Old Friends  
5542f   $525.00

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Rooted in Moorish design and dating from the encompassing 1870s Renaissance Revival period, Whiting's Arabesque features a standing griffin with widespread wings set against a vine, leaf, and rosette background, all of which are quintessential elements of this design motif.

This ensemble is an ice cream set comprised of a server along with eleven (alas one of the no doubt once twelve has been lost to the group) individual spoons.

These are all part of a rarely found original set,... Click for details

Old Friends  
5541f   $44.00

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An original, early piece of Towle's Old Colonial flatware, this cream ladle measures 6" long and weighs 1.1 T. oz.

It is marked with the company's "standing lion in a T," "925/1000," "Sterling," and "(Pat. 1895)."

The bowl is essentially round, 1 3/4" in diameter and 1/2" deep. Characteristic of the line, it has a faceted interior and a flanged rim with scalloped shoulders.

In choice estate condition, this is without wear, dents, bends, or scuffs in the bowl, and shows a bright... Click for details

Old Friends  
5540f   $115.00

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Engraved patterns were immensely popular in the late 19th century and consequently many manufacturers produced them in an array of designs, especially florals.

One particular pattern that was widely embraced was the Lily, which is actually a lily of the valley engraved on this 8 3/4" long, 2.6 T. oz., berry or other serving spoon by Whiting.

Introduced in 1882, the naturalistic floral and leaf elements are represented in an Aesthetic manner, set on a rounded end,... Click for details

Old Friends  
5537f   On Hold

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One of two identical place, i.e. lunch size, forks this piece measures 7 1/16" long and weighs a robust 1.7 T. oz.

Dating from the late 19th century, it is a quality item stamped "Hennegan, Bates Co." for the prominent Baltimore firm, and "Sterling."

The pattern is an engraved Lily, which is more accurately lily of the valley, and is one of several variations of the same theme made by numerous manufacturers of the period.

The bright cut work is set against an enhancing... Click for details

Old Friends  
5534f   $90.00

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Measuring 7 1/4" long, weighing 2.3 T. oz., and having a 2 1/2" diameter by 1" deep bowl, this is a substantially-sized gravy ladle.

The pattern is Whiting's Heraldic, which apropos of the pattern name, features the image of a medieval helmet prominently set at the top of the handle. The remainder of the design incorporates a dense array of high relief, scrolling acanthus leaves.

The bowl on this is the fancier of two that Whiting used for this line. It has a scalloped rim and... Click for details

Old Friends  
5532f   $185.00

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This substantially sized, 10" long, weighty at 2.8 T. oz., piece has a double Philadelphia provenance in that it is marked "lion, K, crown" for maker Peter L. Krider, along with the name of retailer "Robbins, Clark, & Biddle." It is also stamped "Sterling."

These four, Krider, Robbins, Clark and Biddle, were all well-known and well-regarded names associated with the manufacturing and marketing of silver, and they had intertwining histories. This particular configuration suggests an 1875-78... Click for details

Old Friends  
5531f   $32.00

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This 8 3/8" long, .45 T. oz., item is an example of American silver design following after a much older English form, namely a mote, aka skimming, spoon.

As this does, motes spoons typically have a pierced bowl on one end and a pointed or spear tip on the other.

Most commentary about their purpose indicates mote spoons were originally tea related, used for filtering loose leaves, with the point serving to clear a spout of clogs.

This 8 3/8" example was made by FS Gilbert, North... Click for details

Old Friends  
5530f   $65.00

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An Indo-Persian pattern, Gorham's Hindostanee was issued in 1878, as indicated by the "Pat. 78" along with Gorham's "lion, anchor, G" emblem and "Sterling" stamped on the backside of this 5 1/2" long, 1.1 T. oz. cream ladle.

The finely rendered design incorporates a series of repetitive scrolls and palmettes on a slightly upturned, rounded end, handle, and includes a shield reserve, which in this instance has never been monogrammed.

