Catalog: Silver

Many of our faithful readers have no doubt been wondering, "Has Cherner resigned, retired, been fired, got tired or perhaps become discouraged with the overall lack of interest in antiques unless they are being chased by strange folks on the telly"? Well, no, we actually took a bit of vacation and mostly stayed out of the shops so have little new to show but this lone Tiffany spoon.

If the hostess gift still lives, then this (and a pound of great coffee) would make a fine one...

First, let me protest my spell checker's version of "enamelled". We favor the doubled consonant, and have only capitulated to appease the mighty google.

Height 1 3/4; top diameter 4 1/8 inches, weight 3.92 oz. Troy, no monogram, some very minor enamel loss, light scratches and barely visible dents but fine overall condition, unmarked.

Knight was a designer and silversmith who achieved both Craftsman and Master designations from the Boston Society of Arts & Crafts...

7 7/16 inches long; fine condition; marked "H.H. PAT. 1866 2" and "LARMOUR & CO. / COIN"; monogrammed "T.A.S" (please view photo number two to see this and Satan's second appearance here on the little web page). Do you recall that sometimes the blades of these knives are wonderfully engraved with ivy and anthemions? Well don't get your hopes up because this one is perfectly plain...

with finely executed naturalistic engraving, matte finish, gilt interior, 2 3/4 inches high, top diameter: 2 inches, weight 3 oz. Troy, monogrammed "B.K" and something else (in Russian script) which you can see it in photo number three. A kind reader has told us that it means "to your health." There was one small dent that's been tapped out, and it's good work. Aside from that the condition is excellent. Click your mouse and then reach for the vodka; this is a lovely piece of silverware.

regional interest, Beggs & Smith, Cincinnati circa 1850, engraved "Irwin", some light wear but fine overall condition, length 5 3/8 inches. Did Irwin use this to embellish his hot dog, and if so was it a Kosher dog? Alas, we may never know...

height 4 3/4 inches, greatest diameter 2 3/4 inches, some stains to the interior and one minor flake on stopper but good overall condition, no monogram, marked with Gorham trademark and "D940".

bowls, marked only "sterling" and "J.E.Caldwell & Co." To say that these are "highly carved" would be an understatement, and though about a hundred years old they are in essentially new condition. Length five inches, no monogram.

alas the bottom half only but at least you may use it to serve elegantly, weight 37 oz Troy, 12 3/8 X 9 3/8 X 2 inches, engraved with crest "stans cum rege" (standing with the King) as shown in photo number two.

length 8 3/4 inches, monogrammed "B" (obverse, Old English), fine condition, weight 3.2 Troy ounces.

length 5 3/4+ inches, some light pattern wear (reverse, see third photo) but fine overall condition, monogrammed, marked with Gorham trademark and "Copyrighted".

Italian, Florence circa 1880. What makes an object extraordinary? In the case of a sculpture, it must be well modelled. Then, it must be cast by a capable founder so that every last detail of the clay model is captured in the metal. Finally, the condition must be flawless. Our bird meets all three criteria without ruffling a feather. Height 2 3/4+ inches, weight 3.44 oz...

in the form of miniature 18th century porringers, length across handles 3 1/4; diameter of opening 1 3/4 inches, some minor etching of interior (see third photo) as is often seen in salt cellars but fine overall condition, no monogram, weight 3.31 oz. Troy the pair.

die rolled border and engraved cartouche centering monogram "Des." (or perhaps it's Wes, or even Ves?) diameter 1 3/4, height 2 inches, weight a pleasantly hefty 2 oz. Troy, some light wear to engraving but fine overall condition, marked only "sterling / 11".

Several years ago when Gorham was still in the Providence area and owned by Brown Forman, they decided to reissue some popular early patterns. We bought this piece "new and in the bag," though not directly from the factory. It has seen no use since then (1995 or so) and is in pristine condition. Length 9 inches, 3.06 oz. Troy, mark "Gorham Sterling." It is well worth a quick look at our third enlargement to see what a piece of Medallion flatware looks like, when freshly struck...

with a band of beading below each die-rolled border, monogrammed TSD (?) in period script with flourishes, one pinprick dent is visible in our first enlargement but fine overall condition, diameter and height 1 3/4 inches, weight 1.54 oz. Troy.

length 13 1/2; width 11; height 2 1/4 inches, in classic Art Nouveau form with embossed cherries along undulating border, no monogram, excellent condition though currently a bit bright (we're not responsible for this sin, alas...), weight 27 oz. Troy. Those who unlike Yours Truly have long strong memories may recall a similar example which we helped place in the Gorham collection at RISD (see Silver Magazine, March/April '98, p. 18). This one is a bit better, we think...

retailed and presumably designed by F.E. Ladd, length 5 1/2 inches, weight .8 oz. Troy, elaborate shaded script monogram, fine condition. A spoon which not so very long ago commonly sold for upward of two hundred dollars, at auction. Take advantage of the slight slowdown in the antiques market, while it lasts, to get this item at an advantageous price...

length nine inches, weight 1.53 oz troy, monogrammed "R.A. Newhall" (script, obverse), excellent condition.

Prevear was a silversmith, watchmaker, and inventor. He was born in Northampton (1818) and apprenticed to Samuel Harrington of Amherst, who later became his partner. He married Olive Hanscome in Amherst (1843), and after her death married a second time (1856) to Elizabeth Pranker, an 1853 graduate of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, now Mt. Holyoke College...