Catalog

Replete with imagery, "Florentine" is one of the most intricate designs Gorham produced in the early 20th century.

It features the figure of a bearded man at the handle terminus, a pedestal urn laden with fruit midway up the handle, and an array of other fruit and acanthus leaf elements overall.

This example is a 9" long, very heavy at 4.3 T. oz., berry spoon.

The bowl is large, 3 5/8" long by 2 7/8" at the widest, has decorated flange shoulders, and retains traces of an original gol...

Featuring a finely rendered portraiture of a Native American in a squatting position, this souvenir item is unusual in that it is a citrus spoon rather than the typical teaspoon.

Made by Durgin, whose "D" emblem appears on the backside, along with "Sterling" and "Pat. Apd. For," it measures 6" long and weighs .8 T. oz.

The piece is well-crafted, with a sculptural quality to the detailed, high relief, imagery that includes a box turtle at the join between the handle and bowl and the word "...

Gorham's "Grecian" was an early line pattern in the history of that company, patented in 1861, as indicated by the stamp on the reverse of this 8 5/8" long, approximately 1.9 T. oz., berry spoon.

Other marks include a "lion, anchor, G," and the name of the retailer, Baltimore's "Geo. Webb & Co."

The design incorporates a large, fan-like, anthemion end attached to a tubular handle. The backside of the anthemion is plain with a leafy border, and never monogrammed.

The bowl is melon fo...

This salad serving fork and spoon have a double provenance that bespeaks the finest of mid 19th century silver manufacturing and retailing.

Made by George Sharp of Philadelphia, they are stamped with his "lion, S, lion" emblem, as well as "Tiffany & Co.," who would have retailed this pair about the mid 1860s. Presumably they are sterling rather than coin silver, given that Tiffany early on required this.

They are exceptionally large items, with the fork measuring 10 3/4" long and weighin...

Biographical information for Danish silversmith Paul Bang is difficult to unearth, although one online source lists his working dates 1935-80.

He evidently designed a considerable amount of quality jewelry, and less so, flat and holloware, based on the ratio of what internet searches yield.

Although not identified as a worker for Georg Jensen, his name frequently seems to surface in conjunction with that renowned maker. His work is decidedly Danish Modern, in a Jensenesque manner.

T...

Larger than a teaspoon at 6 3/8" long, and weighing just over 1.1 T. oz., this piece is the size of a youth spoon. Apparently, it was originally presented to "Agnes" whose name is engraved sideways in script on the handle.

It is an English, Victorian era item, fully hallmarked for George Adams of London, with a date letter for 1852. Chawner was of the Firm Chawner & Co., which reference work "Jackson's Hallmarks" describes as "the most important [English] mid 19th century firm of spoon ma...

Each of these eight teaspoons measures 5 3/4" long and is relatively heavy, with the set weighing 6.8 T. oz.

Issued by Gorham in 1882, the pattern is "Fontainebleau," which is a design that features characters from the French Court of Francis I (see image 2 for all the figures). The specific image on these is a woman garbed in a bustled dress, carrying a kettle in one hand and supporting a large cup or mug in the other.

These are early examples, all marked with Gorham's "lion, anchor, G...

An early example of Tiffany's "Japanese," to be distinguished from the later reissue "Audubon," this piece is marked "Tiffany & Co.," "Sterling," "M," and "Pat. 1871."

The handle is upraised, has a satin finish front and back, and protruding knobs on the sides, all of which are distinguishing features between "Japanese" and "Audubon."

This piece is a 7" long, substantial weight at 1.5 T. oz., (sweet) jelly spoon. Smaller than a berry or preserve spoon, and larger than a sugar, this seems...

Arising during the rococo period, English "picture (fancy) back" silver encompassed many designs.

This image is one of six, matching pieces made by the partnership of John Langlands & John Robertson of Newcastle, each one of which features a stylized shell with foliate elements.

They measure 5" long each and weigh 2.5 T. oz. the lot., and have down turned, reverse tipt, "Old English" handles with exposed drops.

The fronts have a feathered script "JML" monogram.

