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Set of 6 Antique French Vermeil Teaspoons from the Belle Époque

Set of 6 Antique French Vermeil Teaspoons from the Belle Époque
Photo Credit: The-Cutter-Gallery

Set of 6 Antique French Vermeil Teaspoons from the Belle Époque

Buy It Now Price: $200 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Elegance is the watchword for this opulent set of 6 antique French vermeil teaspoons from the Belle Époque era, circa 1900.

-Vermeil is the French term for a silver-gilt item.  Vermeil consists of a solid silver alloy – often sterling silver – which is then coated with a thin layer of high karat gold.  The resulting object appears to be made of solid gold, although it is almost entirely silver by weight.

-This set of antique French vermeil teaspoons measure approximately 5.75 inches (14.6 cm) long by 1.125 inches (2.9 cm) wide.  They weigh 98.3 grams (3.16 troy ounces) in aggregate.

-The Bell Époque was an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity in Europe that ran from 1871 until the outbreak of World War I in 1914.  Sometimes known as the Gilded Age, the extravagant Bell Époque era has been immortalized in countless television shows, movies and books.

-These French vermeil teaspoons were crafted by the silversmith J. Granvigne. His workshop was located on 4 rue Beranger in Paris during the late 19th century and very early 20th century.

-These teaspoons bear both the Minerva and Mercury hallmarks, indicating 800 fine silver of the French 2nd standard.  The Mercury hallmark strongly suggests these pieces were produced in France for export abroad.

-This set of French vermeil teaspoons has a very attractive bright-cut engraved serpentine or weave pattern.  Even though they are undoubtedly over a century old, their classic design still possesses a refined, surprisingly modern sensibility.

–Continental European silver is an overlooked treasure right now, making these antique teaspoons definitely worth the $200 asking price.  They are fairly heavy (16.4 grams each), in great condition and will easily last for decades to come if well cared for.

 

Cons:

-With silver currently trading at $17.92 a troy ounce, this particular set of antique teaspoons only contains $45.30 worth of silver.  The asking price represents a rather large premium of 342% over their bullion value.  You are mostly paying for workmanship, beauty and historic value here.  Some antique silver flatware currently available on the market has lower premiums.  Even so, these teaspoons are captivating and well worth the asking price in my opinion.

-These French vermeil teaspoons are all monogrammed with the initials “RS” under the handle.  Some people don’t like antique silverware that has been monogrammed.  However, it is part of the historical charm of old silver and has a neutral impact on its value.

-These antique teaspoons are French 2nd standard, meaning 80% silver.  This set would be more desirable if it was French 1st standard, which is 95% silver.  This is a rather minor drawback, though, and has almost no effect on their value.

Superb Antique Georgian Dice Cup in Gold, Bone and Enamel

Superb Antique Georgian Dice Cup in Gold, Bone and Enamel
Photo Credit: Joanie’s-Fine-Antiques-and-Silver

Superb Antique Georgian Dice Cup in Gold, Bone and Enamel

Current Bid: $185.50 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a lavish early 19th century Georgian dice cup originating from Britain or possibly France.  The body is made of bovine (cow) bone while the fittings test as 14 karat solid gold.

-This antique Georgian dice cup measures 1.375 inches (35 mm) tall by 1.1875 inches (30 mm) wide and weighs a surprisingly heavy 24.6 grams (0.79 troy ounces).

-The top of the dice cup prominently features an enamel badge applied over gold.  It depicts playing cards surrounded by the whimsical French motto “succès en tout le meme” which roughly translates as “success in everything”.  The motto is particularly fitting for this high end gambler’s accessory.

-The screw top lid indicates that this antique Georgian dice cup also doubled as a dice box or dice case.  A wealthy merchant or aristocrat would have used it to carry his favorite pair of dice with him on his travels.

-Gambling was a favorite pastime for European nobility during the Georgian period.  Baccarat, blackjack, craps and roulette were just a few of the games of chance that wealthy risk takers of the early 19th century loved to wager on.

-The quality of this Georgian dice cup is exceptionally high.  It is obvious that it was extremely expensive when it was made.  It is even possible that it was a one of a kind commission by a wealthy customer.

-This specimen is in excellent condition for its age, with only a small, unobtrusive hairline crack on the rim of the lid.  The enamel also has minor wear consistent with the item’s age.

-This Georgian dice cup might be more than 200 years old.  That is old enough that it might have been constructed completely by hand, without any machine assistance.  That possibility simply adds to the item’s allure.

-The current bid of $185 is far too low and will definitely rise before the auction closes.  I would be shocked if the closing price is anywhere below $500.  For a premium Georgian objet d’art of this caliber I would be comfortable bidding close to $1,000.

 

Cons:

-This eBay listing is a no reserve auction format instead of a buy-it-now listing.  That means it goes to whoever has the highest bid when the auction closes on April 10, 2017.  You must bid quickly if you hope to own this beauty!

-The gold trim on this Georgian dice cup is not hallmarked.  However, that is normal for small, mixed media gold or silver articles from the 18th or early 19th centuries.  I do not believe the lack of hallmarks should impact the value of the object.

