Old Friends  
5404f   On Hold

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Issued in 1909, Norman Hammered by San Franciso's renowned Shreve & Company follows in that firm's Arts & Crafts tradition of silversmithing.

It much resembles the company's flagship line, Fourteenth Century, having a hammered surface set on robust, i.e. thick and blocky, stock, that bespeaks a medieval origin.

This example is a 4 3/4" long, just over 1.0 T. oz., pair of sugar, olive, or even bonbon tongs.

They show angular, squared off, arms with heavy hammering on all... Click for details

Old Friends  
5402f   $46.00

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One of Gorham's earliest full line patterns, patented in 1868 as stamped in the reverse of this 6 1/4" long, .6 T. oz., sugar spoon, Ivy has a tubular stem and broad, convex handle end that features an intricately rendered portraiture of ivy leaves and berries set against a stippled ground.

The handle reverse is engraved with a delicately inscribed, feathered "HC" monogram.

Additional marks include the company's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, the word "Sterling," and the name of the... Click for details

Old Friends  
5395f   $48.00

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One of William B. Durgin's earliest patterns, dating circa 1870, and commonly identified as Spray, this design features a bouquet of woodland flowers and grasses tied by a bow.

This motif appears in the top center of the handle, and is repeated on the lower front and backside heel of the join with the blade of this 6 3/4" long, 1.0 T. oz., master butter knife.

There is a script letter "R" monogram on the handle front.

The blade has a scalloped upper edge, upswept and pointed tip,... Click for details

Old Friends  
5394f   $90.00

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An early line pattern, Gorham's Louis XIV, is Greek Revival in style in spite of carrying a French name.

The main feature is an anthemion leaf, with additional detailing reminiscent of Gorham's also Greek Revival Corinthian design of the same period.

This example is a lengthy 5 1/4", .9 T. oz., pair of sugar tongs with gold washed claw or talon grips and columnar legs.

In superb condition, this pair have never been monogrammed on either the reserve shields on the... Click for details

Old Friends  
5389f   $85.00

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Finely crafted, this 8 5/8" long, 1.74 T. oz., serving spoon has an Old English, i.e. rounded end with tipt back, handle.

The plain front typical of earlier Old English design has been embellished on this. It has a feathered edge introduced in the 1770s and bright cut work characteristic of the 1780s.

In addition, the reserve at the handle end is engraved with a very fancy, feathered line script, "RL" monogram that is of a style consistent with these dates.... Click for details

Old Friends  
5387f   $135.00

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Stamped "Sterling" and with the "H&S" emblem of Hotchkiss & Schreuder, Syracuse NY, and retailed by "Austin & Prescott," Batavia NY, this piece measures 8 3/4" long and weighs 1.7 T. oz.

The pattern is Longfellow, which clearly follows after the Moorish and Egyptian Revival trends popular in its 1870s period.

It features a repeating series of palm fronds, palmettes, rosettes and ivy leaves along a shaped handle with a pyramid end.

There is a central reserve area on the handle... Click for details

Old Friends  
5383f   $165.00

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A 7" long, 1.1 T. oz., preserve or jelly spoon, this piece has a generously sized, 2 1/2" by 1 5/8", shell shaped bowl with a scalloped edge and slightly pointed tip.

Made by John Wendt in his Medallion pattern, it is stamped with his characteristic "Patent" and "925," along with the name of the retailer, Boston's "Bigelow Bros. & Kennard."

One of the most impressive of the myriad Medallion figures offered by American manufacturers in the 1860s, the line featured a variety of... Click for details

Old Friends  
5378f   $135.00

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Designed for a very specific purpose, claret ladles are necessarily lengthy, and this solid silver example is especially so at 13 1/4". It weighs a substantial 2.4 T. oz.

Made by Gorham, it is stamped with the company's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Sterling," and model number "912."