All are in very g...

Derivative of the Aesthetic Movement, Tiffany's 1880 date of issue "Lap-Over-Edge" is one of the stand out patterns among exotic designs in silver.

It was offered in three versions, plain, acid etched, and with applied elements. This pair of tongs are acid etched, showing a leaf and vine design on one arm and clover blossom and leaves on the other.

The work is intricate, precise, and artfully expressed. The etching wraps around the edges of the handle, which feature lends the pattern i...

A late 19th century pattern produced by Dominick & Haff, "Trianon" is as fully French in style as its name implies.

It is replete with scrolls, acanthus leaves, and delicate leaves and flowers, all under a rococo mantle and set in moderately high relief.

There were two versions, one with a solid background and one pierced. This 6 1/4" long, .9 T. oz., youth fork is the latter.

It was never monogrammed or inscribed, and is in very fine condition. It has a warm finish, retains excelle...

A style mode that provided for a great diversity of expression and innovation, "mixed metal" pieces are among the most commanding of items produced by silver manufacturers during the late 19th century Aesthetic period.

Not surprisingly, the two dominant names in 19th century silver, Gorham and Tiffany, generated the greatest variety of pieces in this medium.

This example was made by Gorham in 1881, as indicated by the date letter imprinted on the backside. Other marks include the compan...

Wallace produced several Art Nouveau floral patterns in the early 20th century, of which "Peony" stands in a category by itself. It is exceptionally heavy, has three dimensional intaglio (meaning cut in) and upraised surfaces, embodies a liquid look, and is highly expressive.

This example is an 8 1/4" long, and consistent with the line, weighty at nearly 2.8 T. oz., medium sized cold meat fork. The serving end has four straight tines.

The handle is inscribed with a feathered script "M"...

Stamped "Tiffany & Co. Makers," "Sterling Silver," "925-1000," and with a lower case "m," this master salt was put into production in 1902 as indicated by the model number "15251."

This was a period when Tiffany made reproduction items or designs inspired by older, especially English Georgian, holloware, and that is the case with this piece. It is round, cauldron shaped, and stands on three pad feet with acanthus leaf sprays where the legs are attached.

There is a rolled rim upper edge ...

Introduced in 1885, Whiting's "Lily of the Valley" immediately established itself as an outstanding pattern, and has remained sought after ever since.

Sculptural in nature, it features a raised stalk of blossoms enveloped by leaves, which form the margins of the handle. The ground behind the blossoms is lined, again representative of the leaves, and this also serves as an enhancing design element.

In sum, it reflects influences from the innovative design sensibilities of the Aesthetic m...

A 7" long, approximately 1.7 T. oz., item, this ladle is fully hallmarked for sterling, London, 1793-94, and makers George Smith and William Fearn.

Appropriate to the period, it is "Old English," style, with a downturned, reverse tipt, handle and a thumb drop on the bowl. The front has a feathered script "R" monogram.

The bowl is unusual in that it is a perfectly shaped hemisphere, 2 1/16" in diameter and 3/4" deep.

It is in very good condition, absent any bends, breaks, or cracks, ...

While hallmarked for Chester, England, with a date letter for 1908-09, this sterling silver tea caddy spoon has dual Scottish associations.

First is the maker's identifier, which is "MF" in a rectangle. This is for M(ontague) Friedlander & Co., who also registered in the Glasgow, Scotland assay office.

Secondly, it is inscribed on the reverse with a crest and a Gaelic motto "carid nam fecham" ("a friend in time of trial") both of which are associated with the Smythe family of Balharry, ...

Slightly more elaborated than "Cottage" as popularized Gorham, this rounded end design with a small fleur-de-lis, slightly upturned, srolled tip end has a thread edge and may be the design advertised as "Threaded" by the maker, Newell Harding & Co. of Boston. Additional design elements include an elaborated fleur-de-lis on the reverse heel of the bowl.

The manufacturer's name appears on the backside of this 9" long, just over 3.1 T. oz., large serving, likely pudding, spoon. Other marks incl...