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Rare Victorian Golf Trophy Putting Stone Marker Fob
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Metals:
Silver:
Pre 1900 item# 950781
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$695 SALE (Was $795)
Free delivery to any country where we ship
(& gift-wrap if desired)
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To dazzle a golfer who has everything else, here’s a superb Gothic Revival putting stone from Fife in Scotland -- the birthplace of golf, home to St. Andrews and other legendary links. It reached us via an auction sale in Dundee.
Certainly handcrafted and one-of-a-kind, it was presented to a tournament victor in the mid-19th century, being inscribed "1st Prize Putting Stone" on the reverse. The front is a work of art -- literally: a gorgeous enamel portrait of an early golfer in medieval attire -- and the silver frame is intricately worked with Gothic arches on both sides and crowned by thistles, emblematic of Scotland and its Royal house for centuries. This particular triple-thistle motif may allow it to be traced to a particular golf course.
The loop at the top suggests it was used as a watch fob, when not busy being a marker. It would make a glorious necklace pendant, too.
This is an extremely high-quality piece with a lot of heft. It measures about 2.25 inches by 1.5 inches and is in almost pristine condition. The enamel colors remain radiant and unworn and the lavish silverwork is undamaged. We've left the patina of age in place on the silver, which is unmarked but obviously of high grade. It can of course be polished brightly if you prefer that look. The only issue we can find is a tiny chip at the edge of the portrait's black background. Our pricing naturally reflects the flaw, although it’s hard to notice, since the medallion appears to be black all the way through.
Golf collectibles have gained value dramatically over the past 25 years, as you probably know, with exceptional items far outperforming stocks and bonds. Because prices have eased with the recession, now is a great time to invest in them before future run-ups reflect the growing worldwide popularity of the game.
The tradition of awarding golf tournament gifts can be traced back to 1744, when the Edinburgh City Council was asked to provide a silver club for an annual competition held by the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith (still extant as The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers). Prizes have subsequently taken just about every form, among which this is the most beautiful I’ve seen.
For this treasure, there will be no charge for delivery to any country where we ship, and gift-wrap is always free when desired. Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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2 Silver Individual Cream Jugs by Walker & Hall 1902
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Metals:
Silver:
Plate:
Pre 1910 item# 599770
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$120
Free U.S. Priority Shipping
(& Gift-Wrap if Desired)
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It's wonderful to find a pair of these antique Victorian creamers still together after more than a century! They'd be a splendid gift for a romantic couple who have shown staying-power, too -- perhaps your parents -- and perfect for use both with the morning coffee and afternoon tea.
They were fashioned by Walker & Hall of Sheffield in England, among the world's leading producers of sterling and fine silver-plated goods in Victorian and Art Deco times. These pieces are very heavily plated (marked 2HP) on an underlying metal with lots of weight to ensure no worries about their toppling over. The date letter k identifies the year as 1902.
Also present on each base are the company's jaunty logo, which looks like a golf flag, containing the letters W & H; the words "Walker & Hall Sheffield" and "Warranted Hard & Silver Soldered"; and the style or stock numbers "53444," "A1" and "79".
Size is about 3 1/4 inches high and 4 1/4 inches wide from the outer handle to the lip. The base is 2 inches round. Style is Late Victorian Neo-Classical and overall condition is simply marvelous, with no loss of plating that we can find. The C R (or R C) monogram, which appears on the fronts in stylized Celtic lettering, could probably be polished out by a good jeweler. But perhaps you have these in mind for Robert and Claire or Rebecca and Charles -- or ?
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift-wrap is always free when desired. Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Antique 1830s American Silver Spoons Willey & Blaksley
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Metals:
Silver:
Coin:
Pre 1837 VR item# 598490
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$140
Free U.S. Priority Shipping
(& Gift-Wrap if Desired)
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According to the Cincinnati Art Museum, which owns work by Willey & Blaksley, the firm was a local business in operation for only a few years (circa 1831 to 1836). Subsequently, silversmith Bushnell Willey entered a different partnership. Thus, this is a rarely seen hallmark, from the period prior to adoption of a sterling standard in America. Whether made from melted coins or not, pieces fashioned before 1865 are called "coin silver". In this case, however, the silver is of very high grade -- apparent in its delicacy -- and the form of the spoons is particularly graceful. While these spoons have certainly been treated with loving care, evidence of long use is plain. There are no repairs, but there are the little dings and other irregularities you'd expect after almost two centuries.
