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Handcrafted Curly Maple & Brazilian Rosewood Jewelry Box

Handcrafted Curly Maple & Brazilian Rosewood Jewelry Box
Photo Credit: Artios

Handcrafted Curly Maple & Brazilian Rosewood Jewelry Box

Asking Price: $565 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This luxuriously handcrafted curly maple and Brazilian rosewood jewelry box is adorned with eye-catching abalone and ebony ornamental details.  In addition, the underlying structure of the box is made from solid Honduran Mahogany, which provides an attractive and stable base for the applied exotic hardwood veneers.

-This jewelry box measures 13 inches (32.5 cm) long by 8 inches (20.5 cm) wide by 3.75 inches (9.5 cm) deep.

-The solid brass hardware used in this Brazilian rosewood jewelry box is sourced from either U.S. or U.K. manufacturers to ensure the highest possible quality.

-Brazilian rosewood timber has a rich, deep reddish-brown color that contrasts sharply with its black-marbled grain pattern for a truly striking appearance.  Because of these qualities, Brazilian rosewood is one of the most desirable and expensive tropical hardwoods in the world.

-This Brazilian rosewood jewelry box was made in North Carolina by Michael Kranz, a woodworking artist who spent many years in the high end furniture industry before founding his own company, Artios, Inc.

-Curly maple is a variety of maple timber that is renowned for the subtly striped pattern it exhibits when quartersawn.  Its appearance is so characteristic that it is also known in the woodworking industry as tiger maple or flame maple.  Curly maple is in such high demand from woodworkers that nearly all available material is cut into thin veneer rather than left as standard thickness boards.

-I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of fine hardwood boxes.  And I must say, this Brazilian rosewood jewelry box is among the best of the best.  In fact, I think that Michael Kranz’s pieces may just be the very finest exotic hardwood boxes that I have ever seen.  Absolutely every detail of his woodworking is perfect.

-According to the Artois website, the production run of this superb hardwood box is limited to no more than 250 examples.  A work of art with a limited number of copies will generally be more valuable than one with an unlimited number.

-Although it is advertised as a jewelry box, this exotic hardwood box is quite versatile.  For example, you could store keepsakes, bullion, vintage watches or even rare coins in this woodworking masterpiece.

-Because of its superb materials and impeccable workmanship, I feel that the $565 asking price for this Brazilian rosewood jewelry box is easily justified.

 

Cons:

-There is no way around it; this hardwood jewelry box is expensive!  But it is also among the finest of its type.  I have discovered over the years that it is often better to pay up for the best of the best when dealing with fine art, rather than trying to save a few bucks on lesser quality works.

-Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) is an endangered species that is listed in Appendix I of the international CITES treaty.  As a result, rosewood timber can’t be sold, traded or moved across international borders except under exceptional circumstances.  Therefore, this Brazilian rosewood jewelry box (which uses legally-harvested, pre-treaty rosewood) can only be sold and shipped to an address in the United States.

-This jewelry box is made with curly maple and Brazilian rosewood veneers instead of using all solid woods.  But there are a couple mitigating factors.  First, the leather-lined interior tray is constructed from solid curly maple.  Second, Brazilian rosewood is now so rare that loggers are salvaging stumps from trees that were originally harvested decades ago (which is legal because the trees are long dead).  So I see the use of exotic wood veneers in a jewelry box of this caliber as a very minor drawback.

 

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Men’s 18K Gold Vintage IWC Dress Watch from 1969

Men's 18K Gold Vintage IWC Dress Watch from 1969
Photo Credit: ConnoisseurOfTime

Men’s 18K Gold Vintage IWC Dress Watch from 1969

Asking Price: $1,720 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This stylish men’s vintage IWC dress watch from 1969 has a cushion-shaped, solid 18 karat gold case and a manual-wind, 17-jewel IWC caliber 422 movement.

-This vintage IWC dress watch measures 31.5 mm (1.24 inches) wide by 36 mm (1.42 inches) long, including the lugs.  This was a standard men’s sized watch for its time, but would be considered fairly small by today’s standards.

-Founded in 1868, IWC (International Watch Co. Schaffhausen) is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer that isn’t nearly as well known to the general public as Rolex or Omega.  However, knowledgeable vintage wristwatch enthusiasts are irresistibly drawn to this underappreciated watch brand because of its enduring quality and commitment to horological excellence.

-I love the simplicity of the Roman numeral dial and the elegant, uncluttered lines of this vintage IWC dress watch.  In addition, the watch is in excellent overall condition (with a single exception that is noted in the cons section below).

-The IWC caliber 422 is a high quality, manual-wind, 17-jewel movement that was produced exclusively in-house in IWC’s factory in Schaffhausen, Switzerland for only 4 years, from 1966 to 1969.  The caliber 422 movement in this vintage IWC dress watch is inscribed with the serial number 1,915,336, indicating it was made in 1969.

