Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2256   Sold

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length 10 1/8 inches, weight 3.34 Troy ounces, ornate four letter script monogram on reverse, excellent condition.

The blade features a restrained and well executed bit of engraving (please see third enlargement) with brite-cut foliage and shaded flowers.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2255   $175.00

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or jelly cake knife, if you'd prefer, length 9 1/8 inches, weight 1.84 oz. Troy, excellent condition save for a long shallow scratch on reverse of blade (please see second enlargement), monogrammed in script on reverse.

The obverse features a refined bit of engraving, done by a skilled and steady hand.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2254   Sold

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length 6 5/8 inches, plated steel blades, very minor pinpricks at ends which we've exaggerated in enlargement number four but fine overall condition, monogrammed "C."

As collectors will know, if any of them remain above ground, knives in this elegant old Durgin pattern are scarce.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2251   $25.00

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length 5 7/8 inches, monogrammed as shown, very light pattern wear but fine overall condition, weight 1.38 Troy ounces, and as we say here in Boston, "it's a baaahgin."

Compare our price with the folks who Replace your stuff @70.00

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2250   $225.00

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length 5 1/4 inches, weight 1.0 oz Troy, excellent condition, no monogram.

This piece is not commonly found.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2248   Sold

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retailed by Hardy & Hayes, length 7 3/8 inches, weight 15 Troy ounces, monogrammed "C", fine condition.

If pressed as to why you, dear reader, should buy these Iris fish forks as opposed to some others listed elsewhere on the interwebz, I'd have to say that ours are probably in better condition. If pressed even harder, I'd confess that these are also attractively priced.

Old Friends  
3136f   $165.00

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Bonbonnieres are bonbon spoons set large.

The form was popular in the late 19th century, and no company was more successful in producing impressive examples than Gorham. This example is model number "588" offered by that firm.

It is medium-sized, measuring 6 1/8" long, has a bowl that is roughly 2 3/4" in diameter, and weighs just under 2.0 T. oz.

It is cast rather than die struck, as these forms generally were. Casting allows for the introduction of more intricate detail and... Click for details

Old Friends  
3118f   $115.00

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Syracuse, New York, was a major silver manufacturing center in the mid to late 19th century. Joseph Seymour, the maker of this 8 1/4" long, 1.9 T. oz., berry spoon, was one of the most prominent names among that city's firms, with a history that began in 1846, terminating in 1905.

An innovative producer, Dorthy Rainwater in her "Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers" notes that he received a patent for making spoons in 1859, and further that, "the company was one of the first to... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2245   Sold

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London, 1993. Contemporary and of the finest quality, height three inches, weight an astonishing 10 Troy ounces the pair, one minor abrasion as shown but excellent overall condition. A perfect gift to grace the table of your equine aquaintances.

For those who favor comparison shopping, a similar though inferior pair by this same maker weighing only 5.7 oz. Troy sold at Julien's for 875.00 (See catalogue of the Ronnie & Jo Wood collection, 10/26/2012, lot 308).

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2242   Sold

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height 5 1/2; length across handle 6 1/4 inches, weight 14.1 Troy ounces, the body richly chased with rose flowers, foliage and a band of acanthus leaves below, the realistically formed wrythen grapevine handle fastened together with silver tacks (see second enlargement), engraved "Minnie / June 2nd / 1875" in cartouche under spout, capacity one quart, fine condition.

If only we knew a bit more about Minnie, a good tale might be told, but alas we know nothing of this lass.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2235   Sold

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Let's take a moment to reflect upon why a dealer, or at least Yours Truly, chooses to add an item to inventory.

Over the years, I've examined many pieces of Martelé, and if you dear reader will forgive me for a bit of crudeness, most of them are "trashed." Specifically, the detail is severely worn away, leaving the beauty of the overall design still appreciable but no longer intact.

Why? Because Gorham made a bit of a bargain with the devil, and used .950 or .9584 silver to make... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2234   Sold

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length 3 3/4 inches, weight .77 oz. Troy, no monogram, fine condition.

May I offer our apologies, dear reader, for having previously catalogued these as "Acorn"? Old age is taking its toll, here.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2232   $150.00

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height 2 1/2; length 2 7/8 inches, weight 1.73 Troy ounces, fine condition, no monogram, marked as shown.

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20161101-01   $395.00

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Offered is a lovely and extremely rare example of the Old English pattern in the first few years of its development. The first moves away from the Hanoverian pattern were with the larger serving pieces, such as this soup ladle, and with some forks. The primary reason for this shift was the discomfort of using pieces like soup ladles with the turned-up handles of the Hanoverian pattern; the turned-down end of the Old English pattern was simply more comfortable in the hand.

This piece bears... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20161030-04   $100.00

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Offered is a good early English sterling silver stuffing spoon hallmarked for London, circa 1809 or possibly 1789, and bearing a makers mark of IL, which is probably one of the marks used by John Lias. This piece is also decorated with a well-executed period engraved feathered script monogram of "RMM". It measures about 11 1/2 inches in length and weighs about 92 grams. Condition is good overall, with two tiny shallow dimples in the bowl and a few small scratches, but no major dents and no... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2226   $375.00

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length 10 3/8 inches, weight 3.48 Troy ounces, no monogram, excellent condition.

As our friend Don Soeffing has recounted in "The Battle of the Birds" (Silver Magazine, November/December 1995), production of this pattern was short lived, because W & H lost this particular battle against Tiffany for infringement of their design pattern...