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.

length across handles twelve inches, width six inches, height six inches, weight 27.13 Troy ounces, fine condition, monogrammed as shown.

Whiting could easily have incorporated the rocaille design into the dies which were used to strike the body of this piece. Instead, they chose to use applied decoration along the foot and below the lid, a more difficult and costly technique. The resulting three-dimensionality lifts this tureen out of the realm of "good" and into that of "exceptional".

Let's stop right there. I don't for a moment believe that this item was made in Boston. Most everything about it: the floral four toed feet, chased foliage with "ring matted" background (see Forbes, plate 41), silversmith's center punch on the top (see fourth photo), the overall heft and construction suggest that it was made in Canton province. Can I prove it? No, not yet at any rate. Diameter, 8.5"; height .75"; weight 14.0 oz...

length 8 inches, a massive 2.85 oz. Troy each, no monogram, excellent condition.

Scroll down our main catalogue page a bit and you'll find two others, monogrammed and slightly more moderate in price, but equally functional.

with acid etched Art Deco engraving, height 4 5/8; top diameter 3 inches, total Troy weight 17.0 ounces, one minor flea bite on rim (please see fifth enlargement-- we'll burnish this out a bit before shipping) but excellent overall condition, monogrammed as shown.

guilloché enamel box, three distinct patterns visible in the engine turned engraving depending on your angle of vision (see enlargements), double hidden integral hinges opening outward from the center, gilt interior, 3 1/4 by 2 1/8 by 3/8 inches. There is a minor flake in the enamel (see third photo) which doesn't extend through to the metal, and some scuffing around the edges on reverse but aside from this the condition is superb...

(for lack of a better description we'll call it this) with finely detailed alternating satyr's heads and irises above an urn shaped vessel decorated with garlands of highly three-dimensional applied flowers, height 9 1/2 inches, weight 14.09 Troy ounces, monogrammed as shown, one extremely minor dent which will not show up in a photo but excellent overall condition.

Kerr, a famous Newark jewelry and silver manufacturer of the early twentieth century, was noted for excellence of design...

New York circa 1750, with round upturned end, spatulate midrib, long elliptical bowl and molded drop, length 7 3/4 inches, weight 1.72 oz. Troy.

There is slight tip wear from right handed use, a few minor insults to the bowl (including a scratch, reverse), and significant wear to the monogram "B / E * E". On the whole, however, this spoon presents itself well. To quote Quimby in American Silver at Winterthur, "Stoutenburgh left a small body of high quality work"...

length 9 5/8 inches, weight 4.86 Troy ounces, monogrammed "M" (obverse, Old English), gilt tines with a bit of table wear to gold wash on underside but excellent overall condition.

Most American silver manufacturers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries offered some variant of the Chrysanthemum pattern. As faithful readers of our little web page will know, here is my favorite one of them all...

indeed riotous chrysanthemum decoration, height 3 3/4 inches, weight 3.32 Troy ounces, top diameter 2 3/8 inches, applied circular cartouche with no monogram, seamed construction, a minor test file mark on base (please see fourth photo at nine-o-clock position) but excellent overall condition.

Tuck Chang worked in Shanghai, and this piece dates from about 1890...

10 1/2 inches long; fine condition; monogrammed "MJM" (at end) in period script with flourishes; marked "BALL BLACK & CO / 950"; weight 6.5 oz. Troy. Also known as a "yoked" asparagus tongs, which sounds a bit bovine to these ears...

Philadelphia circa 1790, from the same service as item 0867 although the bright cut decoration is slightly different in execution, length 9 1/4 inches, immaculate condition.