The Silver Antiques Insider

Silver Spoons: A Tarnished Reputation?

I was in bed, propped up by pillows, flip-flopping my Venetian blinds on a dull, grey day when there was a commotion in the hallway and a thundering knock at my door. “Lauren, ya in there?”

Alice! “This ought to be good,” I thought. I hobbled to the door and let her in. “Hi!” She said as she shoved past me into the kitchen with a Tupperware container wedged in her armpit. “How are ya?”

“Oh, I’ve been better. This hip-”

She cut me off with a compassionate nod. “Heard ‘bout that. Haven’t ate yet have ya?” I shook my head no. “Thought ya could use some soup.” She had already located my pot and emptied into it the contents of her Tupperware - chicken stock by the looks of it, with rice and a hearty mix of colourful veggies. As it warmed on the stove she regaled me with laundry room gossip and then ladled the soup into a bowl. When I reached for the condiments and strained with the effort she scooped up the peppershaker and generously peppered my soup.

“Thank you, Alice.”

“Anything else?”

“Only a sterling tureen could have topped this Alice.” I tittered in spite of myself. From the look on her face I gathered the joke could use some explanation. “My old Auntie Beryl used to say that food always tasted better when it was served in sterling silver.”

“Little too rich for me!” Alice said. She slid her bum down off the counter and joined me at the table. “But you could try askin’ O-----.”

O-----? Here we go. “The superintendent?” I had no idea he appreciated fine silver.

She nodded with eyes wide. “Word’s goin’ round – he’s been swipin’ spoons - silver spoons – has been since forever. Keep an eye on him.”

Now, I’d be a fool to believe everything Alice tells me. For the time being I’d prefer to grant my super the benefit of doubt. My neighbour’s garrulous nature has landed her in hot water on more than one occasion, though in this instance she has stirred up a critical issue. According to this article from the Museum Security Network, thieves don’t always go after high-value goods. Often the risk is lower and the resale value is greater when they steal a lower quality or less remarkable piece.

Apart from Judo lessons and spy cameras I can offer no real advice on protecting your collection from home invasions and targeted theft. That’s not my area of expertise.

But (here’s an awful thought) should you someday become a victim of property crime there are steps you can take today to facilitate the recovery process. Most importantly, keep a detailed catalogue of your antique collection and be sure to include photographs. In the future I’ll have to put together an article about catalogue techniques, so stay tuned for that. Until then, here’s a rundown of crime prevention tactics from the Metropolitan Police Service and two full lists of stolen fine art and antiques to watch out for: one from the United Kingdom, and another (at the bottom of the page) from the New York-area.

Well, They Say It Goes Straight To Your Hips

Earliest archaeological evidence traces chocolate back to Central America sometime around 1100 BC where it was consumed not as a candy bar, but as a beverage. Far from the sweet treat we know today, the Aztecs imbibed xocolātl, or “bitter water,” a concoction of crushed cacao beans, annatto, chili powder and other spices muddled in warm water.

Following its appropriation by Spain in the 16th century spices were removed from the xocolātl recipe and milk and sugar were added to the mix to counteract the cacao bean’s natural bitterness. Ere long, "hot chocolate" was melting hearts all over Europe and the chocolate pot became de rigueur. Designers stepped up to produce some of the most elegant specimens out of porcelain and precious metals.

For all their efforts, sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between a chocolate pot and a coffee pot. Check out this fine silver chocolate pot from the online catalogue of Nelson & Nelson Antiques and pay particular attention to the spout. Due to the viscosity of its intended contents the chocolate pot usually has a shorter spout while the coffee pot has a longer spout that occasionally comes equipped with a filter. Most chocolate pots have a horizontal handle and a vertical stir stick. In this case, the hinged berry finial can be removed to make way for the molinet.

Anyway, I thought hot chocolate would be the perfect treat to take on my recent skating date with the Luckhurst clan but since Emily is still trying to keep the kids away from both dairy and sugar I opted for a good old-fashioned xocolātl instead. Dagoba’s prepackaged variety is no longer available (has it been discontinued or are they just out of stock?) so I whipped up a batch to my own taste loosely based on Uncle Phaedrus’s "cacahuatl" recipe. I woke up early on New Year’s Day and filled a whole fat thermos with my spicy elixir before heading down to Rockefeller Center.

Surprisingly the kids wanted nothing to do with the xocolātl - their mugs went cold on the bench. I suppose they were keen to hit the ice. Emily blew on her mug and sniffed it tentatively. Her brow furrowed, “Is there nutmeg in this?”

