A very versatile and innovative artist, Sakata Jinnai produces pieces such as the vase seen here in his easily recognizable trademark style. Many of his pieces are earthy and primal in compositions, often inlaid with gold or partially painted in “makie” using various lacquers for dramatic effect. Waves and contours also feature prominently in his work; inspired, he says, by cosmic energies and architectures of the universe. Sakata very actively exhibits his pieces and looks for interesting c...

Pair of Edwardian sterling silver candlesticks. Made by Gorham in Providence in 1905. Each: Ovoid, tapering, and fluted shaft with interlaced script monogram; stepped oval foot. Urn socket with detachable bobeche. Fully marked including date symbol and no. A705. Very good condition with a few minor pings to foot rims.

Dimensions: H 10 1/2 x W 5 3/8 x D 4 1/4 in. Weighted. #BP969

Pair of George V sterling silver candlesticks. Made by Lionel Alfred Crichton in London in 1917. Each: Tapering and fluted pillar supporting urn socket. Raised and stepped square foot. Beading, acanthus leaves, and swags and paterae. Neoclassical form and ornament. Fully marked. Very good condition with a few pings, principally on foot rim.

Dimensions: H 11 3/8 x W 4 5/8 x D 4 5/8 in. Weighted. #BV645

American Colonial sterling silver bowl. Made by Tiffany in New York, ca 1920. Bowl has curved sides and straight circular foot. Spare historic design that works equally well in Modern interiors. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 19750 (first produced in 1920), and director’s letter m as well as phrase: “Reproduction / Original by / Joseph Conyers / Boston / about 1700”. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 4 x D 9 in. Weight: 24 troy ounces. #BV648

Midcentury Modern sterling silver footed plate. Retailed by Cartier in New York. Round and gently curved with short and flared foot. Fully marked including maker’s (Worden-Munnis) and retailer’s stamps, and no. 32. Worden Munnis was active in Boston from the 1940s to 1960s. Very good condition. Well center reveals minor impression from base.

Dimensions: H 1 3/8 x D 10 in. Weight: 12.5 troy ounces. #BV472

Large Classical sterling silver covered urn. Made by Currier & Roby in New York, ca 1920. Girdled bowl with leaf-capped s-scroll side handles, stepped foot and stepped and domed cover with vasiform finial. Traditional form with extra oomph. Beautiful proportions and plenty of room for engraving. Fully marked. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 13 1/4 x W 12 x D 7 1/2 in. Heavy weight: 71.5 troy ounces. #BV545

Currently in its 5th generation, the Miura Chikusen line of potters has continued to produce high-quality Kiyomizu-yaki and Kyo-yaki porcelains used in sencha for well over 150 years. The piece seen here is by the third generation potter and has the rare distinction of being endorsed by Sokuchusai, a former Head Tea Master of Omotesenke in Kyoto. Simple and elegant, a section of bamboo stands out in contrast to the white crackled porcelain glaze. If you are looking for a representative work by o...

Edwardian Regency sterling silver box. Made by Gorham in Providence in 1917. Square with straight sides. Cover hinged with gently curved top and scrolled top. Allover engine-turned wave ornament on box sides and cover top, which also has engraved garland and wreath (vacant) with pendant flowers; cover sides plain with pointille borders. Interior velvet lines. Perfect for jewelry and keepsakes. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, date symbol, no. 7113, and letter R. Excellent condition.

Ove...

Set of 13 American Modern sterling silver place card holders, ca 1950. This set comprises 12 place card holders and 1 menu holder. Each: Cast figure of recumbent whippet with gracile limbs and imperious pointy head mounted to oval base with applied gadrooned rim. The place card holders have a ring clip and the menu holder has a heart clip. Mondaine novelties guaranteed to raise the tone of one’s dinner parties. Marked “UV [in circle] Sterling”. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: Place card...

Georgian-style sterling silver coffeepot. Retailed by Cartier in New York. Lobed baluster body, hinged and domed cover with vasiform finial, high looping stained-wood handle, s-scroll spout, and raised and round foot. Fully marked including no. 80, pattern name Dublin, retailer’s stamp, and maker’s stamp for Worden-Munnis who were active in Boston from the 1940s to 1960s. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 9 1/2 x W 7 x D 4 in. Gross weight: 17.5 troy ounces. #BV446

English Georgian Neoclassical sterling silver basket, ca 1790. Ovoid body on same foot with reeded c-scroll swing handle. Engraved wavy-shaped frame (vacant) and ornamental borders. Linear and circular piercing and beading. Partially worn marks include London assay stamp. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H (with handle) 11 1/2 x W 14 1/4 x D 10 1/2 in. Weight: 27.5 troy ounces. #JM

First born son to Living National Treasure Isezaki Jun, Koichiro (b. 1974) has quickly made a name for himself as an independent artist. Not content to rely solely on family reputation, he has set off on his own path, making innovations in clay and also in the ideas and principles surrounding his craft.

