Subjects in Silver Archives - Purely Silver

Silver Bookmarks

Purely Silver — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:40:15 +0000

Silver bookmarks. Bookmarks are an excellent choice for starting a silver collection. They can start at very low prices and come in a range of subjects. Many silver makers and retailers made, and still make, bookmarks. They also make excellent gifts for book lovers.

Below are some examples and price guides of silver bookmarks including a figural Asprey bookmark and an Art Nouveau cherub bookmark.

Asprey Sterling Silver Book Mark
London, 20th century
in the form of a southeastern European or Turkish man in historical attire; lg. 5 in.

Sold for US$828.75 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2022

Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Bookmark
Late 20th century
Length 4 inches, approximately 2 ounces.

Sold for $88 at Doyle in 2023

Sterling Silver Princess Ingrid Bookmark
Creator: Frank Whiting (Manufacturer)
Dimensions: Height: 3 in (7.62 cm)Width: 1 in (2.54 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
Materials and Techniques: Sterling Silver
Place of Origin: United States
Period: 1940-1949
Date of Manufacture: 1945

Sold for US$195 at Mynt Auctions in 2023

Turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau sterling silver bookmark. Made by William B. Kerr in Newark. Dagger blade engraved with interlaced script monogram set in open frame. Cast terminal in form of winged cherub a guiding spirit to help you keep your place. Back plain. Fully marked including no. 922. Dimensions: H 3 5/8 x W 2 x D 1/2 in.

Sold for US$415 at Bidhaus in 2023

FINE ITALIAN SILVER ROMULUS REMUS ROME BOOKMARK

Finely worked silver bookmark to symbolize Rome. Etched, stamped and repoussé flowers and leaves surrounding a bas relief of Romulus and Remus. The myth of the twins Romulus & Remus were suckled by a she-wolf and founded the city of Rome.
Marked 800.
Weight: 25.8g.

Sold for US$30 at Converse Auctions in 2023

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Silver Bird Boxes

Purely Silver — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 09:10:28 +0000

Silver bird boxes are exquisite collectibles. They are small musical boxes which have singing birds in them. Although they are normally rectangular in shape, they can also be found in novelty shapes such as pianos or bird cages.

Below are some examples and price guides of silver bird boxes including a German box by J D Schleissner and Sohne and a piano shaped bird box.

A German silver singing bird box with key
J D Schleissner and Sohne, Hanau, stamped 930
In the manner of Karl Griesbaum, shaped-rectangular form, the top with oval hinged cover opening to a singing bird automaton, ornate case decorated in relief with scrolls and birds, catch to the front in the form of a bird, with key, length 10cm.

Sold for£1,912.50 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2023

AN AUSTRIAN ENAMELLED SILVER-GILT MUSICAL BIRD BOX
VIENNA, CIRCA 1880
In the Japonist style, rectangular on four ball feet, enamelled with a white and pale green background framed by silver-gilt borders chased with geometrical motifs, the front panel enamelled with a mother and child, the right side and back panels sparesly decorated with cherry blossoms, the left side with a pagoda and a cherry blossom tree with a branch extending on the cover centred by a hinged oval lid painted with a bird resting on the branch, opening to reveal the singing bird and an engraved grill, activated by the push button fitted on the cover, the bird rotates on its axis in time to a realistically imitated bird song and retreat inside the box when the song has finished and the lid will close, with brass key, marked underneath and stamped underneath ‘Made in Austria, Sterling’
3 7/8 in. (100 mm.) long

Sold for GBP 9,375 at Christie’s in 2021

German Sterling Silver Singing Bird Box
20th Century
Shaped rectangular decorated with birds and foliate scrolls. Length 3 7/8 inches (10 cm).

Sold for $2,016 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle in 2023

GERMAN 925 STERLING SILVER SINGING BIRD BOX CIRCA 1900 WITH CHERUBS
Composition: Sterling Silver

Sold for US$20,000 at Mynt Auctions in 2023

A LOVELY ANTIQUE SINGING BIRD SILVER AUTOMATON SINGING BIRD BOX decorated with putti and figures. 521 grams. 10 cm x 8 cm.

Sold for £1,100 at Hannam’s Auctioneers Ltd in 2023

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Mythical Beasts

Purely Silver — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 09:42:15 +0000

Mythical beasts come in many forms and different cultures represent them in different ways. Offering bowls often depict mythical creatures and many are made from silver. Mythical beasts is a broad term and can include sea monsters as well and creatures from classical mythology.

Below are some examples and price guides of silver antiques which depict mythical beasts, including a silver offering bowl and a silver seal.

A SILVER OFFERING BOWL WITH FLORA, FAUNA, AND MYTHICAL BEASTS
BURMA (MYANMAR), SHAN STATE, CIRCA 1930
The underside is engraved with a design of a lotus bud with pairs of men and monkeys resting on petals.
7 1/8 in. (18 cm) high;
9 7/8 in. (25 cm) diameter;
42 troy oz (1,314 grams) approximate weight

Sold for US$1,275 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2022

A SILVER-INLAID BRONZE MYTHICAL BEAST-FORM WATER POT AND BRUSH REST
MING – EARLY QING DYNASTY, 16TH – 18TH CENTURY
The beast with bulging eyes and a bifurcated tail is shown in a recumbent position and has four tall peaks and an aperture on its back, the body accented with silver-wire inlay.
5 ¾ in. (14.6 cm.) long

Sold for USD 12,500 at Christies in 2021

Pair of George W. Shiebler & Co. Sterling Silver Fish Servers
Late 19th century
The handles cast of mythical sea creatures, the shaped blade and tines bright cut with Aesthetic design on a satin ground. Length of knife 13 inches, length of fork 10 1/2 inches, total approximately 15 ounces.