“Hm-m. That could be the achiote oil.”

She sipped it politely and took in a sharp breath of winter air. She then moved on to the tiresome subject of her romantic woes and seemed to forget all about the mug in her hands. “More for me!” I thought, and poured myself a second cup.

Eventually, with arms extended and ankles sagging, I joined the flock of besweatered couples out on the ice. Despite a close brush with a miniature Bobby Orr and the distracting feats of the ice nymph I circumnavigated the rink thrice without a single spill. It was exhilarating! I collapsed on the bench and, in all my excitement, downed the last of the xocolātl before hugging Emily, waving goodbye to the children, and heading off for home.

Long story shortened: I took ill partway home and was forced to make boom in a department store restroom. Then, upon exiting the stall, I slipped in a large puddle of pink soap, went arse over chocolate pot and smashed my hip on the marble floor.

Now I’m laid up in bed with an aching frame and an unsightly tri-colour bruise. The doctor has assured me that no bones are broken. “Nothing a good solid week of bed rest can’t fix,” she said. "Well, Happy New Year to me!" I thought. Oh, so be it. I’ve got a large supply of chamomile tea and I’m eager to crack open the anagram puzzle book that I got for Christmas. Who knows? I may even get around to reading Middlemarch.

2008! It's Gonna To Be Great!

Happy New Year from Nelson & Nelson Antiques!

I was propped up in my reading chair last night with a steaming mug of Awake tea and the full intention of greeting the New Year but as per usual my chin hit my chest sometime before midnight. Call it a tradition.

I can now recall only parts of a long dream that took place primarily in a chandeliered ballroom where masquerading guests loomed and purled like apparitions reflected in the textured surface of Gorham’s Martelé hollowware.

I awoke in a sweat to a brightly lit apartment and a dizzying loop from Bartok’s String Quartet #4. I rose from my chair and stretched, then crossed the room and pulled the needle off the record. Scamper Bill squinted at me with a measure of derision and yawned. A melancholy sigh from the steam radiator punctuated my decision to retire. I had already kicked off my slippers and removed my cardigan when I was blasted out of my skin by the echoing report of fireworks. I rushed to my window just as revelers took to the streets with noisemakers and I beamed as Roman Candles popped and crackled in multi-coloured arcs and children danced around glistening puddles on the sidewalk chanting “2008! It’s gonna be great!”

“Indeed,” I concurred. “Indeed!”

And Now... A Word From Our Sponsor

Nelson & Nelson Antiques is a family-owned antique sterling silver business run by the husband and wife team of Steve and Marge Nelson since 1975. Our glittering store, located on Park Avenue in the heart of New York City, always showcases a treasure-trove of late 19th Century and early 20th Century sterling silver. We always have a large selection of candle sticks, candelabra, picture frames, tea sets, trays, hollowware, flatware, vanity items and the most comprehensive collection of silver overlay within New York and its surrounding area. Silver items by such famous makers as Tiffany, Gorham, and Jensen are always available. We also have a large variety of bronze d'ore picture frames, cut crystal, unique figural objects, beautiful enamels and distinctive Victorian, Edwardian and Retro jewelry. We'll also buy your fine (and even your not so fine!) sterling, entire estates or single items. In our over 30 years of business, we, and our friendly and knowledgeable staff, have served thousands of satisfied customers and we all take pride in ensuring that every visit, whether to our store or to our website, will always be a sterling experience.

Visit our website: www.NelsonAndNelsonAntiques.com

Visit our store at 445 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. (between 56th and 57th Streets)
Open Monday to Saturday 11:00am to 5:30pm

Or call us at 212-980-5825

Revisiting "Silversmiths to the Nation"

The first weekend of the New Year will be a special one for silver enthusiasts here in the Big Apple. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art a variety of educational programs have been organized in conjunction with their current exhibit: "Silversmiths to the Nation: Thomas Fletcher and Sidney Gardiner, 1808-1842".

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The How, What, and Why of Early–19th–Century American Silver

Saturday, January 5, 2008 10:00am to 1:00pm
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, NY

This half-day workshop will be hosted in turn by Stephen Smithers, Beth Carver Wees (Associate Curator, American Decorative Arts, MMA), and Alice W. Schwarz. They will add extra dimension to the fine silver artifacts on display by answering the following questions: How were they made? What purpose did they serve? Why were they created?

