The Silver Antiques Insider

A Sterling Silver Toast To Man's Best Friend

Now that it's November and there's a crisp nip in the air, there's nothing better than a little nip to warm yourself while on a stroll outdoors with man's best friend. These great dog-themed accessories are the perfect accompaniment to your next autumn expedition, or a wonderful addition to your antique silver canine collection.

This sterling silver liquor flask is engraved with a delightful design of two Scottish Terrriers and a banner that reads “We’re both Scotch,” surrounded by a thistle and branches. The opening is secured with a hinged mechanism. The antique silver flask measures 7 in. in height and 5 ½ in. in width, and was made by Gorham Mfg. Corp. of Providence, Rhode Island, circa 1920. In excellent condition, it is fully hallmarked on the underside of the hinge and has a lovely patina.

This is a handsome antique silver stirrup cup made in Germany at the turn of the twentieth century. The tapering cylindrical shaped cup, traditionally used to toast before a hunt, supports a large figural head of a spaniel that has been realistically modeled with long, downward-pointed floppy ears, a medium-sized snout, and small, pert nose. The dog’s handsome shaped head also includes two yellow-colored glass eyes. The silver cup has wonderful engraving on the body that consists of a band of strapwork decoration with leafy scrolls and the bust of a gentleman; the opposing side features a shield cartouche with the monogram EH. It is in excellent condition with its original gold wash interior and is marked on the rim of one ear with German hallmarks. This antique German stirrup cup is a very handsome example of traditional hunting silver and would make a unique gift for a sportsman or dog lover!

For Halloween, A Museum-Quality Antique Silver Treat

Halloween is upon us, and with it the annual tradition of dishing out tasty treats to the ghouls and goblins who come to visit. What better occasion to highlight one of the more remarkable items from the Nelson and Nelson gallery: a century-old museum-quality bonbonniere, or candy dish, made by the court jewelers to Kaiser Wilhelm II?

This magnificent bonbonniere consists of an agate candy/nut dish banded with German 900 silver and rests upon a fabulous and elaborate silver stand in the Indian style, which has been decorated with a pair of elephants with ivory tusks, an ivory figure of Buddha, and a pierced silver base inset with turquoise cabochons. The oval dish has been formed from an exceptionally fine quality piece of moss agate with beautiful lacy striations in a lovely rich, deep saturated shade of green swirling against a lighter, warmly shaded background. The dish is held in place by 4 elegantly designed pierced silver bands which attach to the truly spectacular supportive base in the form of an Indian temple, complete with a seated ivory Buddha guarded by a pair of beautifully made elephants. The miniature Buddha, seated calmly in the center and wearing an expression of complete serenity, is exquisitely depicted and has been crafted with exceptional skill and precision. He is flanked by a pair of reposing elephants whose trunks are raised upwards to symbolize good luck and prosperity. The temple has ornate arched doorways, prettily decorated with Eastern motifs, and rests upon a scalloped base completely surrounded by pierced work inset with cabochons of a sumptuously saturated shade of blue-green turquoise. These elements have all serendipitously combined to form a truly exceptional and unique work of art which would make a distinctive and sophisticated addition to any setting. It is in excellent, pristine condition throughout and has been clearly stamped on the base with a full set of German hallmarks and the name of the makers, Sy and Wagner of Berlin, the distinguished court jewelers to Kaiser Wilhelm II. This wonderful objet d’art measures approx. 6 ½” x approx. 3 ½” x approx. 6 ¼” tall. 

Crafting for Crafty Antique Silver Collectors

Admit it- there are some of you out there (like me) who are avid craftspeople as well as collectors. So what to do with that perfect antique sterling silver or dore picture frame that won't fit a particular photograph? How about antiquing a custom-sized mirror for your new purchase? Time Out New York instructs you on exactly how to channel your turn-of-the-century Martha Stewart to fill your new frames in just over a fall weekend.

And if you're looking for a frame to fit, here are some fabulous suggestions!


This antique gilded dore bronze picture frame, made in France circa 1900, is decorated with a frieze depicting the lives of the Egyptians. Acanthus leaves and a braided edge adorn the border of the frame, and a molded cornice highlights the top. The frame also has a lovely easel back. It stands 12 in. high and the photo insert measures 8 ¾ in. X 6 ¼ in.


