Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20230528-01   Sold

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Offered is an extremely rare example of the work of Philadelphia silversmith George Harford (fl. 1789-1826), the first I've come across in decades. This example is a pictureback (birdback) teaspoon featuring a husky eagle with shield, making this piece even more special. This spoon has a rubbed but legible maker's mark for George Harford, a period engraved monogram of "MAH", and a well-preserved example of his die-struck eagle and shield decoration to the back of the bowl. This spoon measures... Click for details

Old Friends  
5301f   $115.00

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Founded in Providence, Rhode Island, by William B. Fessenden (who had a prior working history in Boston with various and New York City with Whiting) in 1858, the firm that bore his name was one of numerous silver manufacturers located in the Providence to North Attleboro, Massachusetts corridor, all anchored by Gorham. Given this concentration of industry, there was a body of skilled workers in the area available to Fessenden, which enabled it to produce quality items from its onset.

This... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20230507-06   $49.50

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Offered is a good set of five American coin silver teaspoons clearly struck with the maker's mark of Richard Huntington of Utica; this mark has been observed with a Utica city mark on other spoons, though only the maker's mark appears on this set. These spoons have no monogram or obvious sign of erasure. They measure about 5 3/4 inches in length on average and weigh a total of about 73 grams. Condition is good overall, with some small bumps and dings to the bowls of most spoons, but no splits... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20230507-05   $14.00

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Offered is a nice Gorham coin silver salt spoon with early maker's marks, circa the 1850s. This piece is engraved with a period script monogram. It measures about 3 3/4 inches in length and weighs about 7 grams. Condition is excellent overall, with minimal wear and no dents, splits or repairs. All in all a nice useful American silver salt spoon!

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20230507-03   $16.00

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Offered is a worn but nice early 19th Century New York City coin silver spoon by little-known silversmith James Lockward. The NY Historical Society has a spoon by this maker, previously owned by Eric Shrubsole. This spoon is in the fiddle shell pattern, and has a worn period script monogram as well as a good clear maker's mark and a later, but still 19th Century, monogram to the back. This spoon measures about 5 3/4 inches in length and weighs about 18 grams. Condition is fair, with some... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20230507-02   Sold

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Offered is a really lovely early 19th Century American coin silver spoon made by Thomas Sargeant (fl. 1795-1821), who worked in Springfield, Massachusetts. Thomas took over the shop of his brother Jacob in 1795 when Jacob moved to Connecticut. This spoon is engraved with a [period script monogram of "CF" and the back of the handle also has a 19th Century engraved date of 1793 (presumably the birth date or marriage date of the original owner). Thomas Sargeant's maker's mark well struck and... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20230507-01   $24.00

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Offered is a nice American coin silver salt spoon from the first half of the 19th Century, by little known maker or retailer Charles Lord, working in Portland, ME. This piece has a period engraved script monogram of "EW" and a good clear maker's mark of C.LORD in a rectangular punch. It measures about 4 1/8 inches in length and weighs about 9 grams. Condition is excellent, with minimal wear and no dents, splits or repairs. All in all a nice example of a rarely seen Maine silversmith's or... Click for details

Old Friends  
5297f   $44.00

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This 8 5/8" long, 1.2 T. oz., piece is a choice example of 1860s silver.

A table serving spoon, it is marked "Coin" and "Twambley & Cleaves" for the Biddeford, Maine, jeweler and silver retailer.

The handle is a Pointed Antique with a Tipt end. The surface is finely bright cut engraved in a period acanthus leaf design with a reserve area that is inscribed with a cursive "H" monogram.

The backside is plain save for the marks.

As noted, this is a quality item... Click for details

Old Friends  
5294f   $20.00

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Measuring 5 5/8" long and weighing .5 T. oz., this circa 1840 teaspoon has a double provenance.

It is marked "S. Ayers Elmira" for Socrates Ayers born in 1814. He worked in Elmira as a silversmith, watchmaker and jeweler until about 1877.

It is also stamped with a "star D star," which mark John McGrew in his Manufacturer's Marks on American Coin Silver attributes to an "Unidentified - Up-State New York" maker.

The handle is engraved "Ruth Burnham" in script lettering set sideways... Click for details

Old Friends  
5290f   $75.00

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Josephine was one of the earliest line patterns produced by Gorham, as indicated by the "Patent 1855" and "Coin" that appear on the backside of this example, which is a full-size, 7 1/2" long, just over 1.5 T. oz., dinner fork.

The design is characterized by a die struck leaf, scroll, and anthemion that appear on the handle obverse, minus the leaf on the backside, and an expanded leaf on the reverse heel.

This has a fancy, feathered script, "AP Borden"... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20230414-02   $24.00

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Offered is a very nice and colorful 19th Century American jeweler trade card for T. R. Hand of Philadelphia, featuring a charming theme of two children riding a giant grasshopper. This card measures about 4 7/8 inches wide by about 3 1/4 inches high. It probably dates to the 1870s, but could be a little earlier or later. Condition is very good overall, with some areas of rubbing or discoloration as would be expected. All in all a nice example of a hard-to-find piece of ephemera!

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20230414-01   $25.00

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Offered is a nice watch paper from the 1840s, made for and used by Canandaigua, New York watchmaker and jeweler Oscar E. Sibley. The paper bears a date of May 7, 1847 on the back, presumably the date he serviced a watch. This watch paper, done in orange paper with a black design, is still in the shape of the watch body, and is in decent condition though crumpled and split at the edges as these typically are. It measures around 1 7/8 inches across. All in all a nice example of ephemera... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2496   $125.00

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Albany circa 1790, rounded end with short back midrib and raised incised drop, monogrammed "P over L G" in period shaded block lettering, typical bright-cut and wriggle-work engraving, length 9 1/8 inches, weight 2.09 oz Troy.

There is a pinprick dent, visible mostly from the reverse, which we show in excruciating detail (see third enlargement); also an engraved inventory number, but aside from these issues the condition is very good.

Old Friends  
5266f   $52.00

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A choice example, finely made and in essentially original condition, this serving, aka table, spoon measures 8 5/8" long and weighs 1.4 T. oz.

It is stamped "Coin" for the silver standard, and "Vautrot & Ackly" for the 1866-c. 1875, Warren, Ohio, partnership.

The (Fiddle) Tipt pattern predates this period, so this may have been older inventory carried forward from Vautrot's earlier working years, beginning in 1849.

It is engraved "Laura." in script set sideways on the handle... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20230331-01   $39.50

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Offered is a lovely mid-19th Century American coin silver pie fork or dessert fork by the Baltimore firm of Larmour & Company, established in 1856 and in business at least through the 1870s. This fork is unique in that it is engraved "Irish" in script, presumably the surname of the original owner. This piece measures about 5 3/4 inches in length and weighs a very heavy 28 grams. It is in excellent condition, with minimal wear and no bends, dents, splits or repairs. All in all a great piece... Click for details

Old Friends  
5260f   On Hold

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There were numerous members of the Pitkin family attached to the silver industry in Hartford and East Hartford, Connecticut over a span of many decades in the 19th century.

This 7 1/4" long, 1.1 T. oz., place, aka dessert or oval soup, spoon, is marked "W.L. & H.E. Pitkin," for the partnership between William Leonard and Horace Edward, 1863-94. Given this is also stamped "Coin," it traces to the earliest years of the pairing.

The pattern is undocumented, but is in the manner of a... Click for details