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Very Rare Inlaid Mother-of-Pearl Japanese 18-19th C Samurai Antique Tsuba

Very Rare Inlaid Mother-of-Pearl Japanese 18-19th C Samurai Antique Tsuba
Photo Credit: matsu-kaze-japan

Very Rare Inlaid Mother-of-Pearl Japanese 18-19th C Samurai Antique Tsuba

Buy It Now Price: $650 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a Japanese tsuba from the 18th or 19th century during the Edo period.  A tsuba is the guard of a samurai sword, either the infamous Japanese long-sword – the katana – or the less well known and shorter Wakizashi.

-During the Warring States period (from 1467 CE to 1603 CE) and earlier, tsuba were usually strictly utilitarian pieces.  However, starting in the Edo period in the 17th century, tsuba became works of art, meant to display a samurai’s noble heritage and high social status.

-This tsuba measures 69 mm (2.72 inches) by 66 mm (2.60 inches) by 5 mm (0.20 inches) thick.

-The main material used is brass.  However, the piece is also accented with copper, inlaid mother-of-pearl and Shakudo.  Shakudo is an alloy unique to Japanese metalworking that is composed of 3% to 7% gold with the remainder being copper.  Shakudo is renowned for its subtly dark, velvety-black patina.

-This specimen shows a beautifully naturalistic heron wading among stylized reeds, all rendered in glorious high relief.  Regardless of its age, Japanese art – like the tsuba pictured above – often displays a modern simplicity that most people find very attractive.

-This is a remarkably alluring work of art.  The Japanese are esteemed for their metalworking and this tsuba is no exception; it is absolutely exquisite.  $650 is a fair price for such a magnificently crafted piece.

 

Cons:

-Mother-of-pearl is a notoriously fragile substance that tends to chip and crack with age.  Unless the piece is handled with great care, it is possible that the mother-of-pearl inset will eventually become damaged with time.

-Because this tsuba is made of brass and other soft alloys, it is apparent that it is a show piece, originally meant to impress other samurai and casual observers alike.  Therefore, it is improbable that this specimen was ever used in a real samurai sword fight.  This may or may not be a con, depending on what kind of tsuba collection you are looking to build as a connoisseur.

Eversharp Sterling Ventura Pen & Pencil Set – New Old Stock – Vintage 1955

Eversharp Sterling Ventura Pen & Pencil Set - New Old Stock - Vintage 1955
Photo Credit: The-Pen-Shop-of-Memphis

Eversharp Sterling Ventura Pen & Pencil Set – New Old Stock – Vintage 1955

Buy It Now Price: $180 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is an Eversharp Slim Ventura fountain pen and mechanical pencil set in sterling silver.  The Slim Ventura model was produced from 1953 to either 1956 or 1957 and was made in the U.S.A.

-Stylistically the Eversharp Slim Ventura has a sleek, streamlined mid-century look with a touch of understated, classic design.

-This set is “new old stock”. New old stock refers to items that were shipped to a store or vendor for retail sale, but were never subsequently sold or used.  In the world of fountain pens and mechanical pencils new old stock is highly desirable because it virtually guarantees pristine condition.

-The set is in as close to perfect condition as you can get.  Not only does the set come in its original red suede case, but the pen and pencil themselves retain their original plastic wrappers and individual price tags!  Both the pen and pencil have no visible wear, dents, dings or other defects.  These features are all consistent with the item’s new old stock designation.

-Then entire body of both the pen & pencil set is solid sterling silver.  In addition, the nib of the pen is solid 14 karat gold.  These upscale luxury materials were only used in pens and pencils of excellent quality.

-This set was high end and expensive when it was new in the mid 1950s.  The retail price for the pair was $25 ($15 for the pen and $10 for the pencil) which, adjusted for inflation, translates into more than $220 in 2016!

-I like the investment potential of fountain pen and pencil sets, especially when they are in excellent condition like this one.  Mechanical pencils, in particular, are rather undervalued in the marketplace today.

-This is a situation where you calmly brandish your credit card in the nice seller’s face while shouting, “Take my money!”  This pristine sterling silver mid-century pen & pencil set will undoubtedly sell for multiples of its current $180 asking price within the next 10 to 20 years.

