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  
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  
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...

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2218   Sold

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length 7 5/8 inches, weight 1.37 Troy ounces (each), monogrammed as shown, fine condition, scarce.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2202   Sold

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length 12 7/8 inches, weight 4.11 Troy ounces, no monogram, excellent condition.

With the added cachet (we were going to say "snob appeal", but then remembered that our faithful readers, all two of them who remain, aren't snooty) of a Cartier retailer's mark.

Bought new, it costs just about as much as a small Mercedes, but here what a deal!!

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2197   Sold

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length 8 1/4 inches, weight 4.85 Troy ounces, design detail in fine condition, bowl retains more than half of its original gilding, monogrammed as shown. Retailed by Boston's own late lamented Bigelow Kennard & Company, a fine, elegant store which many of my customers are old enough to remember with affection...

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2193   $40.00

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length 7 3/4 inches, three letter script monogram (reverse) as shown in enlargement number five, exceptionally fine condition, weight 1.36 oz. Troy, the blade well engraved with trailing bellflower decoration.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2186   Sold

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Length 5 7/8 inches, weight 1.18 Troy ounces, excellent condition, monogrammed "B" (obverse, Old English).

One of Frank Smith's better designs, and one of Yours Truly's favorite patterns...

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2184   $40.00

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length 5 1/8 inches, weight .47 oz. Troy, monogrammed "M.F.W.", fine condition with traces of original gilding on bowl and along handle.

One of these days, a more scholarly colleague will reveal the true name of this pattern...

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2180   Sold

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length six inches, weight 1.00 Troy ounces, no monogram, excellent condition, retailed by Wendell & Roberts.

Silver scholar and author D. Albert Soeffing describes this portrait as "a rather plain woman," and though it lacks the sophistication of some Medallions, there is a certain undeniable charm to her face. A great entry level item for the budding silver collector, should such a creature still exist...

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2169   $1650.00

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Gale & Mosely, New York circa 1830, double struck-- for the uninitiated, this means the pattern is both front and back, length just shy of 8 1/2 inches, some very slight tine wear on a few (we've pictured the worst one in enlargement number four) but superb overall condition, weight 30.74 Troy ounces (!!) or 2.79 each on average, no monogram.

One would be hard-pressed indeed to find a better set of dinner forks.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2155   Sold

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length 8 3/8 inches, weight 3.09 Troy ounces, no monogram, slight wear to gilding on tines but very nearly benchmark condition, retailed by Sheafer and Lloyd of Pittsburgh.

This pattern has always been a personal favorite. Note the expressiveness of the eyes, which you may examine up close in photo number three.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2152   Sold

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engraved "Kansas City" in bowl, length 5 7/8 inches, weight 1.30 Troy ounces, excellent condition.

Place pieces are much rarer than servers in this grand old Durgin pattern whose name is a subject of some disagreement, which leads me to believe that not many were produced.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2146   Sold

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with high relief cast bust of Van Dyck, length 9 inches, weight 3.24 Troy ounces, no monogram. Truly one of Antoine Heller's greatest designs, and among Gorham's most sculptural patterns.

There is a file cut (visible from side and reverse only; see fourth photo) which we've pictured in excruciating detail, and some light pitting on the blade which we've mostly polished out and probably will address a bit more, as time allows. Aside from this, the condition is excellent.

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2141   Sold

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a sugar sifter length 7 1/8 inches; weight 1.74 oz. Troy, and a scalloped engraved bowl preserve spoon length 9 inches; weight 2 Troy ounces. Both pieces are marked only "STERLING," (attributed to Wendt) have fully gilt matte finish bowls and are in immaculate condition. We do not recall having seen this pattern before.