As a line, Hindostanee had an... Click for details

Old Friends  
5527f   $45.00

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At 6" long and weighing 1.0 T. oz., this example of Gorham's Versailles pattern is an early issue, old style, ice cream spoon, marked "Copyrighted," "lion, anchor, G," and "Sterling" on the backside.

Its distinguishing feature is the shell bowl with scalloped edges and a ribbed interior. This is finished in a matte gold on the front except for the heel, which along with the entire backside, has a bright gold surface.

The figure on this multi-motif line is a cherub... Click for details

Old Friends  
5526f   On Hold

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A rarely found piece in Gorham's Old Medici pattern, this sardine fork measures 5 3/4" long and weighs .8 T. oz.

It has four, relatively broad, pointed tines that are joined to a deep-shouldered, wavy-edged, heel that is engraved with an acanthus leaf design surface.

The tines retain a portion of an original gold wash on the upper sides.

Most references date the pattern to 1880, although Charles Carpenter in his benchmark Gorham Silver places it about 1883. This is... Click for details

Old Friends  
5524f   $45.00

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An original, early production, piece, this regular length, 6 3/8" long, .64 T. oz. olive spoon in the Fairfax pattern is marked with Durgin's "D" emblem, "Sterling," "Pat'd," and "A. Stowell & Co.," a once prominent Boston jeweler.

Introduced in 1910 by Durgin, this colonial revival design proved immensely popular and was continued in production by Gorham after it absorbed Durgin in the early decades of the 20th century.

The slender and relatively deep, pointed end, bowl is... Click for details

Old Friends  
5522f   $80.00

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Reed & Barton held a commanding position within the realm of Art Nouveau silver producers at the turn of the 20th century, with designs such as Love Disarmed an unexcelled figural offering and Les Six Fleurs a benchmark among florals.

La Parisenne, the pattern on this 6 3/4" long, weighty at 2.12 T. oz., gravy is another expressive Reed & Barton design from this period.

A multi-motif floral line, the image on this is a water or pond lily (whether by... Click for details

Old Friends  
5512f   $100.00

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The spoon represented in the above image is one of a set of six matched pieces that measure 4 5/16" long each and weigh 2.6 T. oz. the group.

They present with something of a mystery.

Coffee spoons, the pattern matches Whiting's Renaissance Revival Arabesque pattern in every detail, save the backside of the bowls are stamped "800," which represents a German silver standard used prior to 1886 (Arabesque was issued in 1875).

Whether these were a direct copy manufactured by a... Click for details

Old Friends  
5511f   $145.00

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A large item, this all silver ice cream knife or slice measures 10 1/4" long and weighs 4.3 T. oz.

It has a hollow (not filled) handle and a 6 1/8" by 2 1/4", roughly rectangular, solid silver, flat blade with a gold finish front and back sides.

This form is sometimes referred to as an ice cream axe or hatchet, referencing the dramatically impressive scale of the blade.

The pattern is Watteau, which was issued in 1891 and references the French painter whose name became... Click for details

Old Friends  
5509f   On Hold

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A prominent Syracuse, New York silver manufacturer with a history that spanned the second half of the 19th century and lasted until early into the 20th century, Joseph Seymour produced a number of flatware patterns in coin and sterling silver.

The Square Handled Engraved pattern on this 7 5/8" long, 1.2 T. oz., jelly knife in sterling is one that does not have a lot of design parallels, either with Seymour or other producers.

The handle is flat, and as the name implies, has straight... Click for details

Old Friends  
5508f   $135.00

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An expressive, highly detailed and high relief, design with a sculptural quality, Durgin's rarely found 1888 Heraldic incorporates imagery befitting its appellation.

The iconography includes a pair of upraised (presumably eagle) wings that appear to rise out of a crown, which itself sits over a lion rampant on a shield. Lastly, there is a rearing steed projecting out of a castle turret set below the above images.

This example is a 6 7/8"... Click for details