Catalog

An early production piece, this Lily gravy ladle is marked with Whiting's "lion" emblem, "Sterling," an Old English "O," "Pat. 1902" and "R'd 1902," all in fine lettering on the handle back.

An expressive Art Nouveau design, the pattern is expressed in intricate, high relief detail on this large scale, 7 1/4" long with a 2 1/2" by 2 1/4" bowl, very heavy, 3.37 T. oz., solid silver piece.

The bowl is shell form, with a scalloped edge and ribbed body that is finished with a satin matt...

Standing 1 3/4" tall and 1 3/4" in diameter, this 1.3 T. oz., sterling silver napkin ring is a relatively large item.

It is marked "S 135" on the interior, which designator is thought to have been used by Wood & Hughes, New York City.

Dating circa 1880, it has a flat walled body with top and bottom rims. These are bordered by a repeating design that is in the manner of a Vitruvian scroll.

Apropos of its period, the sides are engraved in an Aesthetic design that features ferns or ...

Generously sized at 1 1/2" high and 1 3/4" in diameter, and weighing .74 T., the style of this napkin ring suggests an 1860s to 1880s date of manufacture.

Appealingly simple in design, it features rolled rims adjoining knurled bands top and bottom. These are separated from a central, plain, concave band by raised beading.

The central band is finished in a bright gold wash, as is the entire inside surface, which is an unusual detail for a napkin ring. The name "Jennie" is engr...

Well-regarded in its late 19th/early 20th century period, the Newark, New Jersey firm of William B. Kerr was particularly well-known for its Art Nouveau jewelry as well as children's items, of which this 6 1/4" diameter, 4.2 T. oz., solid sterling silver plate is an example.

It has a rolled edge with a 1 1/4" wide rim that is acid etched with the words Old Mother Hubbard interspersed with a variety of figures evoked by this nursery rhyme.

These include an endearing portraiture of Mo...

The Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers by Dorothy Rainwater indicates that "The Kalo Shop" was founded in 1900 by Clara Barck Welles and "went on to become the largest and most influential producer of handwrought silverware and jewelry in the midwest."

Rainwater further notes that "Mrs. Welles retired in 1940." Given that this 10 1/8" long, 3.6 T. oz., serving spoon is engraved on the backside, "AS HCM" over "Feb. 14, 1939," it traces to the founder's working years, which le...

Lengthy at 9 5/8" and weighty at 2.9 T. oz., this serving spoon has a large, 4" long by 2 1/2" at the widest by 5/8" deep, bowl with flanged shoulders, a central rib in the base, and a gold washed surface that is bright cut and wriggle work engraved in a blackberry and leaves design.

Dating circa 1880, it is stamped "J.S. MacDonald" for the late 19th century Baltimore firm, and with the word "Sterling."

The "Old English Reverse Tipt" handle features an engraved "Lily" pattern that shows th...

Syracuse, New York, was a major silver manufacturing center in the mid to late 19th century. Joseph Seymour, the maker of this 8 1/4" long, 1.9 T. oz., berry spoon, was one of the most prominent names among that city's firms, with a history that began in 1846, terminating in 1905.

An innovative producer, Dorthy Rainwater in her "Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers" notes that he received a patent for making spoons in 1859, and further that, "the company was one of the first to mak...

One of numerous mid 19th century silver manufacturers situated in cities along the Hudson River, John L. Westervelt of Newburgh was a major producer in his 1840s to 1880s period.

This lengthy at 7 1/2" and weighty at 1.3 T. oz., master butter knife is stamped with his "star, lion, D" emblem along with "Sterling" on the blade backside.

The pattern is Ivy, which was one of Westervelt's full line designs. Naturalistic in manner, Ivy faithfully represents this vine which served ...

A highly regarded iteration of the Medallion genre popular among silver manufacturers of the 1860s, nearly all of John Wendt's product in this line was retailed through New York's "Ball, Black & Co.," whose name, along with "Patent" and "925," appear on the backside of this 5 3/4" long, approximately .8 T. oz., relatively heavy, youth fork.

Appropriate to the item function, the figure on this is young and could in fact be either male or female and thus a suitable association for a chil...