“Participants will converse with a silversmith as he tools; tour the exhibition with its curator; and immerse themselves in gallery and classroom activities with a Museum educator.” (www.metmuseum.org)

To apply for the workshop please call 212-570-3985 or send an email to teachers@metmuseum.org. Enrollment is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. There’s a $40.00 registration fee to cover the cost of instruction and materials. No meals are provided.

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A number of Family Programs have also been planned for that weekend. The “Look Again!” series encourages participants, by way of conversation, sketching, and the odd performance, to examine works of art more closely, while “How Did They Do That?” is a 30-minute hands-on session that introduces kids (and adults!) to the nuts and bolts of fine art and the creation process. These programs are included free with the regular museum admission.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Look Again! Shining Bright
11:00am to 12:30pm
Uris Center for Education, Ground Floor

How Did They Do That? American Silversmithing
1:00pm to 4:00 pm
Luce Center, The American Wing

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Look Again! Metally Alert
11:00am to 12:30pm
Uris Center for Education, Ground Floor

How Did They Do That? American Silversmithing
1:00pm to 4:00 pm
Luce Center, The American Wing

Let The Bells Ring!

When a group of elementary school teachers in Ottawa, Ontario decided to change the lyrics to “Silver Bells” for a sing-a-long concert some parents grew downright fervourous. According to a report from CBC News they were planning to replace the phrase “Christmas day” with “a festive day” until the parents voiced concern.

I really don’t see what all the fuss is about and frankly I don’t think Ray Evans, who wrote the lyrics, would have cared for this either. Though Ray Evans joined his writing partner Jay Livingston in the great beyond earlier this year we still have access to this telling feature, produced by NPR back in 2005, all about Evans and his role in the origin of "Silver Bells."

The song debuted in 1951 in this scene from a Bob Hope holiday film entitled The Lemon Drop Kid.

Bing Crosby recorded a version for radio-play shortly thereafter and a long list of entertainers followed suit. The song has since been recorded and performed countless times. It has sold over 500 million copies and it has undergone almost as many re-arrangements and re-interpretations.

So I find it hard to imagine why anyone would take offense if the school kids had performed their modified version. Alas, in the end, they decided to drop the song from their program altogether.

In lieu of their performance I plundered my own collection of Christmas albums for different versions of the song and then spent yesterday afternoon browsing the Salvation Army record bins before enlisting the aid of Conor, young nephew to my neighbour Alice. He managed to find digital copies of some of my old favourites plus a few additions of his own and many more that neither of us had ever heard before.

This morning we pared our collection down and arranged for you this rather eclectic playlist.

Merry Christmas from Nelson & Nelson Antiques!

Silver Bells by The Ventures:

Silver Bells by The Heritage Hall Jazz Band:

Silver Bells by Twisted Sister:

Silver Bells by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band:

Silver Bells by Jacob Miller:

Can You Shed Some Light On This Candelabrum?

Last week I entered the Nelson & Nelson Antiques showroom on Park Avenue just as my co-worker was changing the window display. This stately candelabrum caught my eye and tickled my fancy.

Judging by the craftsmanship, the hallmark, and the date (1848) this piece must be the work of Benjamin Smith III, the last in a family of fine silversmiths to be working out of London in the 19th century.

It stands about three feet high and it’s topped with a glass bowl that has been engraved with a floral, leafy detail. The stem and the arms have been fashioned and textured to resemble the trunk and branches of a tree. Three women are positioned around the trunk just above the candelabrum’s solid base.

At first glance I assumed these women to be The Three Graces but I dispelled that notion with a closer inspection. The Three Graces usually appear nude. These women are fully clothed. The Graces are said to represent beauty, charm, and joy. Although these ladies are beautiful, I consider their rigid stance to be anything but charming or joyful.

Besides, as far as I’m aware, the Graces never carried any props. These women each display a different prop: one stands next to what appears to be a beehive, the second offers a chalice, and the third holds a staff bearing the Hand of Fatima.

Next, The Muses came to mind. They always carry some device that corresponds to a particular character trait, but, search as I might, I could find no reference to these devices in any article about The Muses.

For help I consulted Gus Myberg, a good friend and trivia buff. He returned my call a few days later but he couldn't offer any substantial leads. “Do you think they might be King Lear’s daughters?” he said.

“Interesting, but -” I thought it over. “No, I don’t see the connection.”

“How about the Three Fates?”

“No. Gustav, I think we’ve lost the thread here.”

I studied the women once more. Apart from the different props they are identical. It’s as though their individual personalities were intentionally de-emphasized in favour of a general solemn countenance and dignified air. I grew convinced that the key to understanding this whole candelabrum was to be found, not in the women, but in the items they are presenting: the beehive, the chalice, and the Hand of Fatima.

