Old Friends  
4240f   On Hold

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Lengthy at 8 7/8" and weighing .9 T. oz., this olive spear or pick is solid silver.

The pattern is "Thistle," which is an early 20th century Art Nouveau design made by R. Blackinton & Co.

The high relief thistle flowers and leaves run the full length of both sides of the handle, with the leaves extending onto the shoulders of the twist.

Never monogrammed, this is in flawless condition. It retains clear pattern detail that is free of any polishing wear. There are no bends or burrs, and... Click for details

Old Friends  
4236f   $95.00

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This 7 3/8" long, 1.3 T. oz., youth knife (could double as a tea or dessert piece) has a hollow handle and flat, solid silver, blunt end blade.

It was made by Gorham, whose "lion, anchor, G" emblem and the word "Sterling" are imprinted on the blade backside.

An engaging design, the handle portrays pastoral scenes, with a woman and dog tending sheep on one side, and a man on horseback with scurrying chickens on the other.

While unnamed, the internet has embraced the name "Barnyard" for... Click for details

Old Friends  
4228f   $46.00

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Watson Newell's "Orchid" is one of numerous floral designs the company produced in the early part of the 20th century that yet stand as exemplary expressions of Art Nouveau design.

This example is a 5" long, .9 T. oz., cream ladle.

The flower is fully three-dimensional, rising out of the end of handle and folding over on itself in a highly expressive manner, with trailing leaves tracing their way up the handle margins, front and back sides.

The scalloped edge bowl has a flange margin... Click for details

Old Friends  
4221f   $46.00

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A 6" long, .8 T. oz. spoon with an "Old English," i.e. "Reverse Tipt," handle, this is stamped with the "lion, K, crown" emblem of Philadelphia silversmith Peter Krider and the word "Sterling."

A sugar spoon, although it bears some similarity to an ice cream spoon, it has a plum shaped, pointed end bowl with flange shoulders and a midrib down the center.

Likely dating from the 1870s, this exhibits the exquisite bright cut engraving for which Philadelphia silver of the period was renowned.... Click for details

Old Friends  
4209f   $85.00

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Writing in Silver Medallion Flatware, D. Albert Soeffing comments that "[Philo B.] Gilbert was a prominent New York City manufacturer, working for about thirty years. Although not well know today, he was one of the leading producers of his day."

This 6" long, .8 T. oz., coin silver sugar spoon is an early example of his "Medallion" pattern, marked only "Patent 1867."

Relatively rare, the line is multi-motif, featuring a variety of different helmeted knight's heads facing left. This... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20200426-05   $39.50

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Offered is a lovely American coin silver sauce or cream ladle by noted Philadelphia silversmith George K. Childs, who also eventually became Chief Coiner of the United States Mint in Philadelphia. This piece probably dates to the 1840s. It has a clear, well-struck maker's mark and a period engraved script monogram. This piece measures about 7 inches in length and weighs about 26 grams. Condition is good overall, with minor wear and signs of normal use, but no splits or repairs. All in all a... Click for details

Old Friends  
4202f   $52.00

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Lengthy at 7 5/8", this weighty, 1.3 T. oz., solid silver master butter knife is slender and graceful in design.

It has a thick, arched, plain handle with a "Tipt" end and a feathered script "B" monogram, along with a scalloped upper edge blade.

Dating circa 1870, it is marked "Sterling" and "Deming & Gundlach" for the Hartford, Connecticut partnership that was the 1859 successor to Walter Pitkin.

In exceptionally fine condition, the piece shows no significant wear or damage. The finish... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20200418-08   $22.50

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Offered is a good American coin silver dessert spoon by the partnership of J. Gorham & Son (Jabez Gorham and John Gorham), working in Providence, RI between 1841 and 1850. This spoon has a good strike of the firm's maker's mark (one of several used over the firm's history), and also has a "Providence.R.I." mark. This piece also features a period engraved owner's name in script. This spoon measures about 7 1/8 inches in length, and weighs about 27 grams. Condition overall is very good, with... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20200418-07   $22.50

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Offered is an interesting coin silver dessert spoon made circa 1850s by Gorham & Co. (John Gorham, Gorham Thurber and Lewis Dexter), in business in Providence, Rhode Island between 1852 and 1875. This framed mark with scalloped corners is most common in Providence silver of the 1840s and 50s, and multiple silversmiths and firms seem to have called upon the same die cutter. The framed mark for Gorham & Co. seems to be a fairly uncommon variant, perhaps used only for the first few years of the... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20200418-05   Sold

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Offered is a late American coin silver dessert spoon bearing manufacturer's marks for Hotchkiss & Schreuder and a retailer's mark for Allison & Bedford (Charles S. Allison and Robert H. Bedford, jewelers) working in partnership in Ionia, Michigan circa 1872-77. The marks are fairly clear and well-struck, and the spoon also has period engraved script owner's information. This spoon measures about 6 7/8 inches in length and weighs about 27 grams. Condition is fair, with some surface and tip... Click for details

Old Friends  
4198f   $245.00

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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... Click for details

Old Friends  
4197f   This item is currently being auctioned

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As a body, Philadelphia silver manufacturers of the second half of the 19th century exhibited great capacities in engraved design.

The quality of that work is exhibited on this 7 1/4" long, just over 1.0 T. oz., master butter knife stamped "Sterling" and "McCarty & Hurlbert" for the Philadelphia jeweler and manufacturer, 1876 successor to "Butler & McCarty," founded in 1849.

Both the "Old English" with reverse tipt end and the broad, notched, blade are extensively engraved in an Aesthetic... Click for details

Old Friends  
4195f   $285.00

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The quality of design and execution evident in this 7 1/2" tall, weighty at 6.8 T. oz., solid silver muffineer aka sugar shaker or castor bespeaks the reputation of its maker and the jeweler who retailed it.

Redlich & Co., whose "lion" emblem appears on the underside, traces to George Shiebler through one of its two cofounders, Adolph Ludwig, who was a designer with the latter firm.

Grogan & Co., also imprinted on the underside, was a carriage trade Pittsburgh jeweler, with it and Redlich... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20200412-01   Sold

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Offered is a very good American coin silver teaspoon bearing the maker's mark or retailer's mark of Philadelphia watchmaker and jeweler John J. Parry (fl. 1790s - 1835); this spoon should date to about 1825 and bears the Philadelphia eagle mark that either signifies manufacture by R. & W. Wilson, or was used by a percentage of the makers of Philadelphia between about 1825-50 to denote quality and/or origin. See my other listings for a separate and somewhat earlier piece bearing Parry's mark... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20200411-15   $25.00

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Offered is a good early American coin silver teaspoon by watchmaker and silversmith John J. Parry, working in Philadelphia between the 1790s and his death in 1835. Check my other listings for another, later spoon by Parry. This spoon dates to about 1815 based on style, give or take five years. This spoon has a legible maker's mark struck in left-handed fashion, and a period engraved script monogram. This piece measures about 5 7/8 inches in length and weighs about 15 grams. Condition... Click for details

Cliff Nunn - Antique Silver and Decorative Arts  
20200411-14   $22.50

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Offered is a lovely and well-made American coin silver teaspoon by the noted firm of Robert and William Wilson, working as R. & W. Wilson of Philadelphia circa 1825-50. This spoon has a slimmer spatulate handle and greater weight than their more American-style wares - the Wilsons seem to have had a line of silver flatware more akin to British examples of the times, and these were usually marked with the R&WW mark. This spoon measures about 6 1/8 inches long and weighs a very heavy 26 grams. ... Click for details