While the handle is rendered in Gorham's beaded-with-tipt-end Newcastle pattern, the fact that it is numbered indicates it was a specialty piece independent of the flatware line per se.

The central... Click for details

Old Friends  
5377f   On Hold

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Introduced in 1906, Pointed End was one of renowned Arts & Crafts silversmith Arthur Stone's earliest line patterns. It has a "Tipt" backside and slender, arched and tapered handle.

These six, matching, 8" long, 5.7 T. oz. the group, individual iced tea or lemonade stirring spoons are stamped with the "hammer over Stone" emblem, "Sterling," and an "E," for benchman George Erickson who established his own well-regarded silver shop subsequent to his work with Stone.

These show the... Click for details

Old Friends  
5372f   $85.00

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Marked with Gorham's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Sterling," and "Copyrighted" on the backside heel of the bowl, this is an early production example of the company's 1888 Versailles pattern.

A table, i.e. serving, spoon, it measures 8 1/2" long and weighs an exceptionally heavy 2.44 T. oz.

The pattern is multi-motif and known for its portraiture of scenes from daily life at the palace of Versailles and the court of French King Louis XIV.

The imagery on this features a seated... Click for details

Old Friends  
5370f   $85.00

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Marked with Durgin's "D" emblem along with "Sterling" and the number "2," this 7 3/4", approximately 1.0 T. oz., long handle olive spoon is not immediately identifiable as a regular line pattern.

The open work at the end of the handle, in company with the design details, evoke the Durgin's rarely found 1887 Alcazar pattern, although this is not an exact match. Other aspects of the pattern resemble Durgin's (French) rococo 1891 Louis XV.

Whether a variant of one of these... Click for details

Old Friends  
5361f   $395.00

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One of several specially designed, numbered, oyster, aka shrimp or seafood cocktail, forks that Gorham presented in its 1886 catalogue (see enlargement 2), No. 10 features a ball top with twisted stems.

This offering is for a full set of twelve matched pieces, all in flawless, original condition.

Each one measures 5 7/8" long, while the group weigh 4.7 T. oz.

They have three tines, the center one of which is spear form, joined to a cupped heel with scalloped... Click for details

Bruce Cherner Antique Silver  
2505   $390.00

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length 5 3/4 inches, weight 7.37 Troy ounces, excellent condition, marked and monogrammed as shown in enlargements. Although these don't have the "h" weight designation, they are exceptionally heavy for their size.

Compare on the Big Bad Auction site (item 154699050597) @89.00 each!

Old Friends  
5356f   $60.00

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A long handled version, this olive spoons measures 7" as against a regular length 5 1/2" or so for this form. It weighs .7 T. oz.

Made by Watson, the pattern is Bridal Flower, introduced in 1910.

Although dating from late in the Art Nouveau period, this follows fully after that style, with a very fluid interpretation of the lily blossoms that form the centerpiece of the design.

The gold finish bowl (front and back sides) is shell form, with scalloped edges and a ribbed and... Click for details

Old Friends  
5355f   $145.00

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Lengthy at 10 1/4" and weighing 2.6 T. oz., this all silver server is likely a fish slice although some sources identify it as an ice cream server.

Ice cream servers tend to be more bulbous or stubby than fish slices, while conversely the later is more slender and generally has a more pointed tip and flatter surface than the former, and this goes in that direction. For contemporary usage, it could be used for a multitude of purposes.

Made by Gorham, whose "lion, anchor, G" emblem and the... Click for details

Old Friends  
5352f   $60.00

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The larger of two sizes of sugar tongs that Reed & Barton produced in one of its flagship Art Nouveau designs, Les Cinq Fleurs, this item measures 4 5/8" long and weighs a relatively heavy 1.2 T. oz.

Issued at the turn of the 20th century, the pattern features a variety of deeply textured and highly detailed flowers, each one specific to the particular item.

The portraiture on this is poppy.

It has talon grips and a wide arch with raised edges on either side.

The arms... Click for details