Already exhausted, I turned my research to the symbolism of those devices and entered a sprawling, dimly lit maze of Kabbalah, Zoroastrianism, Paganism, and the legend of the Holy Grail.

I came up with nothing.

Am I reading too much into this? Maybe the whole thing is, as the designer's initials might suggest, a load of B.S. Could it have been that Smith chose a mishmash of cultural detritus and mystical mumbo-jumbo to represent some private, neoclassical myth that we were never meant to understand?

What do you think?

Wine, Worship, and Sacrifice: The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani | Treasures From Georgia

December 1, 2007 – February 24, 2008
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (Smithsonian) in Washington, DC

Are relatives from out of town causing you problems?

Send them to the Smithsonian!

Currently on display in the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery they’ll find treasures from the ancient Kingdom of Colchis, where Persian and Greek cultures collided with a torrent of wine to produce a plethora of rich ornamentation in gold, silver, iron, and bronze.

If you’d like more information, Blake Gopnik’s article for The Washington Post will place the artifacts into a vivid historical context.

Also, be sure to check out this interactive slideshow courtesy of The Sackler Gallery.

The Kittens' Tea Party

Victorian taxidermist Walter Potter is back in the headlines. He received a fair bit of press when his collected works hit the auction block at Bonhams a few years ago. Now the previous owners are suing the auctioneers for not accepting the lucrative offer made by none other than YBA poster boy Damien Hirst (whose latest installation can be viewed in the lobby of the Lever House just down the street from Nelson & Nelson Antiques).

With that kind of money being thrown around I don’t think I’ll ever be able to afford an actual piece of Potter-phernalia but somewhere stashed away in a box I’ve got the next best thing. My British pen pal once sent me a postcard bearing an image of The Kittens’ Tea Party tableau. Many long afternoons were spent imagining the sort of catty remarks one might hear at that table.

“Mew, what a splendid set of tea-urns!” Minnie said to her esteemed hostess, Lady Permelia.

“Why thank you, meow-meow. They’re sterling, you know – been in my family’s possession since 1833.”

“More mouse tarts!” said Florence to the waiter. In an effort to be heard over the tinkle of teaspoons and ceaseless chatter she sprayed a fine mist of pastry crumbs across the table. Theodosia swung her head to dodge the crumbs and caught the tail end of a different conversation. “Heaven forefend!” Her ginger paw leapt to cover her mouth. “HOW big was her litter?”

“Sterling my mee-ow-za,” Winnie whispered privately to Ginny. “Lady P is putting on the dog. I do believe that urn is of a Sheffield plate.”

“Meow, Maxine,” Henrietta leaned forward with a pregnant pause and a determinedly malicious glint in her eye that commanded the attention of everyone at the table (save for Florence). “Was that not Thomas I witnessed exiting your quarters by way of the alley late last Thursday night?”

All eyes turned to Little Maxie who blushed, looked down at her plate, and voiced a barely audible “Mew.”

Living With Silver Antiques

Collecting can be a truly enriching experience but as the catalogue grows your innocent hobby can become detrimental to the inner harmony of your home. No self-respecting collector wants to keep her treasures boxed up, so how are you going to display all that stuff?

The heirloom hutch might be an obvious choice, otherwise, many older homes come equipped with mantles, lintels, and ledges but in the case of fine silver antiques, I must warn against all of the above. According to Pamela Wiggins (about.com) certain types of finishes and even some types of unvarnished wood emit vapours that “cause an adverse chemical reaction with silver, which can lead to heartbreaking damage.”

Furthermore, prolonged exposure to moisture can catalyze the tarnishing process. According to Ken Arnold, the author of Caring For Your Collectibles, silver should be displayed in an environment where the relative humidity is maintained at a level of 45 - 50 percent.

Enclosed cabinets with glass shelves and glass-fronted doors are ideal display cases (like those you can see in use over at Nelson & Nelson Antiques). They offer the best viewing privileges while also providing protection and some potential to control your collection’s exposure to tarnish-inducing humidity.

With just a little organization and a bit of understanding we can all get the most out of living with an antique silver collection.

But no matter how nice your display looks, just be sure not to lock your silver away until the end of time. Keep in mind that antique silver artifacts were designed for everyday functions. Regular use and subsequent cleaning creates the sheen, sometimes referred to as patina, which sets old silver apart from its ersatz modern-day relatives and makes the collection of silver antiques a truly rewarding pursuit.