With its well-proportioned ridged design, natural ash glaze, and coarse grade of Bizen clay still containing visible stones; the vessel seen here would be a good choice for someone ...

George VI sterling silver salver. Made by Mappin & Webb in Sheffield in 1945. Molded curvilinear rim with ogee arches. Three hoof supports. Large and heavy in traditional Georgian form. Fully marked. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 1 7/8 x D 16 7/8 in. Weight: 61 troy ounces. #BU966

Pair of turn-of-the-century German 800 silver bobble-head boxes. A two-man percussion band comprising baby-faced drummer and wizened cymbalist. Rotund bodies squeezed into olden-days doublet and hose with neck-ruff covers. Feather-capped heads bob, bob, bob along to the music. Perfect timing not guaranteed. Marked. Excellent condition.

Approximate dimensions: H 7 1/2 x W 3 1/4 x D 4 1/4 in. Total weight: 25.5 troy ounces. #BV204

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

Richly colored plique a jour beaker, ca 1910. Straight and gently tapering sides. Ornament includes stylized flower heads in rondels and beaded and guilloche borders. Colors red and blue. Silver gilt wire frames and cabled rim. Unmarked. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 2 x D 1 3/4 in. #BV278

Victorian Classical sugar caster. Made by William Gibson & John Langman in London in 1893. Girdled body on stepped foot. Twisted fluting with scalloped borders. Cover has ornamental piercing and finial. Initials EAW engraved on underside. Elegant and substantial in Britannia (that is, 958) silver. Fully marked. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 8 1/2 x D 3 1/2 in. Weight: 11.5 troy ounces. #BV187

Aesthetic mixed inkwell. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Bell-form copper body with reeded silver foot rim. Applied silver ornament including flower-inset guilloche band and tendril border at neck. Cover hinged and domed with silver ball finial. With clear glass liner. A later version (1892-1902) of a pattern (no. 6231) that was first produced in 1880. Fully marked: “Tiffany & Co / Makers 6231 / Sterling Silver / 925-1000 / T / And / Other Metals”. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 4 ...

George VI sterling silver box. Made by Robert Pringle & Sons in London in 1939. Rectangular with curved corners. Cover hinged and tabbed; top has engine-turned wave ornament and rectangular mono plate (vacant) in upper left corner. Interior cedar lined and partitioned. Underside leather lined. Fully marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 2 x W 7 x D 3 1/2 in. Gross weight: 16 troy ounces. #BV167

Chinese-style bowl, ca 1920. Mottled green hardstone urn on silver gilt fretwork base with 4 splayed supports. A pretty ornament that works as an ashtray with silver gilt leaf cradle mounted to rim. Marked “Edward I Farmer / Sterling”. Very good with nice toning. Rim has a few fleabite irregularities.

Overall dimensions: H 3 1/8 x W 2 7/8 x D 2 in. #BV277

Edwardian sterling silver bowl. Made by Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. Ltd in London in 1905. Bellied with flat shoulder and gadrooned rim. Three leaf and scroll-mounted talon supports. Well circular and solid (vacant). Solid leafy ornament in open and leaf-inset diaper ground with scrollwork. Fully marked. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 4 3/4 x D 11 3/4 in. Weight: 41 troy ounces. #BR790

American applied sterling silver perfume vial, ca 1880. Clear glass cylinder with twisted fluting. Sterling silver collar and hinged cover with tendril, flower, and insect on hand-hammered ground; gilt interior. Unmarked. Very good condition with deep patina.

Dimensions: H 2 3/4 x D 1/2 in. #BN380

Victorian Georgian Queen sterling silver soup ladle. Made by John and Henry Lias in London in 1839. King-shaped handle has engraved armorial with sword-bearing lion rampant and motto “Courage”. Deep ovoid bowl. A substantial and traditional piece made shortly after young Victoria ascended the throne. Stylistic continuity in the new reign. Fully marked. Very good condition.

Height: H 13 3/8 in. Heavy weight: 12 troy ounces. #BV250

Dramatic sterling silver seafood serving bowl. Made by Buccellati in Italy. Two joined scallop-shells bowls on scallop-shell supports. A traditional form enlivened by the figure of an octopus squatting in the center, its curled and tangled legs draped over the bowls. A graphic contrast between the scales and suckers of the octopus and the controlled and stylized ornament on the shells. Very original. Beautiful craftsmanship. Fully marked including “Buccellati” stamp and post-1967 Italian mar...