Based on the length and bowl width, they were originally made as dessert spoons -- taller than tea spoons but shorter than table spoons of that era. At 7.25 inches long, with a bowl width of 1.5 inches, the size is equal to what we'd use now for soup and as auxiliary serving spoons for smaller dishes like cranberry sauce.
A scrolling monogram, the letters EH or EM, appears horizontally on the fiddles. This isn't deeply incised and could be polished off by a good jeweler. On reverses, the Willey & Blaksley mark appears within a rectangular cartouche.
BTW, a small (less than 4 inches tall) and very plain coin silver beaker made by Willey & Blaksley in the 1830s recently commanded almost $500 on eBay, which attests to the rarity value of W&B goods.
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift-wrap is always free when desired. Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Enchanting Art Nouveau Silver Butterfly Bowl c1900
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Metals:
Silver:
Pre 1900 item# 411099
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$255
Free insured delivery to any country where we ship
(& gift wrap if desired)
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Layaway terms are available on all our items priced over $150.
The romance of Art Nouveau design is perfectly captured by his exquisite antique silver bowl with ruffled edges upon which finely detailed butterflies perch gracefully as handles. It's a wonderfully versatile piece you can use to hold favorite jewels on your vanity or in any room for flowers or potpourri. You could serve sweets and nuts in it, too, or cache small items on your desktop.
Dating from the Late Victorian era, circa 1900, it's about 5 3/4" wide at the handles and 2 1/2" tall with a bowl 4" in diameter. It looks very French, but, on the base (which feels like it's weighted) the signature DERBY appears with the numeral 2 and a logo that looks like feathered wings extending in both directions. This presumably refers to a metalsmith of Derby town in England, because the marks are entirely different from those used by Derby Silver Co. in Connecticut and by Crown Derby (famed for its china).
The bowl polishes like sterling but, in the absence of sterling hallmarks, must be a lesser grade of silver or very heavy plating. We've cleaned it considerably, leaving the dark patina only in crevices. Condition is excellent; there's no damage, only age-appropriate surface wear. Provenance is an English estate, via a specialist Art Nouveau dealer in East Anglia.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. I'd love to send you images that you can inspect really closely. Thanks for looking!
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2 Antique Cherub Sterling Button Hooks 1885 and 1906
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Metals:
Silver:
Sterling:
Pre 1900 item# 401252
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$215.
Free U.S. Priority Shipping
(& Gift Wrap if Desired)
Layaway Terms Available
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A matching pair of antique buttonhooks in this much-coveted cherub design can take ages to find, so we're offering them together (but will consider selling separately, if you prefer). Both are hallmarked for Birmingham. The smaller (7 3/4" to hook clothing and gloves) was made in 1895 and maker-marked C or G, while the larger (11" to hook shoes and boots) was made in 1906 and maker-marked H M.
Their elaborate repousse sterling handles formed over wax have taken a few small dings over the past 100-120 years, but thankfully nothing serious. Each side is identical, apart from the direction in which the hooks face. Catalog photo is a montage including views all around. Naturally the shank and hook portions are of fine English steel hallmarked as such.
As you know if you collect Victorian and Edwardian vanity silver, items patterned with cherubs (or angels, if you prefer) are the most desired.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Fine Victorian or Edwardian Silver & Ivory Paper Knife
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Metals:
Silver:
Sterling:
Pre 1910 item# 133048
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$195
Free U.S. Priority Shipping
(& Gift Wrap if Desired)
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Layaway terms are available for this and all our items priced over $150. Just e-mail and we'll arrange a schedule that works well for you.
This large and gorgeous antique paper knife (aka letter opener) has been in my own collection for about a dozen years. It was quite expensive, even then, and I'm totally wasting it; in the chaos of my desk, it seldom sees use and often vanishes entirely! For someone who keeps an immaculate desk, this will be a thing of beauty and a joy forever!
Acquired at a major London antiques fair, it measures slightly more than 10" long, with an ivory blade almost 1" wide and a bulbous pear-shaped handle 1 1/2" at its widest. The handle is comfortably weighted, probably with the tarlike substance (tar?) over which such shapes were molded. The juncture of handle and blade is gorgeously decorated with an applied 1"-wide strip of hand-worked repousse silver. I believe all the metal is unmarked sterling; certainly it's high-grade silver. Relatively minor dings attest to its age, which I judge to be 19th century, though the form persisted into early Edwardian times.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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