American Georgian sterling silver sauceboat, ca 1900. Retailed by Black, Starr & Frost in New York. Bellied oval bowl with leaf-capped high-looping handle and gadrooned scalloped rim; four scroll-mounted paw supports. Fully marked including retailer’s stamp and no. 1430. Very good condition.

Overall dimensions: H 3 1/2 x L 6 x W 3 1/4 in. Weight: 6.6 troy ounces. #BY479

Edwardian Classical sterling silver sugar caster. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1909. Upward tapering bowl with reeding; stepped and spread foot. Cover domed with vasiform finial; top has ornamental piercing. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 17583 (first produced in 1909), and director’s letter m. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 6 x D 2 5/8 in. Weight: 6.6 troy ounces. #BY560

Turn-of-the-century European silver bell. Tulip-bowl with twisted gadrooning. Figural handle depicting an old-fashioned countryman holding two live fowl. Here’s dinner—eventually. Substantial and tactile with melodious ting-a-ling. Marked. Very good condition with deep patina.

Dimensions: H 4 1/2 x D 1 7/8 in. Weight: 5 troy ounces. #BN700

Edwardian sterling silver and cut-glass decanter. Made by William Aitken in Birmingham in 1902. Ovoid glass bowl. On sides plain flutes alternating with diaper flutes; shoulder has shaped facets. Straight neck with sterling silver collar and hinged domed cover with twisted finial and v-spout; bracket handle. Fully marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 10 3/8 x W 5 1/2 x D 4 3/8 in. #BY435

Art Nouveau inkwell. Made by Emile Langlois in Paris, ca 1920. Hemispheric clear glass bowl with garland acid-etched to sides and diaper cut to underside. Neck collar 950 silver as is hinged domed cover, which has guilloche enamel concentric rings in nuanced green-brown. Detachable clear glass liner. Maker’s stamp. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 3 x D 2 3/4 in. #T714

Large Dutch silver cow creamer, 1910. A sweet beast with stocky body on slender legs and delicate hoofs. Head quizzically turned to side with flexed ears, sharp horns, red cabochon glass eyes, and gaping mouth spout. Flicked back tail handle and hinged back cover. Appears to be unmarked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 7 1/4 x L 10 3/8 x W 3 3/8 in. Weight: 19.5 troy ounces. #BX771

Turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau glass vase with engraved silver overlay. Made by Alvin in Providence. Conical mouth and neck and bellied bowl. Star cut to underside. Dense overlay in form of overlapping and entwined flowers, leaves, and scrollwork. Scrolled cartouche engraved with two-letter script monogram (SS). Glass is green. Silver marked including maker’s stamp and no. G3349. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 6 1/2 x D 7 3/4 in. #BX402

French 950 silver inkwell on stand, ca 1910. Straight sides with vertically applied strapwork bands; curved bottom and raised foot. Cover hinged and domed with flower-head finial. Gadrooned rims. Interior has engraved curvilinear border and clear-glass liner. Mounted to oval curvilinear stand with ornamental border. Fully marked including maker’s stamp CG. Very good condition.

Overall dimensions: H 5 x W 9 3/8 x D 5 7/8 in. Weight (without glass): 15.5 troy ounces. #BT381

Edwardian Classical sterling silver water pitcher. Made by Frank W. Smith in Gardner, Mass., ca 1910. Full-bodied globular bowl on domed foot; reeded and capped high-looping handle and wide u-spout. Irregular and scrolling rims applied with leafing scrolls. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and no. 1794. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 10 1/2 x W 8 1/2 x D 6 in. Weight: 30.5 troy ounces. #BX673

Turn-of-the-century Chinese silver mustard pot. Round and bellied bowl with plain concave neck, thin scroll handle, and spread foot. Modish floral ornament in form of chased and applied water lilies and pads heightened with engraving on stippled ground. Chinese marks. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 2 3/8 x W 3 1/4 x D 2 3/8 in. Weight: 2 troy ounces. #BV330

European silver and enamel cigarette case, ca 1920. Rectangular, chamfered, and hinged. On cover a horse’s head appears in an entryway, with two protective borzoi dogs standing guard. Stable drama against a semi-abstract background of brick and stone, and purpling ground. Marks worn. Very good condition with strong color.

Dimensions: H 3 5/8 x W 3 1/4 x D 1/2 in. Gross weight: 4.6 troy ounces. #BT902

German 800 silver picture frame, ca 1920. Oval window in chased and tooled surround comprising flower heads and leaves. Textural with irregular rims. With glass, silk lining, and velvet back with hinged easel support. With loose-mounted ring. For portrait (vertical) display. Marked with Hanau maker’s stamp Vereinigte Silberwarenfabrik. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 7 5/8 x W 5 3/4 in. Window: H 5 1/2 x D 4 in. #BY044

Turn-of-the-century Chinese export silver picture frame. Oval window in shaped surround with scrolls and flower heads at top, and leaves, stars, flowers, and heart cartouche vacant on stippled ground at bottom. With glass, silk lining, velvet back, and hinged easel silver wire support. Marked “Sterling”. Very good condition with deep patina.

