Old Friends  
2690f   $145.00

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Octagonal in shape, this mug is slightly diminutive. It stands 3" to the rim, 3 1/2" to the highest point of the handle, has a top opening 2 3/4" across, a rimmed bottom that is 1 7/8" in diameter, and weighs 2.9 T. oz.

It was made by New York City's William Gale, who operated in various partnerships over a long history. This has double marks for one of the associations, "William Gale & Son." One of the stamps includes a diamond imprinted with the date "185x," with the final number... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160407-01   $125.00

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Offered is a fine and very scarce copy of a much-sought-after, out of print reference book on Irish provincial silver - "Cork Silver and Gold: Four Centuries of Craftsmanship" by John R. Bowen. This is the hardcover version, which is going for a minimum of $500 on Amazon. This copy is in excellent condition, with only modest wear from normal use and no damage or discoloration to the pages. This is the seminal reference on Cork silversmiths, and it is surprisingly helpful for the advanced... Click for details

Old Friends  
2689f   $42.00

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Dating from the 1860s and made by New York's John Polhamus, whose "J*P" mark appears on the backside, this 6 7/8" long, 1.3 T. oz., fork is also stamped "Tiffany & Co.," which retailed a good deal of Polhamus' silver before it instituted its own production in 1868. As Tiffany required, this is sterling (and so marked) when the predominant standard was still coin silver.

A place piece, it is a length that is commonly identified as for tea or dessert. The pattern is "French Thread," aka... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160406-03   $25.00

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Offered is a nice American coin silver teaspoon bearing the retailer's mark of Erie, PA jeweler August Jarecki, circa 1850-65. Jarecki and his family emigrated from Posen, Prussia around 1849, and his father Charles was a goldsmith who worked with August until his death in 1878. August's brothers Charles and Henry started the Jarecki Iron Foundry in Erie. This piece has a period engraved script monogram and is in good condition, with modest wear and no dents, splits or repairs. This spoon... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160406-02   $125.00

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Offered is a lovely set of three early American coin silver teaspoons by watchmaker and silversmith Henry Biershing of Hagerstown, Maryland. Biershing was born about 1789 and was working in Hagerstown between about 1809 and 1843, the year of his death. These spoons measure about 5 3/4 inches in length and weigh about 36 grams altogether. They each have a period engraved block monogram and a clear maker's mark of H:B in a rectangle. They would most likely date to the first ten or fifteen years... Click for details

Old Friends  
2687f   $395.00

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Arguably the line by which all other Art Nouveau floral designs are measured, Durgin's 1900 "New Art" embodies the exuberance, lushness, and freedom of expression that characterizes this style mode.

The scale of pieces in this pattern is large, as evidenced by the fact that this 8 3/4" long, very heavy at 4.7 T. oz., piece is identified as a preserve spoon, when it is actually the size of a typical berry spoon.

Multi-motif, the portraiture on this is lily. The blossoms and leaves fold... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160405-02   $65.00

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Offered is a fine and very early Ohio coin silver master salt spoon or condiment spoon by Columbus and Wooster silversmith Lindel (or Lindol) Sprague. Mr. Sprague was born October 12, 1798 in Cooperstown, New York. According to information online, he appears to have been apprenticed to William Platt of Columbus, OH around 1810, and by 1815 was in business for himself. He was master to his brother Hezekiah from around 1817 to 1820 in Columbus, before relocating to Wooster around 1820. He... Click for details

Old Friends  
2685f   $125.00

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Variously identified as a platter, stuffing, or basting spoon, the defining characteristic is the scale of the item.

Apropos of the form, this example measures a lengthy 11 3/4" and weighs 3.4 T. oz.