This is lovely sterling silver picture frame by the San Francisco Silversmiths Shreve & Co. in a wonderful Art Nouveau design. This oval picture frame stands on bracket feet and has a wide solid-silver border with beautiful engraved decoration of delicate flowers and leaves that form garlands around the frame. At the top is a vacant cartouche formed with scrolls that could be personalized. The back and hinged stand are covered in rich brown velvet and cream fabric. This frame is in very good condition, and measures approx. 11" high and approx. 8" wide, and the interior frame measures 8 1/2" high and 6 1/4" wide. It is marked on the edge of the border with the maker's mark of Shreve and Co., the word Sterling, and pattern number 7925. This antique sterling silver picture frame is truly timeless and would make an excellent gift for newlyweds.

For more picture frames from Nelson and Nelson Silver Antiques, click here.

Silver Pheasants: So Pleasant For The Season

Fall is pheasant season, and I've always been fond of the quirky-yet-elegant, long-tailed bird. Did you know that they're native to China and can fly almost 50 miles an hour? In celebration the pheasant, may I suggest a lovely piece of antique figural silver celebrating our feathered friend--a most unusual and delightful way to spruce up your silver decorating this fall.

Here is a truly fabulous pair of beautifully made German silver pheasant birds (circa 1900) of the very highest quality. They are extraordinarily life-like in appearance and have been expertly captured in mid-stride, with their skillfully crafted clawed feet seeming to purposely propel them onward. Each has exquisitely-detailed facial features and meticulously made feathers all over their bodies, culminating in elegantly elongated and raised tails. Their hinged wings are fully reticulated. In a most unusual feature, the long sweeping feathers on each of their backs cover and conceal a good-sized container. A sliding hinge at the base of each tail opens and closes each container to keep the contents fresh. These beautiful birds are in excellent condition and have a lovely patina. A set of German hallmarks is stamped at the tip of one birds's tail. For more information on this pair, click here.

This is a wonderful pair of German silver table pheasants with hinged wings and removable heads. Each of these twin birds stands on two legs with naturalistically curled claws and has a full body with gorgeous long downward pointed tail feathers and rounded hinged wings that allow them to take on a variety of poses. Each also has an expressively stern, yet stately face and head that is removable at the neck which allows it to function as a container as well as a table ornament. For more information, click here.

Fall Fetes With Antique Silver

The Dallas News has a lovely piece on fall entertaining, with an innovative way to use your antique silver from local interior designer Lisa Higgason.

Higgason suggests mixing more budget-conscious dinnerware, such as pieces from Pier 1, with antique silver for a fresh-looking table setting.

"[They] blend beautifully with the more formal silver pieces and create a more eclectic setting than a formal china-and-silver combination," Higgason says.

This pair of antique sterling silver baskets, made by the Merrill Shops circa 1920, would make a beautiful accent to an autumn fete with modern, simple dinnerware. The baskets, perforated with a dot and horn motif, hold beautifully colored ruby-red glass liners. For more information on the baskets, click here.

Going Green

No doubt about it, 2009 is the year of green. From eco-friendly decorating ideas to "Green Weddings," to tote-your-own grocery bags, everyone seems to be making a conscious effort to reduce waste while maintaining their personal style. But recycled bamboo can only go so far, no?

Silversmiths of centuries past--to their credit--were committed to producing art with staying power. Their craft champions long-term usability and therefore stands in opposition to the apparent evils of disposable convenience.

So how about a small sample of vintage décor direct from the online catalog of Nelson & Nelson Antiques? Carrying out the green theme is this lovely cylinder-shaped Antique American Sterling Silver Overlay vase, decorated with a pansies and leaves design with delicate carved openings and etchings on both the flora and the fauna. For more information on the vase, click here.

Please note: most, but not all, of Nelson & Nelson’s inventory can be viewed in the online catalog. Please visit us at our Manhattan location at at 979 Third Avenue  between 58th and 59th street on the Fifth floor, Showroom 507.

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 vapors 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.