Dimensions: Frame: H 7 1/4 x W 4 3/4 in. Window: H 4 1/4 x W 2 3/4 in. #BW978

Victorian Classical sterling silver porringer. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Bowl has curved sides and rim applied with bold beading. Leaf-mounted open scroll handle with scallop shells. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 12755, and director’s letter T (1892-1902). Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 2 1/4 x W 7 1/4 x D 5 1/8 in. Weight: 8.5 troy ounces. #BW510

This Meiji period vase is made of fine white porcelain fashioned after classic Chinese motifs.. The potter, first generation Miura Chikusen, is the same generation as many of the better known Imperial Court artists (Kozan, Siefu, Tozan, etc…) and just as accomplished in terms of mastery of technique, level of artistic expression, and volume of pieces produced.

An exceptionally skilled Meiji potter, Chikusen (1854 – 1915) specialized in high-quality Kiyomizu-yaki and...

Turn-of-the-century American Craftsman sterling silver porringer. Bellied bowl on inset foot ring. Finely faceted hand hammering with "disco ball" shimmer. Plain open tree handle. Fully marked including retailer’s stamp for A. Stowell & Co., who were active in Boston from ca 1865 to 1904. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 2 1/4 x W 7 1/2 x D 5 1/4 in. Weight: 8 troy ounces. #BT004

Edwardian Georgian sterling silver mug. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1916. Baluster bowl with leaf-capped double-scroll handle and round stepped foot. Large with nice heft and plenty of room for engraving. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and pattern no. 19191 (first produced in 1916). Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 5 1/4 x W 5 3/4 x D 3 3/4 in. Weight: 12.5 troy ounces. #BZ554

American Art Nouveau sterling silver picture frame, ca 1910. Rectangular window in same flat surround. On front acid-etched and engraved leaves and flower heads. Fluid and distended ornament interspersed with four tubular cartouches (vacant). Sides plain. With glass, silk lining, and velvet back and hinged easel support for portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal) display. Marked “Sterling” with no. 832. Very good condition.

Dimensions: Frame: H 10 1/8 x W 7 5/8 in. Window: H 8 3/4 x ...

Russian 875 silver ladle, ca 1880. Oval bowl and fiddle terminal with engraved initials and year 1881. A nice serving piece from the twilight of tsarist Russia. Marks include maker’s (PA) stamp and Moscow assayer’s (Aleksandr Nicolayevich Krollau) stamp dated 1880. Very good condition with nice patina.

Dimensions: H 11 1/4 x W 3 1/2 x D 3 in. Weight: 5.5 troy ounces. #BY490

European silver and enamel cigarette case, ca 1920. Rectangular, curved, and hinged. On cover, a horse’s head appears in an entryway, with two protective borzoi dogs standing guard. Stable drama against a semi-abstract background of brick and stone, and bluish ground. Gilt interior. Engraved monogram on back. Marked “900”. Very good condition with strong color.

Dimensions: H 3 3/8 x W 3 1/8 x D 3/8 in. Gross weight: 4.6 troy ounces. #BV461

A stylized grass motif painted in ferrous pigment across each side and on the inside of this mukozuke serving dish marks it as being more likely produced in Karatsu as opposed to having come out of a Mino kiln. Though very similar styles and techniques were utilized during the late 16th or early 17th C. when this would have been produced; the color, distribution of glaze, and patterning suggest Karatsu. While at one time this would have been part of a set of 5 pieces, very few sets s...

Edwardian Art Nouveau sterling silver picture frame. Made by Cornelius Saunders & Frank Shepherd in Birmingham in 1904. Shaped rectangular window in shaped surround with bracket feet. Chased ornament: Entwined tendrils and flower heads spilling over molded border and scallop shells surrounded by dynamic scrolls. Mounted to stained wood with hinged easel support. With beveled glass and silk lining. For portrait (vertical) display. Fully marked at bottom. Very good condition with deep patina.

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Classical sterling silver bird bath compote. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Shallow bowl with turned-down rim and raised foot. Two cast bird figures with voluminous plumage and flamboyant crowns perch on bowl rim, ready to cluck and flap and flutter. Stylized and raised ornament on rim, including leaf-and-dart and dentil. Fully marked with pre-1875 pattern no. 3739 and directors’ letter M (1873-91). Very good condition with deep patina.

Overall dimensions: H 5 1/4 x W 11 1/4 x D 9 3/8 ...

Several years ago we were invited by our very talented kintsugi craftsman to what is known as a “kura-ake” or storehouse opening. Many reading this may be familiar with the traditional storehouses in Japan (kura) with their thick plaster walls used to store valuable items—sometimes for hundreds of years—safe from humid air, insects, and the like. On occession, after the passing of a parent or relative, these storehouses are opened up and the art pieces and valuables inside ar...