It is English in origin, specifically London circa 1800. The marks are rubbed but the lion for sterling and leopard for the city are legible enough to validate. The date letter is simply blurred while the maker's mark, which appears to be a script "LM" in a scalloped punch, is insufficient... Click for details

Old Friends  
2684f   $65.00

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These two, 5 3/4" long, approximately .7 T. oz. each, spoons were made by Toronto's P.W. Ellis & Co., with each stamped "Sterling" on the handle and back of the bowl, and with the firm's "E inside a maple leaf" emblem in adjoining places.

They bear several similarities including the date "1891" set in the center of the handle, with each number surrounded by twig or branch framing. The bowls are identical as well, with acid etched to a pale gold, matte surfaces, leaving bright, irregular,... Click for details

Old Friends  
2679f   $85.00

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This piece is marked "B.G" for Baldwin Gardiner, who was a retailer with working dates c. 1814-25 in Philadelphia, then was listed in New York City directories 1827-47, according to Catherine Hollan in "Philadelphia Silversmiths."

It is a lengthy 8 3/4" table or serving spoon, and is immensely heavy at nearly 3.2 T. oz.

Baldwin's "B.G" is frequently accompanied by a pseudo hallmark, which is the case with this, which is stamped with a "bust, lion, D," which McGrew in his work on... Click for details

Old Friends  
2677f   $195.00

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A large item measuring 10 1/4" long and weighing a robust 4.3 T. oz., this ice cream knife or slice has a hollow handle and a 6 1/8" by 2 1/4", roughly rectangular, solid silver, flat blade.

The pattern is Durgin's 1891 "Watteau," referencing a French painter whose name became identified with a style deriving from the rococo.

Asymmetrically shaped, the handle is decorated with delicate acanthus leaf and floral detailing. The pattern appears on both the front and backsides, with minor... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160327-01   $145.00

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Offered is a very fine and heavy set of American coin silver tablespoons by the prolific partnership of Edward and David Kinsey of Cincinnati, Ohio - together with a dessert spoon from the same service. This set of spoons dates to about 1844-61. There are six tablespoons and one dessert spoon, for seven spoons total. All are from the same family, and all are engraved "Wells" in period script. Each spoon is marked E.&D.KINSEY in a clear maker's mark. The tablespoons measure about 8 1/2... Click for details

Old Friends  
2676f   $35.00

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No doubt responding to the late 19th century emergence of European enamel work as high fashion art, American silver manufacturers began to adorn examples their products with enamel detailing.

New York's Dominick & Haff seemed to favor its "Renaissance" pattern for this purpose, as this 6" long, just over .8 T. oz., teaspoon illustrates.

The design is intricate enough to accommodate enamel highlights as well as provide the necessary grid for the material to adhere to. (Enamel and silver... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160322-02   $22.50

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Offered is a good and scarce early American coin silver egg spoon with gilt bowl by noted Philadelphia silversmith Thomas Whartenby, working circa 1811-52. This piece has much of the original gilding to the bowl and a good clear maker's mark. The original script monogram is also legible. This piece measures about 5 11/16 inches in length and weighs about 16 grams. Condition is fair overall, with no dents, splits or repairs but with some wear to the surface on the handle (pictured). All in... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160321-05   $25.00

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Offered is a good American coin silver mustard or condiment spoon by noted Bethlehem silversmith John Matthew Miksh, whose biographical information follows a description of the spoon. This piece measures about 4 3/16 inches in length and weighs about 6 grams. It has a clear maker's mark and engraved initials for several owners. Condition is good with some surface wear but no dents or splits. All in all a good American coin silver mustard spoon with a nice maker's mark! John Matthew Miksh... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20160321-04   $12.50

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Offered is an American coin silver master salt spoon bearing the mark of Harrisburg silversmith and merchant George Beatty. This piece measures about 4 1/8 inches in length and weighs about 6 grams. Condition is only fair, with some ripples in the handle and wear to the surface and bowl. There is no monogram and no obvious sign of erasure. All in all a decent example of Beatty's mark. George Beatty, youngest son of Capt. James Beatty, was born January 4, 1781, at Ballykeel-Ednagonnel,... Click for details