Sold for $4,095 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle in 2021

SILVER MYTHICAL BEAST STAMP SEAL ; Ht.2 in, Lg.2 1/4 in, Wt.787g

Sold for US$900 at Treasurehouse Inc. in 2022

A silver two-handled tray, 20th century

rectangular with a border of roses, the centre engraved with a mythological representation of Ceres framed by two large trees and surrounded by engraved rocaille and floral decor, the border engraved with the monogram PG

length 24 7⁄16 in.; width 12 5⁄8in.; weight 47 oz.; 62 cm; 32 cm; 1488g.

Sold for 1,260 EUR at Sothebys in 2022

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Camels

Purely Silver — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 06:13:22 +0000

Camels are often known as the ships of the desert and have been depicted in both Asian and European antiques. Camels have often given the impression of exotic places and were particularly fashionable as decor from the Victorian era to the Art Deco period. Camels are still very collectible today.

Below are some examples and price guides of silver camels including a Viennese silver timepiece and a bronze camel inlaid with silver and gold.

A VIENNESE RENAISSANCE REVIVAL ENAMELED SILVER TIMEPIECE
Date: Last quarter 19th century
Movement: Gilt full plate key wound with verge escapement, fusee, bridge pieced with scrolls, coqueret, signed “Lorentz Engelbrecht à Wienn”
Dial: Oval gilt with champlevé enamel scrolls enclosing enamel roman chapters, gilt scroll hands
Case: On winged cherub feet, domed base with enamel vignettes of winged Eros with various mythologic personages, supporting a silver camel and oval watch case with further mythologic scene, cherub finial
Size: 18.5 cm high

Sold for US$ 4,462 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2020

FAR EAST INDIAN HAND CHASED SILVER BOWL

Depicting exotic animals including: Peacock, camel, lion, birds etc. unmarked 1 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches Condition: GoodTemp No 58

Sold for US$170 at John McInnis Auctioneers, LLC in 2022

An Edwardian novelty silver pin cushion, Carrington and Co., London 1904, cast in relief as a camel, sitting, with two saddle bags, on a wooden plinth base, 9.5cm long

Sold for £700 at Kinghams Auctioneers in 2022

GOLD & SILVER INLAID BRONZE CAST CAMEL CENSER Height 12 cm / Width 18.5 cm / Thickness 11 cm / Weight 1620g

Sold for US$7,500 at Cordier Auctions & Appraisals in 2022

ELEPHANTS AND CAMEL: A GROUP OF SILVER AND ENAMEL CIRCUS FIGURES, DESIGNED BY GENE MOORE FOR TIFFANY & CO., NEW YORK, CIRCA 1990

comprising four caparisoned elephants, one holding a woman in his trunk, one standing with a dragon cape and with elephant trainer, two with stands, and a caparisoned camel supporting a harlequin, 9 pieces

all marked TIFFANY & CO., STERLING, and Made in Italy

116 oz

3608 g

height of tallest 5⅝ in.

14.3 cm

Sold for 25,000 USD at Sotheby’s in 2020

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Swan Scent Bottles

Purely Silver — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 07:17:59 +0000

Swan Scent Bottles. This post has a gallery and information on scent bottles either in the form of swans or with swan decoration. Thomas Webb and Sons made some excellent scent bottles in the form of swans with silver mounts.

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Pig Pin Cushions

Purely Silver — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 07:26:32 +0000

Pig Pin Cushions. Pin cushions in the form of pigs are an excellent way to start a collection of novelty pin cushions. They are probably one of the most frequently found pin cushions and subsequently the cheapest. They range in sizes from very small to large.

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Lions

Purely Silver — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 08:46:34 +0000

Lions have a long history in Art and Design. They have been found depicted on coins as far back as 480BC, possibly earlier. They were an important part of Roman history and other cultures. Below are some examples of lions depicted in silver.

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Swans

Purely Silver — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 07:54:06 +0000

Swans feature strongly in mythology. In Greek mythology, the story of Leda and the Swan recounts that Helen of Troy was conceived in a union of Zeus disguised as a swan and Leda, Queen of Sparta

Many of the cultural aspects refer to the mute swan of Europe. Perhaps the best known story about a swan is “The Ugly Duckling” fable. Swans are often a symbol of love or fidelity because of their long-lasting, apparently monogamous relationships.

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Elephants

Purely Silver — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 15:23:48 +0000

Elephants are magnificent animals and have been depicted in silver as far back as the 1st century BC, on both Roman and Greek coins, possibly more. Below are some examples of silver elephants.

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Cherubs and Putti

Purely Silver — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 09:45:05 +0000

Cherubs have held a mystical fascination throughout time. One of the most famous cherubs is Cupid, who was the Roman God of Love. He was also known as Amor and in Greek Mythology he was known as Eros. There are many different stories of Cupid. To some he is the Son of Venus, the Goddess of Love and Mars the God of War. To others he is the son of Mercury and Aphrodite. He is sometimes depicted as been hatched from a silver egg. It is therefore not surprising that Cupid or his messengers are often incorporated into the design of many silver items.

Cupid is renowned for carrying his bows and arrows, and those who are hit by the arrows are forseen to fall in love with the next person they see. The Romans and the Greeks often had conflicting ideas about him. It was the Romans who knew him as Cupid and regarded him as a symbol of life after death whereas the Greeks were aware of his beauty .

To some cherubs are often known as descendents of Cupid but they are also an important feature in the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible.

In art, Cherubs are often confused with Putti. These are innocents which look like winged children and were famous in both Italian Renaissance Art and Rococo Art.

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