The Silver Antiques Insider

Thoughtful Antique Silver Hostess Gifts

It’s summer and the season of entertaining is in full swing! If you are lucky enough to have weddings or very elegant affairs on your calendar and are racking your mind for an elegant gift, consider antique silver wine coasters. They’re as exquisite as they are functional! Here is a selection from the exclusive collection at Nelson and Nelson.



This pair of sterling wine bottle coasters was made by Hester Bateman, London, in 1789. Circular coasters with straight sides, they feature pierced ornament with Vitruvian scrolls and Greek vases. This is a fine example of Neoclassical silver by the distinguished English craftswoman. For more information, click here.



This fabulous antique Early Victorian English sterling silver wine coaster is designed in the style reminiscent of the Gothic Revival Rooms in the Brighton Pavilion. The ornate stylized column galley of the wine coaster also features figural leaf motifs interspersed between the columns. Made by Henry Wilkinson & Co., Sheffield, England in 1837. For more information, click here.



This pair of unique wine bottle coasters featured straight and faceted sides decorated with strapwork and quatrefoils. An engraved crest with two birds and anchor highlights the center. For more information, click here.

Antique Sterling Silver Trophies Celebrate Important Moments In Life

News flash! A silver cup awarded to the Greek runner who won the first Olympic marathon in 1896 was sold for $865,000, Christie’s auction house in London said. Spyros Louis was presented with the cup, a silver medal, an antique vase, an olive branch and a diploma by King George I of Greece for his victory.

Antique sterling silver trophies honor fantastic accomplishments and future promises! Explore Nelson and Nelson's thoughtfully curated collection of beautiful antique silver trophies to celebrate the amazing milestones in the lives of your family and friends.

This two handled trophy cup from Currier & Roby, circa 1920, is wonderfully decorated with a stepped-decorated circular base and removable lid with two scroll-shaped applied handles. This trophy is hallmarked and in excellent condition. For more information, click here. 

Have a card player in your life? This charming late 19th-century Neoclassical sterling silver trophy by Tiffany & Co. features a V-shaped body on a spreading, circular base. The handles have a sharp upward curve and architectonic quality that creates a dramatic silhouette. The body is decorated with a laurel wreath forming a vacant (and monogrammable!) cartouche on one side and playing cards on the reverse. The trophy is marked under the base with the mark of Tiffany & Co., the words Makers, Sterling Silver 925-1000, pattern number 13220, order number 342, and the letter T for its founder Charles L. Tiffany, used from 1891-1902. For more information, click here. 

This is a beautiful sterling silver loving cup made by the American silversmiths at Reed & Barton has a wonderful Art Nouveau sensibility. The elegant design features a circular, cup-shaped body on a flaring shaped, circular base. The three side handles have a lovely, organic curve and are embellished with sculpturally rendered flowers and leafy vines. The base has a similarly decorated border with flowers and leaves. This trophy is in excellent condition, and has not been monogrammed. For more information, click here. 

Last-Minute Antique Gift Ideas

Christmas is around the corner, and if you haven't already checked all of the names off your holiday shopping list, or you're still looking for the perfect present, Nelson and Nelson has some unique and beautiful gift ideas for everyone. To make it even better, we're currently offering 25% every item under $10,000 and 30% off every item over $10,000 during our holiday sale. From our family to yours, have a wonderful holiday season!

This stunning English Art Deco sterling silver picture frame is decorated with an intricate engine-turned design and features a beautiful tortoise shell mount on the interior border. The back of the picture frame features the original mahogany mount and easel. For more information, click here. 

 

Four large irises overlap scrolls of silver on this large Art Nouveau perfume bottle, made circa 1900. The bottle is lobed at the base and the silver is beautifully applied. The bottle is in perfect condition and features the monogram ELM. For more information, click here.

 

This circa 1920 silver elephant has a turned up trunk which means good luck. The body of the piece is textured to evoke the hide of a real elephant. Made circa 1920, it is in excellent condition and weighs a substanial 8 ounces. For more information, click here. 

Antique Jewelry As Gifts Of Modern Style

Many people discount the idea of antique jewelry as a forward-thinking gift because they think of vintage gems as overly frou-frou or fusty, like a debutante's tiara or the tired brooch that Aunt Ivy's been donning every Thanksgiving for the last four decades. Which is why here at Nelson and Nelson we'd like to bring your attention to some dazzling recent acquisitions in our antique jewelry department. They're decidedly modern head-turners for this holiday season!

This gorgeous antique Victorian 15-karat gold and semi-precious stone set bracelet was made circa 1880 and features nine hinged gold plaques that are beautifully designed to frame semi-precious stones, including two pink topazes, two citrines, two amethysts, two aquamarines and one garnet. The bracelet is in very good condition with an indecipherable hallmark on one section of the bracelet next to the clasp. For more information, click here. 

This striking French 18-karat yellow gold and citrine necklace is a beautiful example of jewelry made in the "Archeological Revival" or "Etruscan" style circa 1870, with graduated gold pendants alternating with collet-set citrines. The tongue of the clasp is hallmarked with the maker’s mark “MB” in a lozenge along with the French 18-karat gold mark. For more information, click here.

Beautiful Gift Ideas From Buccellati

We just wanted to bring your attention to two exquisite silver items recently acquired by Nelson and Nelson. These animal-figure table ornaments are striking in their realism, and were made by the Buccelati, an Italian firm originally established in the mid-18th century which is heralded for its exquisite and varied work. If you're looking for a beautiful and original gift this fall, please consider these beautiful and unique silver items. 

This charming Buccellati 800 silver gilt table ornament was made in Italy circa 1970. The duck is realistically formed with a feathered coat and is oxidized and partially gilded for a more realistic interpretation. For more information, click here. 

