Old Friends  
5251f   $185.00

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A spectacular example of pattern and form preserved in impeccable condition, this solid silver cake saw measures 10 3/4" long and weighs 2.8 T. oz.

Made by Wood & Hughes, the pattern is Viola, issued in 1875. The design incorporates an arch, palmettos, anthemia, and scrolling, drawing together Greek, Egyptian, and Gothic Revival elements in a successful amalgamation of period motifs.

The handle front incorporates an elegant, engraved, Victorian style, "OR" or "RO" monogram.

The... Click for details

Old Friends  
5249f   $115.00

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An early piece marked on the inside of one leg with Gorham's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Sterling," and "Copyrighted," this pair of tongs measure 5 1/4" long and weigh a substantial 1.55 T. oz.

Introduced in 1883, the pattern is Cluny, which is one among the many enduringly appealing lines originated by Gorham's renowned designer Antoine Heller.

The pattern features dense, high relief, floral elements with rosette and palmetto accents, set on a three-lobed handle end.

The grips... Click for details

Old Friends  
5244f   $42.00

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Made by Reed & Barton and akin to the company's Harelquin line of flower designs, this orange or grapefruit spoon has a cast handle with a narrow, branch-like stem.

An older piece, it is marked with R&B's "eagle, R, lion" emblem and the word "Sterling."

Measuring 5 3/8" long and weighing .6 T. oz., the pattern is an Orange or Orange Blossom, interpreted in something of an Art Nouveau manner.

Strongly naturalistic and intricately detailed, the fruit is round and full... Click for details

Old Friends  
5238f   $125.00

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Generously-sized, this tea ball is a 1 3/4" diameter perfect sphere, hung from a 5 3/4" long chain with a ring end.

Solid silver, it weighs just over 1.0 T. oz. and is marked on the inside lip of the top half, "Sterling" and with the three part emblem of the "Howard Sterling Company," Providence, Rhode Island, used 1891-1901.

The interior of both the top and bottom are stamped "24."

It has a pierced dotted pattern top and bottom halves that forms an eight-pointed star.

In addition,... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2489   $78.00

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length 8 3/4 inches, fine condition, a discrete three letter script monogram (reverse) as shown in second enlargement, retailed by Boston's own late lamented and very elegant Bigelow Kennard Co.

At 2.85 Troy ounces, this has a wonderfully "heavy in the hand" quality. A fine, old, New England pattern, Newport Shell will blend in harmoniously with any distinguished table setting.

Old Friends  
5235f   $38.00

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Modestly sized at 1 3/4" diameter, 1 3/8" wide, and weighing just over .5 T. oz., this napkin ring could have been part of a child's set (along with a mug, plate, and/or porringer for example), although not necessarily.

It has a three lobed body, the top and bottom ones of which are embossed in an Ivy and Vine pattern.

Again, this naturalistic portraiture is pastoral, almost naive, in its theme and could suggest the innocence of a child.

The interior is finished in a bright gold... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2527   $250.00

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top diameter 4 1/2; height 2 5/8 inches, weight 6.10 Troy ounces, no monogram, excellent condition.

Marked as shown in second enlargement.

Old Friends  
5224f   $175.00

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Note: while the above image shows six of these forks, this listing is actually for eight identical, all original, pieces.

Made by Frank Whiting, this set of forks is marked with the company's "W in a circle" emblem, "Sterling," and the number "2" on the backsides.

Measuring 5 3/4" long each and weighing 4.0 T. oz. the group, they are oyster, shrimp, or seafood cocktail forks.

Each piece has three tines, one of which is hooked, all joined to cupped heels with subtly notched... Click for details

Old Friends  
5214f   $22.00

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Offered in both sterling silver and silver plate, Harlequin was a floral series issued by Reed & Barton and generally made in a variety of generally smaller items.

These seven, 4" long, 2.35 T. oz. the group, coffee or demitasse spoons are early pieces marked with the company's "eagle, R, lion" (later items are stamped "Reed & Barton") along with "Sterling."

Cast rather than die struck, they are highly textured, possess intricate detail, and show a soft gray finish on the silver.... Click for details

Old Friends  
5202f   $46.00

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A 6" long, just under 1.0 T. oz., item, this ladle has a bowl that measures 2" in diameter and is 1/2" deep.

It is a cream or sauce ladle in Whiting's Heraldic, which apropos of the pattern name, is dominated by the image of a medieval helmet 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 raised, leafy... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2526   $450.00

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Gardner, MA circa 1921, Craftsman Arthur Hartwell, length 7 3/4 inches across the handle, weight 9.51 Troy ounces, some scratches as shown in fourth enlargement but very good overall condition.

Let's answer the most obvious question first: Is this the same family whose name graces a certain ravine in New Hampshire's White Mountains which is beloved by back country skiers in search of an adrenaline rush? Yes indeed it is. Edward Tuckerman, Jr., a lichen expert for whom it was named,... Click for details

Old Friends  
5196f   $235.00

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An elaborate figural design ssued in 1891, the central motif of Dominick & Haff's Cupid is a winged cherub. While always a cupid's face and portion of the upper torso, there is variation in the specific portraiture from piece to piece.

Overall, the pattern is rococo in style, featuring a series of scrolls and leafy elements arrayed in an asymmetrical manner.

This example, a 10" long, heavy at 3.9 T. oz., solid silver ice cream knife is one of the largest and most commanding serving... Click for details

Old Friends  
5194f   $38.00

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This spoon is a commemorative of one of the climactic events of the 19th century, namely the Chicago World's Fair, formally the World's Columbian Exposition.

Made by Whiting, whose "standing lion with W" and "Sterling," are stamped on the backside, this measures 5 7/8" long and weighs just under 1.0 T. oz.

The front of the handle incorporates the name of the event, along with "1893," as well as "Chicago" arrayed over a "star" and a staunch looking "phoenix head" (so... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2525   $350.00

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length fifteen inches, weight 5.67 Troy ounces, excellent condition, monogrammed and marked as shown in enlargements 3 & 4. The bowl remains most of its original gilding and is uniform in color.

For those of you who are fans of comparison shopping, see item 293457665513 over there on the Auction-Site-Which-Must-not-be-Named, @700.00

Old Friends  
5190f   $65.00

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Produced in the greatest number between 1780 and 1840, English meat skewers varied little in form (Thomas Waldron, Antique Silver), although as this example illustrates, they ranged in size.

Generally quite lengthy (there are three others offered on Old Friends between 10" and 12" long), this piece measures 7" and weighs approximately .6 T. oz. Its size actually sets it apart.

It is fully hallmarked for London, 1805-6, sterling silver, and maker Thomas Wallis.

The shank is... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2524   Sold

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length 9 1/2 inches, weight 7.4 Troy ounces (!), excellent original condition with rich oxidation, crisp detail and a brightly gilt bowl, marked and monogrammed as shown in second enlargement.