Catalog: Sold Items: Decorative Art (229)

William III/ Queen Anne Britannia silver dognose spoon, London, marked only with maker's mark of Francis Archbold. Circa 1700. Rare early spoon showing the transition of styles from the trefid to dognose. The dognose form is so called because of the shape of the end of the handle, also sometimes referred to as 'wavy end.' This example retains the broad, shallow bowl and ribbed rat tail of the earlier trefid form but without the characteristic notches in the terminal of the trefid...

Early William III Britannia standard silver trefid tablespoon, London, 1699, by silversmith Francis Archbold, length 7.25 inches. The shallow bowl gilded on the interior and with a double ribbed and beaded rat tail. The upturned handle's terminal is cut with two notches. Hallmarks are quite well struck apart from the date letter which is worn but still legible. The higher Britannia silver standard of 95.84% was introduced in 1697 but is rarely found after 1730...

William III silver trefid table spoon, London, c.1700, by Francis Archbold. Length - 7.25 inches. Weight - 1.38 troy ounces. A typical trefid form table spoon with broad, shallow bowl and a double ribbed and beaded rat tail. The upturned handle's terminal is cut with two notches, a characteristic of the trefid form...

Georgian sterling silver teapot, London, 1784, by famous silversmith Robert Hennell. This pot has shaped sides with bright cut and beaded decoration to the cover and top portion. Wooden scroll handle and ebony finial. Condition: some old repairs to the underside seam on the bottom, minor dents at base of spout, a non-structural split in wooden handle. Clear hallmarks on base and with original assay office's silver testing scrape marks...

Scarce Irish silver bowl by silversmith Matthew West, Dublin, c.1780, sterling silver. A small bowl adorned with swirling bands of punch work decoration and supported on three hoof feet. Excellent antique condition. Hallmarked on the underside with the Irish harp, figure of Hibernia and maker's initials MW for Matthew West. Also engraved with the original owner's initials BR in block letters. Size: 5 inches in diameter x 2.5 inches high. Weight: 4.6 troy ounces.

A rare English George III pear form fruitwood tea caddy. 18th century. Size: 8.75 inches height. x 4.5 inches diameter. Retaining wooden stem, original brass hinge, scalloped metal key escutcheon (lock not working) and remnants of foil lining. Condition is very good, with two drying age cracks in the lid which have been filled at some point in the past. Lovely patina. Original Georgian fruit-form tea caddies are scarce to find.

A rare Georgian silver mote spoon with narrow oval bowl intricately hand-pierced with scroll and cross motifs, attached with an elongated drop to a slender, long and tapered stem with diamond point terminal. Size: 6 1/8" length. Excellent condition with no wear to bowl, and with no breaks or repairs. Stamped at the bowl end of the stem with two indiscernible hallmarks (probably a lion passant standard mark and maker's stamp)...

This bowl was manufactured in London in 1784 by the famous partnership of silversmiths Daniel Smith and Robert Sharp, who produced silver for the firm of Parker and Wakelin, the Royal Goldsmiths who provided silver for the Prince of Wales and for much of the nobility of England. The bowl is formed of heavy gauge silver, weighing 10.37 troy ounces...

An extremely fine George II silver taperstick by candlestick specialist John Cafe, London, 1742, cast in sterling silver. Size: 4.5 inches ht. No repairs or damage. Fully hallmarked on the under side of the base. Hallmarks are clear, apart from that of the maker which is only partially legible. 4 troy ounces total weight.

English George III rectangular tea caddy in satinwood veneer. Circa 1790. The front and lid are adorned with oval fan paterae inlaid with harewood and the edges have ebonized stringing. Lenticular bone keyhole escutcheon. The interior dividers have been removed and the box is lined with red velvet. Original hinges and lock. Condition: very good overall with some fine hairlines in the veneer and with two areas of minor damage to the ebonized stringing at the two front corners of the lid...

Georgian physician's blood letting set including a silver mounted green shagreen case with hinged top, complete with its four original thumb lancets, each with a triangular steel blade housed in hinged tortoiseshell protective guards. Circa 1790. Three of the steel blades are stamped with the cutler's mark of a crown with a six pointed star below, while the fourth blade is stamped SARLING. The set is in remarkable condition, with the only the catch for the lid closure being missing...

Georgian Hester Bateman silver soup ladle, London, 1789, in sterling silver. This Old English pattern ladle has a round bowl and is engraved in a feathered script on the handle with the initials 'REA' of the original owner. On the reverse of the handle is struck a full set of English assay marks, together with the 'HB' of Hester Bateman. Size: 14" length...

Early American coin silver beaker by Newburyport, Mass. silversmith William Moulton IV. Circa 1800. This cup bears an original presentation inscription, engraved in script, with the name Heber Little. Condition is very good with no repairs. There are a couple of minor dents, the most noticeable being situated near the base of the vessel & aligning with the right hand end and below the name 'Little.' There is also an incipient split at the top rim (see photo detail). This line is visible on...

Pair of English George I table spoons in the Hanoverian pattern with rat tail bowls, London, 1716 - 1717, Britannia standard (95.84% pure silver), with indistinct maker's marks. Length: 8 inches. These early Georgian tablespoons have a pronounced midrib to the front of the handles and are engraved with owner's block shaded initials R*C over earlier erased initials. They are bottom marked on the stem with hallmarks that include the date letter for 1716-1717, a seated Britannia and Lion's head...

Hester Bateman - pair of table spoons in Old English pattern. London, 1788-1789, sterling silver. Length: 8 1/8 inches. This pair of silver serving spoons was made by England's most famous female silversmith, Hester Bateman. The egg shaped bowls are in excellent condition, with no dents, repairs or wear. There is an elongated drop to the reverse of each bowl, which is typical of Hester Bateman's spoons. Legible matching hallmarks. No monograms. Hester Bateman has been described as the Queen...

Rare English Bilston type figural bonbonniere in the form of a seal's head, fashioned in painted enamels over copper. Circa 1760-1790. The cover is brass mounted and hand painted with two running hounds. The box is unmarked but was probably made at Bilston. Condition: some hairlines and with minor chipping and lines to the hinged cover; tiny blemish on animal's chin. Size: 1.5" length x 1.25" diameter. True period examples like this are scarce to the market.

A rare George III sterling silver set of caddies: including a pair of tea caddies and a larger matching sugar caddy. London, 1771, by the silversmith William Vincent, who specialized in wares for the tea table, especially tea caddies. Each is of a rectangular form with serpentine shaped sides, decorated with a repousse floral design, and with acanthus capped feet and floral finials, and each bears an engraved family crest of a dove holding an olive branch in its beak. Stamped on each base wit...

George I sterling silver Hanoverian table spoon with rat tail to reverse of bowl and having a pronounced midrib to upturned handle with engraved shaded block initials of the original owners, A over P*A, above a slightly later second set, M*B. London, 1720, by the silversmith Henry Miller I. Length: 7 5/8". Condition: Excellent, with no wear, dents or cracks to the elliptical bowl. Hallmarks are legible, though the maker's mark is somewhat closed from the reshaping of the stem after assaying...