Durgin's "Marechal Niel" offers a high relief, multi-dimensional portraiture of the rose which is its namesake. It is double die struck, meaning the design appears on both the front and back sides of the handle. This group of eight matching, 5 13/16" long, just over 6.9 T. oz., teaspoons are without monograms or removals and are in immaculate condition, showing no wear whatsoever. They have well-shaped bowls free of dings, dents, or scratches and the overall finishes are brilliant...

Having hexagonal bases and walls leading to rounded tops, each of these identical individual nut (or candy) dishes has a top diameter of 1 5/8", a base width of 1", and stands 1/2" high. The group together weigh 1.8 T. oz. All the interiors are finished in a gold wash. Marked only "Sterling" on the undersides, there is no identification as to maker, but they are clearly American. Their hammered surfaces done in the Arts & Crafts style suggests a date in the first quarter of the 20th century...

Dating from 1875, Wood & Hughes' "Cellini" falls into the Renaissance Revival style that was popular in the period. This set of matching ice cream spoons measure 5 9/16" long each and weigh 4.7 T. oz. the set. They have ovoid bowls with flanged rims and matte finish interiors. Both sides of the bowls had gold washes, with the backsides retaining more of this detail than the fronts. There are no monograms or removals and the condition of all eight pieces is flawless...

Frank Whiting produced a number of lesser known but innovative designs in the late 19th century, and "Esther" is one of them. Utilizing a scroll and leaf motif, the pattern has strong Aesthetic elements. It is asymmetrical and tends toward an abstracted, free form look in the bowl. The work is precisely rendered and quite subtle, with for example a stippled ground in the area behind the handle details. This sugar spoon measures 5 7/8" long and weighs .9 T...

Originated in 1894, "Verona" bespeaks its late Victorian vintage. It incorporates a variety of scroll, leaf and floral elements in an intricate portraiture. The maker was A.F. Towle, which later became Lunt. This example is a 5 1/4" long tea infuser. The lidded bowl is particularly decorative, with a finely engraved surface complimenting patterned piercings. It latches with a clip. The piece is in flawless condition and without a monogram or removal...

Card cases were fashionable items in the 19th century, and this coin silver one made c. 1860 by Albert Coles of New York would have made a notable statement for its owner. It measures 3 3/8" by 2 3/8" by 1/8". Both sides of the piece are intricately engraved with ivy and lotus or palmetto leaf detailing, which are motifs that would have been especially popular at the time. The work is impressive enough to bring it to the edge between craft and artistry...

Measuring 11" long and weighing 4.3 T. oz., this size coin silver ladle is often described as an oyster versus a soup, which is generally longer and can run to 14". It is stamped on the reverse with the three part mark of New York's Albert Coles and is an especially fine example of his work and mid 19th century American silver crafting in general. The shank is a solid square tube with faceted edges. The upper end of the handle is broad and flat with shaped margins and a "fan" top. This is ex...

Measuring about 7 5/8" long and weighing 1.2 T. oz., this coin silver item is the length of a tea or dessert knife. That it is engraved "William" in script on the handle, however, suggests it might originally have been a youth knife. In any case, it is an especially appealing example of mid 19th century silver, offered by a well known New York City maker, Albert Coles, whose three part pseudo hallmark is stamped on the backside of the blade. The handle is flat with a shaped outline and has a ...

This coin silver cheese scoop in Albert Coles' (NY) Jenny Lind stands apart on several counts. First, it is a form not usually seen by this maker. Second, it is in a form that pairs a solid shank with a hollow handle. While examples of this routinely show up in master butter knives, youth and pickle sets, and tea knives, this pairing in a substantial serving item is quite out of the ordinary. It is completely original, and self-evidently so, with the maker's mark stamped on the shank, and a ...

Classified as a "Medallion" pattern, Albert Coles' "Kenilworth" drew its imagery from English literature rather than classicism. That said, the portraiture of the male figure is interpreted in a manner that is consistent with the numerous mythological characters produced by other makers of the same 1860's period. This example is a 7 5/8" long, weighty, nearly 1.4 T. oz., master butter knife. The handle and blade are set at right angles to each other. The blade has a scalloped upper edge and ...

This 8 5/8" long, 2.7 T. oz., coin silver berry or serving spoon was produced by New York's Albert Coles, whose three part hallmark appears on the backside of the handle. Dating from c. 1860, it reflects the strong period interest in Classicism. The end of the handle portrays a highly articulated, multidimensional warrior bust set atop a pediment base. This has a flat backside, and although hollow, of substantial thickness. The central part of the shank is tubular and faceted. There are two...

A 1905 pattern, Alvin "Sorrento" stands in a design category of its own. It does not follow after the Art Nouveau of the period, nor does it embody the neocolonial fashion that supplanted Nouveau. That said, it is an appealing and rather lush design that incorporates floral, leaf, and scroll elements. This example is a 9 1/2" long, predictably heavy, 3.7 T. oz., asparagus server. The blade end has four broad tines and decorated and raised shoulders. There is a fancy, feathered script "W" mo...