Classical sterling silver compote. Made by John Wendt for Ball, Black in New York, ca 1870. Round and curved bowl mounted to open support comprising three leafing oak shoots with acorns inset with cast figure of standing boy holding a ball in each hand with one arm raised. Domed foot. Reeding and beading.
A fashionable centerpiece evocative of youth and growth. The figure suggests the influence of the Dancing Faun, the ancient statue in the Uffizi in Florence that was a grand tour icon. The fr...
A key figure in the Japanese folk craft movement of the 20th century, Fujita Kyohei is credited with helping to develop a thriving glass-working community within Japan. Best known for his “dream” or “Liuli” boxes—very colorful and skillfully crafted boxes that often incorporated gold and silver leaf into their designs. Here we see a piece that would likely have been crafted earlier in his career but that demonstrates his masterful technique even then. In 1972 Fujita, along ...
Art Nouveau clear glass decanter with silver overlay. Made by Black, Starr & Frost in New York, ca 1920. Oval bowl with flat foot, cylindrical neck, and everted rim. Ball stopper with conical mount, spool neck, and short plug. Dense ornament with stylized leaves in whiplash frames overlapping with intersecting lines. Stylistically transitional incorporating both the curvilinear and geometric. Scrolled cartouche engraved with interlaced script monogram. Foot in silver collar as are neck and rim...
Gorgeous turn-of-the-century Martelé-style Art Nouveau 950 silver basket. Made by Black, Starr & Frost in New York. Flared and ovoid mouth and cylindrical body flowing into spread foot on 4 turned-under scroll supports; fixed and shaped c-scroll handle. Ruffled and irregular rims. Chased and applied ornament with flowers and climbing and entwined tendrils overlaid with leaves. Hand-hammered ground. Fully marked with maker’s stamp, no. 7577, and phrases “Exclusive Design”, and “950 Fine...
Olympian sterling silver centerpiece bowl. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Curved and tapering bowl on domed foot. At top a dense repousse frieze of love-making, harp-stumming nymphs, gods, and cherubs. Foot rim has rinceaux border. A beautiful piece in the celebrated Beaux-Arts pattern that was conceived by French designer F. Antoine Heller and debuted at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1878.
Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 6798, and director’s letter C (1902-7...
Chrysanthemum sterling silver 5-light centerpiece candelabrum. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Sizable baluster shaft on raised squarish foot with corner volute supports. Four scrolled arms, each terminating in single socket, joined by applied leaves and surrounding central raised socket. Flowers and leaves wrapped around shaft and arms and applied to foot. Massive and sculptural. A hard-to-find solo stick in the fashionable Japonesque pattern that was first produced in 1880. Fully marked inc...