This adorable Buccellati 800 silver gilt table ornament, made in Italy circa 1970, is in the shape of a seal. Its coat is realistically formed with a flat hair coat and whiskers. Like the duck (above) the body of this piece is signed “Buccellati Italy” on the under side of the base and is hallmarked 800. For more information, click here. 

The Scarab: A Beautiful Motif In Antique Jewelry

At Nelson and Nelson, we always offer a beautiful selection of antique and signed jewelry. One of the more interesting and historical design elements in our collection is the scarab.

 This exquisite 18 karat gold Roman Revival style brooch (circa 1880) is based on the designs of the renowned Castellani firm and features a gold pendant-style drop that secures a carved scarab stone. The box-formed base with circular forms on each end are embellished with frogs and the center of the pin is surmounted with a three-dimensional owl with spread wings and has the motto “SALVE” spelled out in wirework. For more information, click here. 

The scarab motif has been a popular component of jewelry and other human adornment for thousands of years. It originated in ancient Egypt, where representations of the Scarabaeus sacer, or dung beetle, represented the celestial cycle of transformation and rebirth. Scarabs carved of ivory, semi-precious and precious stones and gold were used not only as grave goods, but also as powerful amulets that were believed to ward off evil and bring the bearer good luck. As such, they were--and still are--important gifts for those close to us. If you are looking for a unique and meaningful piece of antique jewelry, consider one of the beautiful scarab adornments we have on offer. 

 

This unique antique American pendant in English Etruscan Revival design (circa 1870) has a figural carved garnet scarab with 15K gold legs, diamond eyes and an encrusted rose-cut diamond set on an oval, faceted rock crystal pedestal. For more information, click here. 

 

This beautiful antique faience scarab (circa 1860) features cushion-shaped emerald and ruby wings and old European-cut diamond accents on a silver-topped gold mount. For more information, click here. 

 

This fantastic Victorian brooch in the form of a winged scarab carved from a turquoise and grey-colored stone is set in 14K gold. The scarab is centered in a detailed and elegant gold setting forming feathered wings and flanked on each side with two cobras in profile. For more information, click here. 

For Theater Fans- Lorgnette Antique Jewelry!

Remember old films and illustrations featuring grande dames who peer over their theatre box with a set of embellished opera glasses? For ladies of the 19th century, lorgnettes (from the French lorgner, "to take a sidelong look at") were de rigueur for catching an eyeful of a performance or book, or, of course, discreet snooping.

To observe in style, Nelson and Nelson has beautiful antique jewelry lorgnettes for your favorite performance maven.

This fabulous Art Deco diamond encrusted platinum lorgnette features a double hinged spring mechanism that secures one magnifier on top of the other when closed. When hung from a long chain, this magnificent lorgnette becomes a simply stunning pendant. For more information, click here. 

This antique American lorgnette in 14K gold, circa 1890, is decorated with a fabulous figural design featuring a border of two griffins and a gargoyle (both classic Victorian motifs) on both sides of lorgnette. A spring mechanism releases a hinged pair of reading glasses. For more information, click here. 

Through The Looking Glass

A favorite of Sherlock Holmes and other literary detectives, magnifying glasses are also a lovely tool to have around for collectors of manuscripts, stamps, insects, and other items that feature remarkable detail. 

The earliest description of people using convex lenses to magnify objects goes back to the 5th century BC, but the magnifying glass as we know it was developed by Roger Bacon some 800 years ago. Since then, the magnifying glass has been elevated to a bit of an art form itself, with fanciful repousse or inlaid enamel handles. Nelson and Nelson offers an exclusive selection of antique magnifying glasses, one of which may make the perfect gift for your favorite collector.

This large antique sterling silver magnifier, circa 1880, features a fine repousse handle with flower and leaf decoration. The plain mount on the end is perfect for engraving. For more information, click here. 

A fabulous addition to any study or library, this handsome ivory handled magnifying glass has an engraved sterling silver mount, and is hallmarked Sheffield, England, and dated 1892. For more information, click here.

This magnifying glass with a turquoise green enamel and sterling silver handle, hallmarked Birmingham, England and dated 1930, would be perfect for a ladies’ desk or secretary! For more information, click here.

Man's Best Friend

Nelson and Nelson has some wonderful figural animal silver, but this pooch is one of my favorites. This German Sheperd is a 10 3/4 " high silver-plate and crystal decanter from Austria, and is a fine example of the quality and craftsmanship of Austrian crystal. The seated dog has an incredibly detailed crystal body with upright front legs and a bushy tail curled around its feet. The neck of the body is the decanter’s opening and is fitted with a stopper encased in the silver-plated dog’s head, which features alert pointed ears and a steady straight gaze from amber-colored glass eyes. An unusually perfect gift for dog lovers! For more information on this piece, click here.

 

Celebrate The Year Of The Tiger With Antique Silver

On Valentine's Day, the world celebrated not only love but the beginning of a new year--4707!--on the Chinese calendar. According to Chinese astrology, people born in the Year of the Tiger are deep thinkers, but also short-tempered; suspicious, but courageous. They're also bad at making up their minds.

If you've made up your mind to make 4707 the year to acquire a stunning piece of antique Chinese silver, consider this exquisite export silver dish made by one of China's leading silversmiths of the late 19th century.

This magnificent Chinese Export Silver Dish was made by Luen Wo of Shanghai, circa 1880. The dish is marked on the underside with Luen Wo’s maker’s mark, along with a workshop mark stamped in Chinese characters. The dish is of lobed oblong form with two handles. The body is pierced, chased and engraved with an allover design of dragons amidst cherry blossoms and clouds, all within numerous scrolling cartouche shaped reserves. Luen Wo was one of the leading silversmiths of Shanghai during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His high level of artistry is evident in this dish. For more information, please click here.