As collectors will know, if any of them remain above ground, knives in this elegant old Durgin pattern are scarce.
We have never encountered a spoon with this boat-shaped flat bottom bowl in the past, and have conferred with a Very Knowledgeable Fellow who has owned one (yes, just one) before and is of the opinion that this is indeed a berry spoon.
Granted, this is not the rarest piece of Tiffany flatware you'll encounter while surfing the interwebz, but several features do make it stand out from the crowd: 1) the overall color, condition and lack of polishing wear 2) the exceptionally well executed and decorative Art Nouveau monogram (see third photo) which I can not decipher, and 3) the eminently reasonable price tag.
On Hold
It hardly needs to be said, but these are adorable.
An exemplary item for the collector of cast bonbonnieres.
The blade features a restrained and well executed bit of engraving (please see third enlargement) with brite-cut foliage and shaded flowers.
Porter was a highly talented silversmith, but his work is inconsistent and sometimes sloppy. These items showcase his skills at their best. The solder joints are subtle and superbly executed, the hammering is uniform and attractive, the piercings are symmetrical...
Please see third enlargement for mark. The craftsman is Charles W. Brown
You'd be hard pressed to find better examples than these.
With the added cachet (we were going to say "snob appeal", but then remembered that our faithful readers, all two of them who remain, aren't snooty) of a Cartier retailer's mark.
Bought new, it costs just about as much as a small Mercedes, but here what a deal!!
On Hold
With sinuous curves and whimsical spade-shaped feet, this is truly a little classic of English Art Nouveau silver.
On Hold
Compare @ 299.00 with those folks who Replace your stuff.
By the way, dear reader, our late lamented S 7000 has finally died a peaceful death and we're using a rather primitive point and shoot until the new camera arrives, so please bear with our reduced quality images.
On Hold
Designed by the great French scultor Antoine Heller, these figures have attitude!!