German 800 silver wine trolly nef, ca 1920. A 3-mast galleon with billowing sales and complicated rigging. Gun ports open and cannons ready to fire. Lots of deck action, too with fighting swordsman and fallen sailors. Holds a special cargo because wood-style hull is a wine trolly. Figurehead spigot with threaded plug, and dolphin side mounts with rotating wheels for cruising across the table. Gives new meaning to the expression “getting sloshed”. Memorable dinner party guaranteed.

Hana...

George IV sterling silver bowl. Made by Elder & Co. in Edinburgh in 1831. Round with tapering sides and raised round foot. Scalloped frames with chased leaf and flower border on stippled ground, surmounted by open fruiting grapevine border; cast flower and leaf rim. Elegant Scottish Regency Classicism. Fully marked. Very good condition with nice patina.

Dimensions: H 3 x D 10 3/4 in. Weight: 18.6 troy ounces. #BX610

Pair of George III sterling silver covered vegetable dishes. Made by Paul Storr in London in 1805. Each: Tapering bowl with gadrooned rim. Cover domed with lobed shoulder; cast coronet finial mounted to round disc with beaded border.

Engraved coat of arms of Robert Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire (1760–1816), an early Empire allrounder, whose peripatetic career included stints as the governor of Madras, postmaster general, and chief secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Because he...

George V sterling silver bowl. Made by Lionel Alfred Crichton in London in 1912. Curved with flared rim and stepped foot. Cast lion’s head side mounts in leafing-scrolled frames with loose-mounted rings. Four cast lion couchant supports with extended forepaws. Allover spot hammering. Engraved interlaced script monogram. A beautiful Edwardian Classical centerpiece. Fully marked. Excellent condition with nice shimmer.

Overall dimensions: H 9 1/4 x W 13 x D 11 3/4 in. Heavy weight: 85.4 troy o...

Fiddle Thread & Shell sterling silver dinner and lunch set. Made by James Robinson in London, 1980-2000. This set comprises 61 pieces (dimensions in inches):

Forks: 12 dinner forks (8 1/8) and 12 luncheon forks (7);

Spoons: 12 soup spoons (7 1/8), 12 teaspoons (5 3/4), and 1 tablespoon (8 1/8);

Knives: 12 dinner knives.

Dinner knife blades stainless steel.

Traditional Georgian spanning the early Thatcher era to Tony Blair’s Cool Britannia.

All pieces fully marked including maker...

English Georgian Regency sterling silver bowl. Made by Rebecca Emes and Edward Barnard in London, ca 1830. Bellied bowl with chased and stippled leaf and flower bowl. Concave neck and turned-down leaf-and-dart rim. Leaf-capped and -wrapped side handles with oak branch mounts. Short knopped support with egg-and-dart and leaf-and dart borders on lobed and stippled foot with applied leaves. Plain and square base. Opulent Classical centerpiece for flowers or wine. Marks worn. Excellent condition...

Gorgeous museum-quality Japonesque sterling silver trophy bowl. Made by Gorham in Providence in 1884. Large and round with allover ornament in relief. Horned serpents swim slack-jawed through the water. Talons and heads “puncture” the surface to form side handles. Astride one sits an artist, brush in hand recording the thrashing undulations and roiling waves. At mouth rim are applied strewn shells. Foot in form of entwined snakes.

Modish exoticism a world away from the fresh air and fair p...

Here we have a beautiful scroll with a mounted letter penned by famed Japanese poet Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828) who is known as one of the 4 great haiku poets of Japan along with the likes of Bashō, Buson, and Shiki. As one might expect, Kobayashi’s life was one of turbulence punctuated by several tragedies including the death of his mother at an early age and a lengthy legal battle with his step-mother over the family inheritance after the death of his father. Through it all Kobay...

Fairfax sterling silver coffee and tea set on tray. Made by Durham, which was part of Gorham, in Concord, ca 1926. This set comprises 7 pieces: Hot water kettle on stand, coffeepot, teapot, creamer, sugar, and waste bowl on tray.

