Old Friends  
5632f   $95.00

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Measuring 7 3/4" long overall, with a 2 1/4" diameter by 1" deep bowl, and weighing 2.06 T. oz., this is a generously proportioned, solid silver, gravy ladle.

The pattern is Union, made by John Wendt, and in this case retailed by "Starr & Marcus," New York, as stamped on the handle backside, along with "Sterling" and "Patent."

Introduced in 1862, Union is a period design that is similar enough to Gibney by F.H. Gibney, later Whiting, and also dating 1862, that the two... Click for details

Old Friends  
5626f   On Hold

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Likely a bottle or cruet holder, this item is rectangular with rounded corners, stands on four ball feet, and measures 6 1/2" long by 3" wide by 2 1/2" tall.

English Georgian in style, the bottom edge of the body is encircled by an egg and dart band, while the top has an applied gadroon band on the outside edge.

The side has two plain areas, top and bottom, separating a central pierced, convex, strip.

The bottom is made of fine grained, dark wood, which has been... Click for details

Old Friends  
5631f   $68.00

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Dating from 1870, John Wendt's Florentine is an intricately detailed and finely rendered, Renaissance Revival, design with Moorish undertones.

This 7" long, relatively weighty 1.32 T. oz., preserve or jelly spoon is a particularly fine example in pristine condition.

It has a generously proportioned, 2 1/2" long, 1 5/8" at the widest, 1/2" deep, shell form bowl with scalloped edges and a ribbed interior, all finished in a pale, satin matte, gold wash front and back sides.

The... Click for details

Old Friends  
5630f   $110.00

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The origins of medicine spoons trace to a device patented in England by Charles Gibson in 1827.

This expression of the form, made by Gorham in the early decades of the 20th century, evolved from the much earlier Gibson one, although it is different in construction, and in actuality as much a novelty or collector's item as it is a utilitarian piece.

Solid silver, it is comprised of two different sized bowls, one the size of a tablespoon, the other the size of a teaspoon, with each hinged to... Click for details

Old Friends  
5629f   $245.00

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This large, 11 7/8" long, 3.7 T. oz. total weight, coin silver cake saw connects to multiple mid 19th century New York City silver manufacturers.

It is marked on the solid silver blade front with an "eagle, V, bust" hallmark for James Vancourt. William McGrew in Manufactureres' Marks on American Coin Silver notes this mirrors a mark first used by Albert Coles and he suggests it was in turn reduced from a similar "C&V" mark used by (William L.) Coles & Vancourt in a partnership that... Click for details

Old Friends  
5628rk   $185.00

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Harry Osaki, Pasadena, California, emerged after World War II quickly to become a highly regarded metalsmith and designer who produced both jewelry and flat and hollow ware.

A modernist, his work was hand fashioned, following after the Arts & Crafts movement that arose earlier in the 20th century.

This example of his work is an 8 1/2" long, 2.73 T. oz., solid silver, salad of other serving fork.

It has a plain, tapered, handle with sharply angled corners and a straight across... Click for details

Old Friends  
5627f   On Hold

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Stamped with the "helmet over S in a shield" manufacturing mark introduced by Simpson, Hall, Miller & Co. in 1895 and continued in use after the merger that formed the International Silver Company in 1898, this piece made have been made under the auspices of either firm, but not likely much later than 1900 based on the style of the item.

A 2" tall, 3 1/8" wide, 2.57 T. oz. solid silver shaving mug, it follows after the manner of a standard handled mug, save with the addition of a cupped and... Click for details

Old Friends  
5626f   $70.00

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This master butter knife is a lengthy at 7 7/8", and weighty at 1.61 T. oz., early example of Gorham's Old Medici marked with the company's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Sterling," and "Copyrighted" on the handle backside.

Old Medici is one of the many expressive patterns created by renowned Gorham designer Antoine Heller. It features a variety of figures and imagery drawn from the Italian Renaissance period.

