Catalog

Dating from 1870, John Wendt's Florentine is an intricately detailed and finely rendered, Renaissance Revival, design with Moorish undertones.

This 7" long, relatively weighty 1.32 T. oz., preserve or jelly spoon is a particularly fine example in pristine condition.

It has a generously proportioned, 2 1/2" long, 1 5/8" at the widest, 1/2" deep, shell form bowl with scalloped edges and a ribbed interior, all finished in a pale, satin matte, gold wash front and back sides.

The sh...

Measuring 7 3/4" long overall, with a 2 1/4" diameter by 1" deep bowl, and weighing 2.06 T. oz., this is a generously proportioned, solid silver, gravy ladle.

The pattern is Union, made by John Wendt, and in this case retailed by "Starr & Marcus," New York, as stamped on the handle backside, along with "Sterling" and "Patent."

Introduced in 1862, Union is a period design that is similar enough to Gibney by F.H. Gibney, later Whiting, and also dating 1862, that the two ...

An Indo-Persian pattern, Gorham's Hindostanee was issued in 1878, as indicated by the "Pat. 78" that appears on the handle backside of this 7 3/4" long, 1.77 T. oz., serving spoon.

Other marks include the company's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Sterling," and the word "Gorham," which may indicate the piece was sold in the company's New York City store, or it may simply be a redundant mark.

Gorham used a number of bowls for this line, and that on this, a small berry or preserve spoon, i...

This intact youth set is comprised of a 7 3/8" long, 1.1 T. oz., solid silver flat handle knife, a 6 3/8" long, .9 T. oz., fork, and a 5 7/8" long, .64 T. oz., spoon.

In an Olive pattern, these are all original to one another with each engraved in script lettering, "C.J.A." to "C.A.P."

The commonality of the "C.A." letters prompts speculation about whether two generations shared names.

All pieces are stamped "C.A.W. Crosby," which was a Boston retailing firm established in 1852 ...

The firm of "Kitts & Werne" was a prominent jewelry and silver house in Louisville, Kentucky, known for quality offerings. John Kitts dates to 1838, while sources differ on the year of the founding of his pairing with Joseph Warne, ranging from 1860-64 and lasting until 1878.

This piece, which is marked "Kitts & Werne" is a 7 3/4" long, weighty at 2.0 T. oz., coin silver, sugar sifter.

There is some thought that larger items like this may actually have been early ice or pea spoons rather ...

Matching pieces, each of these four silver teaspoons measures 5 3/4" long, with the set weighing 1.64 T. oz.

The pattern is Fiddle Tipt which is a mid 19th century design. Each one is engraved with a fancy, feathered script, "A. R." monogram set sideways on the handle front.

These are marked "Sterling" when coin would be expected for this style, so whether they are early sterling examples, or later production pieces of an older design is uncertain.

That is one of two minor perple...

This piece measures 5 7/8" long and weighs a substantial 1.2 T. oz.

It is an original production example of Reed & Barton's Love Disarmed, issued in 1899, and is marked with the company's "eagle, R, lion" emblem, "Sterling," and "Pat. Appl'd For," all in very fine lettering.

All the details are exactly as they should be on an old example save that, significantly, the floral tip on the pattern is missing. It either broke off at some time, or this is a consequence of a defect in manuf...

Gorham's St. Cloud features a leaf and anthemion subject, with tight, circular, elements reminiscent of fern fronds, and shows Aesthetic influences, which is in keeping with its 1885 date of introduction.

This example of the pattern is a large, 7 3/4" long, substantial weight at 1.54 T. oz., solid silver master butter knife.

The flat blade is set at an angle to the handle and has a scalloped upper edge and gently rounded end.

The handle reverse is engraved with a fancy leaf scrip...

Dating circa 1865, this 8 1/2" long, 1.5 T. oz., solid coin silver berry or other large bowl serving piece was made by Albert Coles, New York City, whose three part "eagle, AC, bust" emblem appears on the back side.

A major manufacturer of his period, Coles was capable of producing sophisticated and well finished pieces and this spoon is exemplary of his work.