A student of Itaya Hazan, one of the most sought after potters in the world of Japanese art, the ceramicist who crafted this fine vase displays here a high degree of mastery, both in form and glazing technique. For the collector who has always wanted a Hazan but has never been lucky enough to chance upon one, this may be a worthy acquisition. Although much of Inoue’s work is quite different in style to that of Hazan’s, you can find a number of pieces where the influence is unmistakeable—th...

Market-fresh Japonesque mixed metal and sterling silver water pitcher. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1879. Gently curved bowl and inset undulating rim with wide lip spout and integral scroll handle with tendril mounts that wraparound mouth rim. Handle has lily pad “cap” with crouching figure of frog. Applied leaves with copper-inlaid veins with one overlapping bold and scrolling interlaced acid-etched monogram on neck. A solitary beetle meanders along near the bottom. Dense allover s...

Set of 6 turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau sterling silver demitasse spoons. Made by R. Wallace & Sons. Mfg Co. (later Wallace Silversmiths) in Wallingford, Connecticut. Each: Handle has dense and dynamic ornament including scrolls, tendrils, and beading with fan terminal. Back plain. Oval bowl with double-sided gilding. Fully marked. Excellent condition with deep patina.

Height: 4 1/4 in. Total weight: 2 troy ounces. #BV256

An often overlooked implement in tea ceremony, here we have the humble kogo (incense box) with an image of a sleek and flowing dragon. Commonly thought to represent strength, freedom, good luck, and magic, dragons are a popular theme in the artwork across Eastern cultures. Interesting to note, the dragon here is portrayed in the Korean style with four claws, with dragons in China typically having five claws and dragons in Japan typically having three. Fashioned by one of the few great female Jap...

First born son to Living National Treasure Isezaki Jun, Koichiro (b. 1974) has quickly made a name for himself as an independent artist. Not content to rely solely on family reputation, he has set off on his own path, making innovations in clay and also in the ideas and principles surrounding his craft. With its well-proportioned ridged design, natural ash glaze, and coarse grade of Bizen clay still containing visible stones; the vessel seen here would be a good choice for someone looking for a ...

Over the years we have taken a special interest in Raku-ware and especially in works produced by the Tamamizu kiln, such as the 300+ year old ceremonial tea bowl seen here. The first in this line of potters was Yahē (1662 - 1722), an illegitimate son of Kichizaemon Ichinyu (1615 - 1768) who studied under his father and then left to open his own kiln in the village of Tamamizu (known today as Ide-cho). Though he is the first potter of this branch, he is sometimes referred to as Tamam...

Edwardian Classical sterling silver bowl. Made by Gorham in Providence, ca 1910. Round with lobed and concave sides. Wavy shoulder with applied leaves and flowers, and scrolled rim. Well center engraved with interlaced script monogram. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and no. A3038. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 2 3/4 x D 12 1/4 in. Weight: 16 troy ounces. #BH744

The style of this vase, known in Japanese as karakane (“kara” meaning Chinese and “kane” meaning copper), has been carried on by Japanese craftsmen since its theorized introduction during China’s Tang Dynasty. Falling in and out of fashion over the centuries as Japan alternated between preferences for Chinese style tea-ware and more homegrown versions, today it remains a common fixture in many tea rooms. With beautiful red accents on a dark background, this is surely one of this artist...

Elizabeth II sterling silver serving tray. Made by Edward Viner in Sheffield in 1960. Round with well and molded and gently scrolled rim. Pretty and old fashioned. Fully marked. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 7/8 x D 14 1/2 in. Weight: 33 troy ounces. #BU963

Turn-of-the-century sterling silver and brilliant-cut glass flask Made by Unger Bros in Newark. Rectilinear with curved sides and diaper inset with alternating paterae and diaper. Threaded sterling silver collar and cover with plain sides and ornamented top with dense scrollwork surrounding vacant center. Cover fully marked. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 6 1/4 x W 3 x D 1 1/4 in. #BV121

Japonesque mixed metal on sterling silver bowl. Made by Gorham in Providence in 1881. Curved sides, molded rim, and foot rim. On exterior are applied vegetation rooted in granulated soil, a stray dragonfly, and solitary fisherman who has hooked a fish. Fully marked with maker’s stamp and “Sterling / 385 / N / & Other Metals”. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 1 7/8 x D 5 in. Gross weight: 5 troy ounces. #BV126

Turn-of-the-century American Art Nouveau glass claret jug with silver overlay. Cylindrical with spread base, c-scroll handle, and small lip spout. Star cut to underside. Overlay in form of scrolls and diaper. Shaped tubular cartouche engraved with interlaced script monogram. Glass is red except handle which is clear. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 9 1/2 x W 5 1/2 x D 4 3/4 in. #BR791