-The seller, Connoisseur of Time, is a respected dealer with excellent feedback who has been selling watches on eBay since 1999 and Etsy since 2014.

-The Swiss city of Schaffhausen is renowned for its superb design aesthetics.  This not only applies to its luxury mechanical watches, but also to its vintage Swiss shooting medals.

-The dial on this vintage IWC dress watch is completely original – an assessment confirmed by the dial’s subtle patina and scattered age spots.  A vintage European mechanical wristwatch with its original dial intact will command a price premium versus the same watch with a refinished dial.

-This exquisite 18 karat gold vintage IWC dress watch has been freshly serviced and comes with a 1-year warranty.  It is ready to wear to your next formal event!

-Vintage solid karat gold dress watches are a great investment in today’s watch market.  But don’t take my word for it.  The well-known watch connoisseur website Hodinkee singled-out vintage karat gold IWC dress watches as one of its top ten undervalued wristwatches.

-Given the fact that this vintage IWC dress watch sports a high quality, caliber 422 movement housed in a solid 18 karat gold case, I find the asking price of $1,720 to be absurdly low.

 

Cons:

-The seller notes that there might be a slight bend in the top (12 o’clock) lug.  In my opinion, this is rather minor as both lugs will always be covered by the watch band and will never be visible when worn.  It is my contention that the seller probably mentioned this potential (minor) defect out of an abundance of caution.

-Being a dress watch, this vintage IWC lacks the sweeping seconds hand that some wristwatch collectors simply can’t do without.

 

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Ancient Silver Athenian Tetradrachm, 5th Century BC

Ancient Silver Athenian Tetradrachm, 5th Century BC
Photo Credit: FORVM-ANCIENT-COINS

Ancient Silver Athenian Tetradrachm, 5th Century BC

Buy It Now Price: $1,898 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This magnificent Old Style Athenian tetradrachm was struck in the ancient Greek city-state of Athens during the height of its cultural, political and military power between 454 and 404 BC.

-This ancient Athenian Tetradrachm measures 23.3 mm (0.92 inches) in diameter and weighs 17.14 grams (0.5511 troy ounces) of nearly pure silver, which was most likely extracted from the famous Laurium Mines of nearby southern Attica.

-The obverse of the coin portrays the head of the goddess Athena wearing a crested helmet that is decorated with olive leaves.  The back shows Athena’s mascot, the Little Owl or Minerva Owl (Minerva was the Roman equivalent of Athena), along with a sprig of olive leaves and a crescent moon.  In addition, the reverse of all Old Style Athenian tetradrachms have the inscription “AΘE”, which translates from ancient Greek as “Of the Athenians”.

-The Greek city-state of Athens was at the pinnacle of its power when this coin was minted in the late 5th century BC.  It was during this period that the influential Athenian politician Pericles ordered the construction of the world-famous Parthenon temple.  It was also during this time that the great philosopher Socrates honed his unconventional theories in the streets of Athens.

-Athenian tetradrachms were known as “owls” or “girls” in ancient times.  These impressive silver pieces are the world’s first international trade coin and circulated widely in the ancient Mediterranean Basin.  The purchasing power of each owl was equivalent to about 4 days’ wages for a skilled craftsman.

-The condition of this Athenian tetradrachm is excellent.  It has been certified by the third-party grading service NGC (Numismatic Guarantee Corporation) as XF (Extra Fine) with a 4/5 strike and a 4/5 surface.  This isn’t perfect, but it is very nearly as good as it gets with Old Style Athenian silver owls.  You may be able to find an example in marginally better condition, but you would pay dearly for the honor.

-Old Style Athenian tetradrachms are the iconic ancient coin.  They are held in a level of esteem by knowledgeable collectors that all other ancient coins can merely aspire towards.

-A full and well-centered strike is almost as important a consideration for an ancient coin as its condition.  Happily, this ancient Athenian tetradrachm is splendidly struck.  All the major design elements are completely visible on the coin, including Athena’s face, the Minerva Owl and the AΘE legend.  This is even more remarkable given the slightly irregular shape of the flan.  The only design feature that is off the flan is the crest of Athena’s helmet, but that is typical for this series.

-This Old Style Athenian tetradrachm is being offered for sale by Forvm Ancient Coins, a trusted ancient coin dealer.  In addition, it has been third-party certified by NGC, which guarantees its grade and authenticity.

-Due to their historical importance and pleasing design, there is perennially strong demand for silver Athenian tetradrachms from ancient coin collectors.  As a result, their prices almost never drop, but instead creep steadily higher year after year.  Consequently, I believe the $1,900 asking price for this breathtaking Athenian tetradrachm is fair.