It has a twisted stem, which in this instance is a double twist, showing a smaller ridge between the larger ones (see center right ...

An early production example of Towle's Old Colonial flatware pattern, this piece is marked with the company's "standing lion in a shield emblem," "925/1000," "Sterling," and "Pat. 1895."

It is a 7 5/8" long, 1.5 T. oz., solid silver jelly knife.

The blade is long, narrow, pointed, and as is characteristic of this line, faceted, with scalloped shoulders and upper edge.

The design is a double Bead with Scroll detailing and a central open blocky area that resembles an ...

The form on this 5 1/2" long, 1.13 T. oz., piece is commonly referred to as a bucket ladle after the shape of the 2" round, 1" diameter, tapered wall bowl.

Generally solid, the form is for cream, but this instance in Gorham's 1893 Kensington pattern is a rare pierced example, and likely intended as a sugar sifter.

The piercing is delicate and varied, and covers the base and the lower margins of the wall. The interior is finished in a bright bright gold wash, and the exterior, which ...

Introduced in 1890, Douvaine was the first of numerous imaginative Art Nouveau patterns that Unger Brothers issued through the first decade of the 20th century that continue to make a statement over a century after their introduction.

Douvaine features a dolphin or fish like image set at the handle tip, and a renaissance or gargoyle figure situated midway on the handle.

This is all surrounded by an array of flowing elements that include a crosse...

A matched pair, these, round, open, footed master salt dishes stand 1 9/16" high, have a top openings that are 2 3/8" in diameter, body widths of 2 3/4", and although identical in design and dimension, have slightly different, both heavy, weights, with one 2.09 T. oz., and the other 2.48 T. oz.

They are stamped "Bailey & Co." (later Bailey, Banks & Biddle), Philadelphia, on the undersides along with a "lion, S, shield," emblem and an additional "lion." This hallmark is often associated with G...

Along with Ivy and Grecian, Mask (1859) was designed by New York City's Henry Hebbard and subsequently produced by Whiting.

Early examples were to a coin silver standard, but this later one, a 6" long, .77 T. oz., sugar spoon, is in "Sterling" and so marked, along with Whiting's "standing lion" emblem, and the name of the retailer, "J.H. Johnston," NYC.

A period design with gadroon and leaf detailing similar to Armor by Hebbard's sometimes partner John Polhamus...

To a European scale, each of these two, matching, forks measures 8" long. They are very heavy at 5.2 T. oz. the pair.

The pattern is a (Fiddle) Tipt, with beveled edges along the margins of the handles. The ends are slightly upturned, and the tines are long and tapered.

Each piece is fully marked with a "lion" for sterling, a "leopard's face" for London, a date letter "e" for 1834-35, a duty mark, and "WJ" for maker William Johnson.

Unadorned save for feathered script "H" mo...

This group of three pieces comprise a matched set, for either youth or traveling.

Sterling silver, they were made in Birmingham, England in 1833-34 by the firm of Taylor & Perry. The spoon is stamped with five identifying hallmarks, with the fork and knife having confirming partial marks.

The pattern is a robust grape leaf and fruit cluster that appears on the front and backsides of all three pieces. The spoon also has an elaborate, raised shell, motif on the heel reverse.

The solid sil...

An estate piece long held in one family, this chamber stick is a significant example of its form. It is stamped for London, 1801-2, sterling, and Robert Sharp, who is identified in Jackson's Hallmarks as an "important maker." Grimwade's London's Goldsmiths affords him a lengthy biographical entry.

It is large, with a base that measures 5 1/2" in diameter, 7" to the end of the solid finger grip, and stands 4" tall.

Solid silver, it weighs 9.4 T. oz.

The base has a raised ed...

This pair of 6" long tongs that weigh a sturdy near 2.0 T. oz., are consequential on several counts.

The first and most immediate feature is the design. They are a "French Thread" aka "Fiddle Thread" pattern with concave shells at the terminus of each arm. The shell form is repeated on the cupped grips.

The wide arch has a gentle point on either side, where it accommodates an unusual crest, which is the second outstanding aspect of this. The crest shows a helmeted knight's shoulders and he...