-This antique dice cup is fairly small, with the longest dimension less than 1.5 inches (38 mm).  This reduces the desirability of the item somewhat.  However, if it were larger – say 3 or 4 inches tall – it would be a museum quality piece with a price tag of at least several thousand dollars, if not more.

Portuguese Art Nouveau Silver Cigarette Case – Circa 1900

Portuguese Art Nouveau Silver Cigarette Case - Circa 1900
Photo Credit: Sina’s-Antiques-and-Fine-Arts

Portuguese Art Nouveau Silver Cigarette Case – Circa 1900

Buy It Now Price: $495 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a magnificent antique Art Nouveau silver cigarette case that was made in Portugal around the year 1900.

-It measures 80 mm (3.15 inches) long by 60 mm (2.36 inches) wide by 16 mm (0.63 inches) thick.  It weighs 46 grams (1.48 troy ounces).

-This Art Nouveau silver cigarette case is stamped with the wild boar (II) hallmark.  It indicates this piece was made in Portugal between 1886 and 1938 from solid 833 fine (83.3%) silver.

-This Portuguese Art Nouveau silver cigarette case features an elegant repousse iris flower sculpted in high relief on the front and a gilt interior.  Repousse is a metalworking technique where a design is hammered into the reverse of the metal, causing the image to bulge out in relief on the front.

-Art Nouveau was a naturalistic art style that was extremely popular between 1890 and 1910.  It typically featured women, flowers or insects, often in flowing, languid poses.

-This Art Nouveau silver cigarette case is exceptionally well-crafted.  It is obvious that a master silversmith painstakingly handcrafted this design over many hours.  Workmanship of this caliber, while almost never encountered today, is rare even among antiques.

-Even if you don’t smoke, this lovely Art Nouveau silver cigarette case would be perfectly suited as a credit card holder or makeshift money clip.

–Antique silver cigarette cases are a severely undervalued niche of the antiques market today.  As interest in vintage tobacciana inevitably grows, I would expect this undervaluation to eventually reverse.

 

Cons:

-I wish the seller had posted close-up photos of the hallmarks.  As it stands, we are relying on the seller’s accurate description of the hallmarks.  I should note, however, that it is notoriously difficult to get good close-up photos of silver objects.

-This Art Nouveau silver cigarette case is fairly small and light.  When dealing with silver items, heft is often an indicator of quality.  I don’t think that is the situation here, however.  Instead, I think this silver cigarette case just has small dimensions which limit its weight.  It is obviously of the finest craftsmanship.

-Given its fairly small size, I think the asking price of $500 is a little bit too high.  I would, however, not be shy about giving the seller a “best offer” of $350 to $450 dollars.

-This Art Nouveau silver cigarette case is fully valued.  However, I’m going to paraphrase the famous investor Warren Buffett here.  “It is far better to buy a wonderful antique at a fair price than a fair antique at a wonderful price.”

1960s Sheaffer PFM Fountain Pen in Burgundy with 14K Gold Nib

1960s Sheaffer PFM Fountain Pen in Burgundy with 14K Gold Nib
Photo Credit: calsstuff4u

1960s Sheaffer PFM fountain pen in Burgundy with 14K Gold Nib

Buy It Now Price: $180 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a very desirable vintage Sheaffer PFM fountain pen from the 1960s.  The plastic barrel and cap are in the classic burgundy color while the band and clip are 14K gold-filled.

-The Sheaffer PFM fountain pen was the oversize follow-up to the company’s highly successful “Snorkel” series of pens.  The PFM was meant as a luxury pen and incorporated the same advanced “snorkel” ink refill apparatus as its predecessor.

-Five major versions of the Sheaffer PFM fountain pen were produced between 1959 and 1968.  This particular specimen is a Sheaffer PFM series III.

-PFM stands for “Pen for Men”.

-The nib of this Sheaffer PFM fountain pen is solid 14 karat gold.  Solid karat gold nibs were typically used in higher-end vintage fountain pens.  This is because karat gold has better writing characteristics than cheaper nib materials like steel.  The lower end PFM models used a cheaper (at the time) silver-palladium alloy nib.

-Although barely visible in the photo, this Sheaffer PFM fountain pen has the iconic White Dot near the top of the gold-filled clip.  The White Dot originally indicated that the pen in question had a lifetime warranty from Sheaffer.  By the time the Sheaffer PFM fountain pen was produced the White Dot had evolved into a corporate trademark representing a “mark of luxury” or “symbol of satisfaction”.

-Although the $180 buy-it-now price for this Sheaffer PFM fountain pen might seem somewhat high, it is actually rather reasonable.  Vintage PFM fountain pens are extremely desirable in the collector’s market and examples in good condition, like this one, command very strong prices.

 

Cons:

-I would have loved it if this vintage fountain pen came with its original box.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  However, this is a minor drawback.

-While the PFM series III is an excellent fountain pen, there are two much rarer PFM models.  They are the Masterpiece, with a solid 9K gold barrel and cap, and the Autograph, with a black plastic barrel and cap with a 14K gold band.  Both of these exceedingly rare PFM models are more desirable than the PFM III series, but are priced to match.

-The seller does not mention when this Sheaffer PFM fountain pen was last serviced.  Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the buyer will, at a minimum, have to replace the rubber ink sac, which deteriorates with age.