 

Cons:

-Few people can afford to spend almost $2,000 on a single ancient coin.  However, as expensive as it seems today, the price for this silver Owl will undoubtedly be higher in the years to come.  In fact, an Athenian tetradrachm in this condition could have been purchased for perhaps $1,000 only 15 or 20 years ago.  But you won’t be able to touch a decent specimen for that price today.

-Counterfeit ancient Greek coins are ubiquitous in the secondary market.  Because of this, I believe anyone interested in investing in these ancient masterpieces must exclusively purchase from a highly reputable ancient coin dealer or only buy examples that have been third-party certified by ANACS or NGC.  Luckily, this Athenian tetradrachm ticks both of those boxes.

-This coin has a noticeable die-crack on its reverse that is original to its minting.  Ancient coin enthusiasts understand that minor idiosyncrasies like this are simply a fact of life when collecting ancient coins.  I do not believe that this die crack significantly impacts the coin’s value or desirability.

 

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Champlevé Enamel & Sterling Silver Gorham Dessert Set

Champlevé Enamel & Sterling Silver Gorham Dessert Set
Photo Credit: sterlingmasters

Champlevé Enamel & Sterling Silver Gorham Dessert Set

Buy It Now Price: $1,395 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a very rare champlevé enamel and parcel-gilt sterling silver Gorham dessert set, consisting of 11 scalloped spoons and one cake or ice cream serving knife.  This unusual set originates from the 1880s, during the Victorian era.

-The spoons in this set each measure approximately 5 inches (12.7 cm) long, while the server is 9.125 inches (23.2 cm) long by 2.5 inches (6.3 cm) across.  The total weight of this Gorham dessert set is 302 grams (9.71 troy ounces) of sterling silver.

-During the Victorian period, silverware sets were created for every possible situation.  One of these was the dessert, ice cream or fruit set.  As the names imply, these silver flatware sets were specially manufactured for use with dessert.  This could range from cakes or tarts to puddings, trifles or ice cream.  A luscious spread of fresh fruit was also a favorite Victorian dessert.

-The Gorham Manufacturing Company is one of the most desirable makers of antique silver.  The firm was founded in Providence, Rhode Island in 1831 and eventually came to dominate the high-end U.S. silverware market in the late 19th to early 20th century.  The company ceased to be independent in 1967, causing quality to gradually erode after that time.

-Enamel is a very challenging material to work with.  It requires the meticulous application of powdered glass to a carefully prepared metal surface.  The item is then fired in a furnace at very high temperatures (usually 750 to 850 °C or 1,380 and 1,560 °F) which allows the powdered glass to melt and flow over the object.  This creates a smooth, colorful enamel surface that contrasts beautifully with any surrounding metal.

-The bowls of the spoons in this Gorham dessert set are gilt.  This was fairly common among dessert sets because they would oftentimes come into contact with acidic fruits, especially citrus.  Regardless, it is a wonderful touch that indicates a high quality set of sterling silver.

-Champlevé is a particular enamel technique where a flat metal surface has a myriad of different cells carved into it.  These cells delineate the object’s design and each one is filled with a specific color of powdered glass, as required.  The item is then fired at high temperature as with other types of enamel.  Champlevé enamel was especially popular in Europe during the early medieval period and is often associated with Romanesque art.

-Most antique sterling silver sets were made from patterns – designs that were reproduced in quantity for decades after they were initially created.  However, this champlevé enamel and sterling silver Gorham dessert set is almost certainly a very low production or one-of-a-kind set, making it extremely desirable.

-I love the opulent, medieval-inspired trefoil design of this sterling silver Gorham dessert set.  The lavish enamel-work, with its combination of royal blue and golden-yellow, also really makes the pattern pop.

-Given its magnificent condition, prestigious maker and obvious rarity, I believe that this Gorham dessert set is worth the $1,395 asking price.  However, you can always make the seller a lower offer if the stated price is too high for you.

 

Cons:

-The ornate and florid decoration typical of antique Victorian silver is very much out of style right now.  This means this Gorham ice cream set is less valuable than it would be otherwise at the moment.  Of course, it also means that you can pick it up for a good price.  And, if you are willing to wait long enough, Victorian silver is sure to come back into vogue eventually.

-There is no way around it; this Gorham dessert set is pricey.  If we allot $295 of the asking price to the serving piece, it means that the seller wants $100 for each spoon in the set.  This is easily 2 to 3 times more than other sterling silver Victorian teaspoons commonly sell for.  However, this particular dessert set is not only very rare, but also superlative in terms of its quality.  In the end, I have found that buying “best of the best” antiques is often a worthwhile investment strategy.

 

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