Catalog

Offered is an important find - an early American coin silver dessert spoon by John Beck, a silversmith working in Warrior's Mark, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania around 1824-30. This information comes from Metzgar and Whisker's "Pennsylvania Clockmakers and Watchmakers Goldsmiths and Silversmiths - A Checklist". Metzgar and Whisker also cite a reference to an 1887 history of Clarion County, which notes that one John Beck was the first watchmaker there (perhaps the late 1830s to 1840s). I have...

Offered is a very rare example of the output of the partnership of Charles and George Fletcher of Philadelphia, brothers to the famous silversmith and proprietor Thomas Fletcher, whose firm Fletcher and Gardiner would set the standard for monumental silver for a time in Philadelphia. Charles and George united in partnership in July 1818, and dissolved their union by early 1824. Their run in business together appears to have been rather unsuccessful; aside from this teaspoon, I have observed on...

Offered is an unusual example of an early American coin silver spoon made in the workshop of Joseph Shoemaker but also struck with a large mark of a "T" - the mark could be a journeyman's, but is so large and placed in such a way as to undercut Shoemaker's maker's mark. As such it is unlikely the mark was on the spoon when it was first marked by Shoemaker. It is possible the spoon was resold by someone else, but the most likely explanation is that it was an inventory stamp within the family. ...

Offered is an American coin silver teaspoon by Robert and William Wilson of Philadelphia, circa 1825-45, stamped CLINTON CO. to denote that this piece was used as a prize at an agricultural fair in Clinton County (not sure which state). I've had two other pieces so stamped, and eBay recently had a beaker with the same stamp; all were made by R. & W. Wilson. It appears a wide variety of silver was given away at this county fair, wherever it was held. This teaspoon also bears a period engraved ...

Offered is a very good and fairly large Victorian rolled gold or gold plated brooch with what appears to be an amethyst. It appears to be a gemstone rather than glass. This brooch dates to the 1865-80 range and is very likely American. It measures a little over 2 1/8 inches wide by about 1 1/2 inches high, and weighs about 8 grams. This piece has wear commensurate with age from normal use and a few tiny dings or dimples, and overall is in excellent condition for its age - ready to wear! Ret...

Offered is a gorgeous pair of American coin silver sugar tongs by Ward & Cox, a very short-lived (1811) partnership between silversmiths Jehu Ward and Benjamin Cox. This pair of sugar tongs, dating back more than two hundred years, is exceptional for its form and execution. See the pictures for the lovely detail on the grips and the fine proportions. These tongs measure about 5 5/8 inches in length, and weigh about 44 grams. The tongs bear an engraved period script monogram to the bow, and a...

Offered is a fine American coin silver teaspoon made or retailed by James Cook Hanna of New Castle, Pennsylvania, circa 1850. This spoon measures about 6 inches in length and weighs about 16 grams. It is engraved "RF" in period script and has a well-struck, clear maker's mark. Condition is very good overall, with modest wear and some small bumps to the bowl. All in all a fine piece of Pennsylvania coin silver! James Cook Hanna (1826 - 1898) - Working in New Castle, Lawrence County, PA c...

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 appears to be virtually unavailable in the market. 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 adva...

Offered is a very rare and fairly early example of Chicago coin silver from the 1840s or 1850s, by Chicago silversmith Isaac Spear (also spelled Speer). Mr. Spear's information appears below the item description. This piece has a lightly engraved period script monogram and a good clear maker's mark. The CHICAGO city mark is scarce and difficult to find. This piece measures about 5 7/8 inches in length and weighs about 14 grams. Condition is good overall, with some slight dimples in the bowl ...

Offered is a good American coin silver teaspoon by New Jersey watchmaker, jeweler and silversmith Henry B. James, whose biographical information appears below. This teaspoon measures 6 3/16 inches in length and weighs about 16 grams. It has a nicely executed period script engraved monogram, and a rubbed but legible maker's mark. Condition overall is good, with some surface wear and signs of use and shallow dings to the bowl, but no splits or repairs. This spoon would almost certainly date to...

Offered is a nice Dover coin silver teaspoon by silversmith George Gray, who was born around 1800 and worked in Dover from the 1820s until at least 1860. He was listed as retired in 1870 and died around 1875. This spoon bears one of several maker's marks known for him, in this case his initials in a serrated rectangular punch. This spoon measures about 6 1/8 inches in length and weighs about 14 grams. It has an engraved period script monogram and the maker's mark is clear and legible. Condi...

Offered is a nice little American coin silver master salt spoon by silversmith Albert Titcomb (1802 - 1890), who was working in Portland, ME between about 1823-35 alone and between 1835-46 in partnership with Philip Titcomb in Portland. After 1846, Albert continued to work as a silversmith, but moved his shop to Bangor and worked there until about 1880. This piece was almost certainly made during Albert's Portland years, and the mark of TITCOMB in a serrated punch could have been used by him a...

Offered is a good set of Georgian Irish sterling silver sugar tongs, fully hallmarked for Dublin, circa 1828-29, with a maker's mark of WC, most likely for Dublin silversmith William Cummins. According to web sources, Cummins worked from 1813 to 1846, was quite successful, and was expert at his craft. His name was apparently sometimes spelled “Comyns”. This set of sugar tongs measures about 6 1/8 inches in length and weighs a solid 46 grams. There is no monogram or armorial, and no sign o...

Offered is a good American coin silver sauce or cream ladle measuring about 6 3/8 inches in length and weighing about 32 grams, engraved with an armorial of a hound's head erased, issuing from a coronet. This piece bears the maker's mark of Platt & Brothers, silversmiths of New York City, NY, working circa 1836-46 with a shop at 12 Maiden Lane. Crested American coin silver is comparatively uncommon but was especially popular in New York City and in Baltimore. This ladle is in very good condit...

Offered is a nice Philadelphia coin silver teaspoon by silversmith William Baily, Jr., bearing a specimen example of his early mark, with the Jr. being used while his father (also a silversmith) was still alive. This piece probably dates prior to 1835. This piece measures about 6 1/8 inches in length and weighs about 16 grams. Condition is fair, with some dimpling to the bowl and some ripples in the handle, but no splits or repairs. All in all a fine piece of Philadelphia silver!

Offered is a very fine, almost unused copy of what has gotten to be an impossible-to-find foundational reference work on Parisian silversmiths - Catherine Arminjon's "Dictionnaire des poincons de fabricants d'ouvrages d'or et d'argent Paris 1838-1875". Arminjon also published a volume on Paris silversmiths prior to 1838, and both of her books on Paris silversmiths have become very expensive since they went out of print fifteen or twenty years ago. The only copy of this book available on Amazon...

Offered is a challenge - identify the silversmith who made this spoon, with a verifiable attribution, and I will send you a surprise coin silver teaspoon in good condition as a prize! I haven't yet found this mark anywhere, and thought it an interesting experiment to leverage the talents of some of the silver enthusiasts and experts out there. This piece measures about 9 1/2 inches in length and weighs about 50 grams. It is marked I*C in an irregular punch. The engraving and monogram are in ...

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 sp...