvania Avenue from about 1840 until his death in 1880. Lewis trained in Baltimore and upon the end of his apprenticeship immediately established himself in Washington, where he enjoyed the patronage of the White House, among others. This tablespoon bears a good strong maker's mark for Mr. Lewis, and also has a period engraved script monogram to the... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20151108-02   $65.00

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Offered is a good pair of early American coin silver teaspoons by Robert W. Choate, who worked in Philadelphia circa 1829-38, and then in Louisville at some point thereafter, through at least 1852. Robert W. Choate seems to have been the brother of Stephen D. Choate. This fine pair of teaspoons measures about 6 1/16 inches in length and weighs about 40 grams. Condition is very good, with some minor dings to one bowl but no splits or repairs. Each spoon features a period engraved script... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20150823-04   $25.00

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Offered is a good Southern coin silver tea spoon by Washington, D.C. watchmaker, jeweler and silversmith Richard H. L. Villard, working in Georgetown in the 1820s and 1830s. He had a shop on Bridge Street (now M Street) in Georgetown. Villard was born circa 1794, probably the third son of French emigre parents Andre and Sophie Villard. Richard's middle initials were probably Henry Lee; a near neighbor of his parents in Westmoreland County, Virginia was named Richard Henry Lee, and the couple had... Click for details