Most references date this to 1880, although Charles Carpenter in... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2528   $75.00

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circa 1835, double swell fiddle with pointed chamfered shoulders, length three inches, weight .15 oz Troy, fine condition, marked as shown in second photo.

These are rather scarce, and this example with its broad, flat leading edge and attention to detail is particularly appealing.

Old Friends  
5625f   On Hold

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This 7 1/4" long, .93 T. oz., coin silver jelly or preserve spoon is marked "R. Smith" over "Newark" for Richard Smith, 1827-1904, generally identified as a jeweler.

A highly decorative item dating from the 1860s, it has a twisted stem joined to a scalloped edge, slightly upturned handle. This has a central shield shaped reserve surrounded by a textured background with wriggle work and bright cut engraved detailing.

The handle backside is plain save for wriggle work around the margins and... Click for details

Old Friends  
5624f   $165.00

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One of Gorham's earliest full line patterns, Ivy aka Egyptian Ivy has a rounded front stem with a flat back, and broad, convex handle end with a crossbar.

The upper portion of the handle is shield-shaped and features an intricately rendered portraiture of raised ivy leaves and berries set against a stippled ground, with a leafy margin along the lower edges.

This example is a 7" long, 2.1 T. oz., sugar sifter with a large, 2 1/2" diameter, 3/4" deep, shell-shaped bowl.... Click for details

Old Friends  
5623f   $65.00

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French in origin, this piece is stamped with a (miniscule) "boar's head" guarantee mark on the inside (left, with the handle facing up) edge of the bowl, with a corresponding "bigorne" counter stamp on the backside, indicating is to an 800 silver standard (something less than American coin silver).

The maker's mark is on the flanking edge of the bowl and reads "N V in a caret," with a "star" below the V and a "star and crescent" above it.

A tea caddy spoon, this measures 4 7/16" long and... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20241414-01   Sold

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Offered is an exceptionally fine and earlier (circa 1780-90) American coin silver pictureback tablespoon, marked I*M or I.M twice without serifs. This birdback tablespoon has clear maker's marks and a very well preserved bird, with an unusual and scarce style of bird, facing right with the olive sprig rising over and behind the head. This is sometimes seen with Boston birdbacks, but on the whole this is probably a Pennsylvania (most likely Philadelphia) or New Jersey birdback. It could be by... Click for details

Old Friends  
5622f   $165.00

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An engaging regional period piece, this mug stands 2 13/16" high to the rim, 3 1/8" to the top of the handle, has a top span of 2 1/2" (3 3/4" to the end of the handle), a bottom diameter of 2 1/8", and weighs 3.1 T. oz.

It is stamped on the underside "Currier & Trott," along with "Coin," for the Boston partnership of jewelers and watchmakers with dates from the mid 1820s to the mid 1850s.

The style of this suggests it traces to the 1840s.

It has applied gadroon rims on the top... Click for details

Old Friends  
5621f   $48.00

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Part of a large carving set, this item measures 14 1/4" long.

The handle is hollow filled and comprises 5" of the total length of the piece, and is sterling silver, while the six-sided, pointed tip, sharpener is plated steel.

This is an early production item made by Gorham in its 1895 Chantilly pattern, marked "Sterling" and with the company's "lion, anchor, G" emblem imprinted on both sides of the edge of the handle at the place where it meets the guard.

The handle has a... Click for details

Old Friends  
5620f   $38.00

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Measuring 8 3/8" long and weighing 1.1 T. oz., this relatively plain, c. 1850, serving spoon has a Fiddle handle, high, beveled and rounded, fins off the bowl, and a plain drop on the backside.

Coin silver, it is stamped C[harles]. C[arter] Coleman, for the Worcester, Massachusetts silversmith and jeweler with dates 1844-60. It has a "P (or T) W H" feathered script monogram engraved on the front of the curved handle.

This is finely crafted, with excellent proportion, good balance... Click for details