A purveyor of fine quality antique jewelry and decorative artifacts, as well as (hand crafted) reproduction English sterling silver, James Robinson is a prestigious New York City firm with a history dating to 1912.

This 10" long, weighty 2.7 T. oz., meat skewer, sometimes identified as a letter opener, is an item from this highly touted source, stamped for London, Sterling, a letter date of 1982, and a script "JR" for the firm.

In addition, the word "England" is imprinted in script on th...

The name Gorham immediately evokes Jabez Gorham of Providence, Rhode Island, and the legendary firm he founded.

The same surname, however, appears in the history of 18th and 19th century silversmithing in New Haven, Connecticut.

This minor dynasty included Miles Gorham, his son by the same name, and his nephew John, whose "J. Gorham" mark is imprinted on this lengthy, 8 7/8", 1.5 T. oz. coin silver spoon.

Born in 1789, Flynt & Fales Heritage Foundation Collection of Silver notes ...

While marked "Pat. Appld. For," along with maker's name "J[ohn]. Cook," New York City, later examples of this unnamed pattern indicate the patent was actually issued in 1869, dating this some time before that.

The piece is a large, 9 7/8" long, 2.4 T. oz., die struck, coin silver server, likely for ice cream.

The "rosette and bellflower" pattern is similar to A. & W. Wood's Clematis and less closely so to an unnamed one by Michael Gibney, both contemporaneous in time and place with ...

These six matching, heavy at 7.6 T. oz. the group, spoons all measure 7 1/8" long and are marked "John A. Cole" along with a "bust, lion, D" hallmark that John McGrew in Manufacturers' Marks on American Coin Silver attributes to an unknown New York City manufacturer.

McGrew offers dates 1841-59 for John A. Cole, New York City, as does Louise Belden in Marks of American Silversmiths and both sources indicate he was a manufacturer as well as jeweler, although these were likely onl...

As was a practice with many American silver manufacturers working in coin, even more so did Canadian silversmiths employ pseudo hallmarks imitative of English silver to identify their work.

This 8 5/8" long, weighty at 2.1 T. oz., circa 1840, coin silver table serving spoon is a case in point. It is stamped with a "crown, bust, lion" along with "IM" for John Munro, and "NB" for the province of New Brunswick, the city of St. John in this case, for the this maker.

A well-crafted piece, it ha...

Dating from the mid 19th century, these two matching master salt spoons each measure 3 3/4" long and weigh .6 T. oz. combined.

An Oval Thread pattern, they are stamped "Squire & Lander" for the New York City jeweler, along with the "star, lion, D" manufacturing mark of John L. Westervelt, Newburgh, New York.

The rounded bowls measure 1" by 3/4" and are moderately deep at 1/4".

They are engraved "Thorpe." in script set sideways on the handle fronts.

In excellent condition, the ...

Dating from the mid 19th century, this preserve or jelly spoon measures 7 1/4" long and weighs 1.0 T. oz.

It is stamped on the backside of the handle "J.E. Caldwell & Co." for the renowned Philadelphia jeweler and retailer of fine goods, and "Pure Coin," suggesting this piece may have been sourced from a New England manufacturer, given this term was typically used in that area.

It has a twisted central stem, with a broad, plum-shaped, tipt backside, end that is extensively engraved with br...

This large, 9 1/8" long, just over 3.0 T. oz. (95 grams), berry scoop or shovel (sometimes identified as a cracker scoop) is a mid 19th century item with Philadelphia provenance. It is marked "J.E. Caldwell & Co." for the renowned manufacturer turned jeweler from that city.

Other marks include "coin" for the silver standard, and very small cartouche with the letters "ET," for which there is not an immediate explanation.

The form is very much of its period and place. The handle has a twi...

A typical design of its mid 1860s period, this 7 3/16" long, 1.0 T. oz., jelly or preserve spoon has a plum-shaped bowl with a twisted shank that leads to a disk-shaped, pointed end, handle with a slightly tipt backside.

The handle obverse is extensively engraved in a fine, dense, bright cut and wriggle work, pattern that includes a fancy, feathered script, "MCO" monogram in the open reserve area.

It is stamped "James E. Caldwell & Co." on the backside for the renowned Philadelphia ...