Catalog: Silver: Sterling

Italian, Florence circa 1880. What makes an object extraordinary? In the case of a sculpture, it must be well modelled. Then, it must be cast by a capable founder so that every last detail of the clay model is captured in the metal. Finally, the condition must be flawless. Our bird meets all three criteria without ruffling a feather. Height 2 3/4+ inches, weight 3.44 oz...

in the form of miniature 18th century porringers, length across handles 3 1/4; diameter of opening 1 3/4 inches, some minor etching of interior (see third photo) as is often seen in salt cellars but fine overall condition, no monogram, weight 3.31 oz. Troy the pair.

die rolled border and engraved cartouche centering monogram "Des." (or perhaps it's Wes, or even Ves?) diameter 1 3/4, height 2 inches, weight a pleasantly hefty 2 oz. Troy, some light wear to engraving but fine overall condition, marked only "sterling / 11".

Several years ago when Gorham was still in the Providence area and owned by Brown Forman, they decided to reissue some popular early patterns. We bought this piece "new and in the bag," though not directly from the factory. It has seen no use since then (1995 or so) and is in pristine condition. Length 9 inches, 3.06 oz. Troy, mark "Gorham Sterling." It is well worth a quick look at our third enlargement to see what a piece of Medallion flatware looks like, when freshly struck...

with a band of beading below each die-rolled border, monogrammed TSD (?) in period script with flourishes, one pinprick dent is visible in our first enlargement but fine overall condition, diameter and height 1 3/4 inches, weight 1.54 oz. Troy.

length 13 1/2; width 11; height 2 1/4 inches, in classic Art Nouveau form with embossed cherries along undulating border, no monogram, excellent condition though currently a bit bright (we're not responsible for this sin, alas...), weight 27 oz. Troy. Those who unlike Yours Truly have long strong memories may recall a similar example which we helped place in the Gorham collection at RISD (see Silver Magazine, March/April '98, p. 18). This one is a bit better, we think...

length 4 3/4 inches, weight .79 oz. Troy, a few minor scratches on second and third tines from bottom as shown in enlargement but fine overall condition, no monogram.

length 8 inches, a massive 2.85 oz. Troy each, no monogram, excellent condition.

Scroll down our main catalogue page a bit and you'll find two others, monogrammed and slightly more moderate in price, but equally functional.

Hand wrought special order (number 288) with applied beaded rim above alternating tulip and anthemion border, on round stepped base with conforming beaded edge, large and massive; weight 56 oz. Troy, top diameter 12 3/8 inches excluding handles, height 6 3/8 inches, some minor scratches to interior but excellent overall condition, please see fourth and fifth photos for marks.

Inscribed “To Louis Ettlinger from his friends and associates in the American Lithographic Co...

diameter 9 5/8; height 4 1/4 inches, weight 25 Troy ounces, fine condition, no monogram, craftsman Herbert Taylor. Please see third photo for marks.

This pattern is among Stone's finest designs. A nearly identical though not quite so desirable piece is held by Yale University Art Gallery, see Chickering p. 147, plate 134. Similar examples may also be seen in the collection of Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

length 10 1/4 inches, weight 3.5 Troy ounces, superb original condition, monogrammed "B". This is truly a grand piece of silver. Often, fine details of die-struck patterns were embellished by hand chasing, and a light finger over the grapes and tendrils here will reveal to the touch a slight burr still left from the silversmith's tools.

length 8 1/2 inches, monogrammed "Cora 1900," fine condition, weight 3.39 Troy ounces, retailed by R. Mockford of Trumansburg, NY.

Born in Winchester, England (1839), Mockford trained as a miller. He originally established himself in Tompkins County as a baker and flour merchant, then a jewelery pedlar, and finally a retail jeweler. For a peek back in time at how his mill would have looked in 1890, see photo number five.

dessert spoons, Paris circa 1780, .950 standard, maker's mark LTA (please see fifth photo), total Troy weight 20.75 ounces, some light wear but fine overall condition, with crest as shown though one spoon also has a period script "S" monogram. The forks measure 20.5 and the spoons 19.5 centimetres.

French silver from this period is quite scarce. Price is for the total of eight pieces.

length 5 5/8 inches, weight .45 oz. Troy, pointed downturned end with rounded drop and thirteen-lobed shell below, excellent condition, monogrammed "B".

Come ye citizens of Portsmouth and reclaim thy heritage!!

round upturned end with full front midrib and thirteen-lobed shell drop, length 4 5/8 inches, engraved with initials "D N", weight .32 oz Troy, some annoying abrasions in bowl but very good overall condition.

Faithful readers of our little web page know we never tire of mentioning that Burt was a substantial and by all reports jovial fellow who weighed three hundred and eighty pounds.

with acid etched Art Deco engraving, height 4 5/8; top diameter 3 inches, total Troy weight 17.0 ounces, one minor flea bite on rim (please see fifth enlargement-- we'll burnish this out a bit before shipping) but excellent overall condition, monogrammed as shown.

length 8 3/8 inches, weight 3.09 Troy ounces, no monogram, slight wear to gilding on tines but very nearly benchmark condition, retailed by Sheafer and Lloyd of Pittsburgh.

This pattern has always been a personal favorite. Note the expressiveness of the eyes, which you may examine up close in photo number three.

height 3 1/8; top diameter 5 inches, weight 6.14 Troy ounces, no monogram, excellent condition.

Similar in design and construction to its larger cousin known as the "Louvre Bowl," (see Drucker, p. 188) because it is in the permanent collection of that institution.