Each: Chamfered. Rectilinear and tapering body on same foot. Handles scroll bracket. Covers gently raised with soft faceting (pot covers hinged). Finials chamfered with bead. Spouts faceted except for creamer, which has u-form spout. Tray rectangular with molded rim, ...

Occasionally while browsing through the temple markets of Kyoto or perusing backstreets tea-ware shops, an attractive piece will catch my eye for no particular reason. When this happens, I typically buy it immediately without hesitation, trusting that I will be able to place it to a specific period or kiln given enough time and research. In some cases however, this proves to be a fruitless task and I am left only to appreciate the beauty and form of the object without having access to too many d...

Japanese Jubako, traditional stacked lacquerware food boxes, represent not only culinary refinement but also an important aspect of Japanese food culture. These elegantly tiered containers, often adorned with intricate designs and vibrant colors, are integral to the presentation of special occasion meals such as New Year’s celebrations and formal picnics. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, Jubako boxes like the one featured here showcase the artistry of Japanese lacquerwa...

Created by Living National Treasure Isezaki Jun, Bizen pieces like the one seen here originated in Okayama (south-western Japan) and have a long history that is closely intertwined with that of tea culture. Known for employing a natural-ash glazing techniques that require extremely long firing times (7-14 days) at very high temperatures, constant attention is required to ensure good results. Here Isezaki can be seen pushing the bounds of tradition Bizen orthodoxies in interesting and creative wa...

This small vessel, similar in a shape to a tokkuri, is a fine example of Oni Shino (carbon trap and natural ash glazing) that Tsukigata is so well-known for. Coining the term in the mid-50’s after countless failed experiments—which ultimately culminated in the discovery of this unique style of pottery—“Oni” translates roughly to demon or ogre. Fired at extreme temperatures for days in an anagama, the iron in the clay and in the glaze fuse, drip, and coalesce—while at the same time bl...

Pair of American Edwardian glass candlesticks with sterling silver mounts, ca 1910. Faceted socket; wide and flat rim with cut flower heads over radiating ribbing. Shaft upward tapering with half-fluting at top and engraved leafing and flowering scrollwork at bottom. Raised and stepped sterling silver foot. Glass attributable to Hawkes. Silver marked “Sterling / 56 PWTS”. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 13 x D 4 3/4 in. #BZ331

Edwardian Art Nouveau sterling silver basket. Made by Gorham in Providence, ca 1910. Scrolled and turned-down rim with engraved grape bunches and leaves overlapping open lunette frames. Stationary c-scroll handle with same; handle top vacant. Visible hand hammering. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and code TFC. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 11 3/4 x L 13 1/4 x W 7 in. Weight: 31 troy ounces. #BZ743

Pair of Danish Modern sterling silver compotes. Made by Poul Petersen in Canada, ca 1940. Each: Lilypad bowl with lobed rim and upturned back; flying c-scroll handle with split bud mounts and bud and seed terminal. Open support comprising large vertical leaves and turned-down grape bunches; domed foot. Visible hand hammering. A great piece by the legendary Danish-born silversmith who was Georg Jensen’s apprentice and son-in-law. He married the boss’ daughter Inger in 1922. The couple emigrat...

Pair of Danish Modern sterling silver compotes. Made by Poul Petersen in Canada, ca 1940. Each: Lilypad bowl with lobed rim and upturned back; flying c-scroll handle with applied tendril and grape bunch. Open support comprising large vertical leaves and turned-down small leaves; domed foot. Visible hand hammering. A great piece by the legendary Danish-born silversmith who was Georg Jensen’s apprentice and son-in-law. He married the boss’ daughter Inger in 1922. The couple emigrated to Canada...

Danish Modern sterling silver box. Made by Georg Jensen in Copenhagen. Rectangular with straight sides. Cover hinged and raised with flat border. Square corner supports. Fully marked including maker’s (1945-77) and designer’s (Harald Nielsen) stamps, and no. 827. Very good condition.

Overall dimensions: H 7/8 x W 8 1/8 x D 3 1/2 in. Heavy weight: 17.5 troy ounces. #BZ773