An example of some of the finest porcelain modern Japan has to offer. According to Wakao Kei, the artist who crafted this piece, it took him years of trial and error to perfect these stunning translucent glazes and associated techniques such as getting the right flowing consistency and pooling effect around the base. The unglazed portions at the foot of the bowl seen here in pictures was created by the artist's fingers as he plunged the vessel into the glaze while holding firmly to the porcelain...

Very desirable sterling silver pea server in Vine. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Tapering handle with loosely arranged wraparound pea pod vine on tapering stem. Round bowl with pierced ornament in same motif. A beautiful conflation of symbolism and function. Interlaced script monogram engraved on verso. This pattern is commonly known as Fruits and Flowers, and was in production from 1872 to before 1904. Illustrated in: Hood. Tiffany Silver Flatware, 1999, p. 143. Fully marked. Very good con...

Large Edwardian Art Nouveau sterling silver picture frame. Made by Lebkuecher in Newark, ca 1910. Rectangular window in curvilinear shaped surround. Corner frames inset and entwined with wreaths, leaves, and rondels inset with flower heads. Ornament in low relief on stippled ground. On top rail is engraved single letter monogram (M) between leafing scrolls. With glass, silk lining, and velvet back and hinged easel support. Fully marked including maker’s and retailer’s (Grogan Company) stamps...

A beautiful example of Ohi inspired Raku-ware; the body of this stylish tea vessel is a mix of a dark black gradating to charcoal grey with undertones of reddish maroon. A hasami-no-ato mark can be seen where the tongs were used to remove this piece from the kiln, and the potters mark can be seen near the foot of the bowl. Simple and refined, perfect for collectors and practitioners of tea alike.

Born into a generational line of tea-ware potters from Kanazawa, Fumiaki Kaihatsu (b. 1...

Victorian Classical sterling silver water pitcher. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Globular bowl with foot ring, drum-form neck, lip spout, and c-scroll handle with engraved leaf-cap and bold scroll and leaf terminal. Repousse rinceaux band. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 6462 (first produced in 1881), and director’s letter M (1873-91). Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 8 3/4 x W 6 3/8 x D 6 in. Heavy weight: 34 troy ounces. #BX926

Edwardian Classical sterling silver powder box. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Round and bellied with flat and scrolled cover. Chased and applied ornament. On bowl oval reeded frames joined by pendant garlands. On cover central same frame (vacant) surrounded by scallop shells, scrolls, cornucopia, flower baskets, and cherubs. Gilt interior. With puff for ladylike maquillage. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 14915 (first produced in 1901), and director’s letter T (1892-19...

Master of a very difficult technique from the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) known in Japanese as Neriage, the potter who created this elegant vase uses extreme precision to combine sheets of differing types of clay, culminating in a unique visual effect. While many of his pieces are ringed with swirls of colors, this one is more modern and subdued. With quite a lot of character, this lovely vase will draw attention without being overpowering.

Born in Nagano, Kosei Matsui (1927-20...

Victorian Classical sterling silver water pitcher. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1877. Globular bowl with drum-form neck, small lip spout, and c-scroll handle. Bowl has vertical ornament in form of applied acanthus leaves alternating with embossed gadroons. Neck has applied harps in wreaths between leafing scrolls. Handle has applied rosette and leafing stem. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 4706 (first produced in 1877), and director’s letter M (1873-91). Very good ...

When the founder of the Urasenke style of tea ceremony, Sen-So Soshitsu (1622 -1697) was invited to Kanazawa as the master of tea ceremony for the powerful Kaga lords in 1666, the first Chōzaemon came with him and established Ōhi-yaki in Kanazawa. Chōzaemon had been the chief apprentice to the Raku family in Kyoto and took with him many of the principles and ideas associated with Raku-ware. Since those auspicious beginnings, Ōhi-ware has held a high place in the world of tea cere...

German 800 silver box, ca 1910. Rectangular with straight sides. Cover flat and hinged; tapering sides applied with flower head border. Embossed Olden Days scenes of merrymaking with dancing and flirting by men in neck ruffs and women in laced bodices. On front are massed soldiers carrying swords and pikes. Gilt interior. Corner leaf-mounted scroll supports. Marked “800” with Hanau maker’s stamp (Karl Söhnlein & Söhne). Very good condition.

Overall dimensions: H 4 x W 4 x D 2 7/8 in. ...

Edwardian Art Nouveau sterling silver picture frame, 1904. Shaped rectangular window in shaped surround with bracket feet. Chased ornament: Entwined tendrils and flower heads spilling over molded border and scallop shells surrounded by dynamic scrolls. Tubular cartouche (vacant). Mounted to stained wood with hinged easel support. With beveled glass and silk lining. For portrait (vertical) display. Fully marked at top including unidentified maker's stamp and Birmingham assay stamp. Very good con...

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...