 

Cons:

-The Eversharp company was in decline by the early 1950s and the Slim Ventura was its final bid to produce a top tier product.  While the Slim Ventura was a fine product line, it was not as iconic as some of the contemporary models released by other pen companies – notably the Parker 51 and the Sheaffer Snorkel.  Eversharp was eventually acquired by one of its chief competitors – the Parker Pen Company – in 1957.

-The seller has stated that the pen and pencil set you receive will be tarnished.  This is to be expected for a silver item that has sat around unused for the last six decades.  The seller has stated that the set shown in the photos was polished in order to be more photogenic.  If you were to buy a set, you could choose to either polish it or leave it in its original, tarnished state, at your discretion.

-Fountain pens have a rubber ink sac that slowly deteriorates over decades, even if the pen isn’t used.  Although this set is new old stock, there is a fair chance that the ink sac will have to be replaced for the pen to function properly.  New leads will also have to be procured for the mechanical pencil to work.

-You will have to decide whether you want this pen and pencil set to strictly be a presentation/investment piece or a functional set.  If you start using the set, even gently, you will undoubtedly lower the resale value slightly compared to leaving it completely unused.

1970s 18k Gold Diamond Cufflinks

1970s 18k Gold Diamond Cufflinks
Photo Credit: Oakgem

1970s 18k Gold Diamond Cufflinks

Buy It Now Price: $750 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a pair of solid 18 karat white gold and diamond vintage cufflinks from the 1970s.  They exhibit a classic modernist look, with textured gold enhancing the small, brilliant cut diamonds in a deceptively simple, yet timeless design.

-The rectangular cufflink faces measure 17 mm (0.67 inches) long by 9 mm (0.35 inches) wide and have beveled edges.  These pieces are fairly heavy for cufflinks, weighing in at a substantial 10.9 grams (0.35 troy ounces).

-The goldwork on these cufflinks is good, clean work.  There are no metal burrs or pitting indicating subpar quality.  This is most evident when examining the reverse of the cufflinks.

-The cufflinks are set with 6 brilliant cut, white diamonds of equal size.  Although the measurements of the diamonds are not disclosed by the seller, we can infer the weight of the stones using the overall measurements of the cufflinks.  Using this method the diamonds conservatively weigh an estimated 5 points each or 0.30 carats total weight.

-At the current gold spot price of $1,260 per troy ounce, these vintage cufflinks contain about $330 in gold.  Diamond melee (small diamonds) are much harder to price, but a low-ball figure would be $250 per carat, assuming they are at least medium quality stones.  This gives a total diamond value of very, very roughly $75 (0.30 carats x $250 per carat).  Adding both gold and diamonds together, the intrinsic value of the cufflinks is probably $400 or slightly higher.

-An intrinsic value of $400 gives a solid floor under the value of the cufflinks, representing 53.3% of the selling price.  In my opinion, the cufflink’s high intrinsic value relative to the selling price, coupled with their unmistakably high quality construction, makes the $750 asking price fair.

 

Cons:

-The seller has provided no close up photos of the cufflink’s hallmarks.  This makes it impossible to verify that the pieces are marked as 18 karat gold.  Of course, there is no particular reason to disbelieve the seller’s assertion either.

-The seller gives no measurements or weight estimates of the diamonds contained in the piece.  There aren’t any close up photos of the diamonds either, so the quality of the stones is very difficult to judge as well.  However, it would be very unusual for vintage cufflinks of this quality to be set with poor quality diamonds.

Antique French Sterling Silver Gilt Tea Spoons Set 12 pc Napoleon III c.1850

Antique French Sterling Silver Gilt Tea Spoons Set 12 pc Napoleon III c.1850
Photo Credit: Noblesse-Collection

Antique French Sterling Silver Gilt Tea Spoons Set 12 pc Napoleon III c.1850

Buy It Now Price: $650 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a set of 12 French silver gilt teaspoons from the period of Napoleon III (1850s or 1860s) made by the Parisian silversmith Guillaume Deniere.

-These teaspoons are executed in beautifully detailed, ornate Louis XV style, otherwise known as French Rococo.  This is consistent with their mid 19th century attribution.

-The pieces have the appropriate hallmarks for the period – the maker’s mark along with the head of Minerva, first standard.  French first standard silver is 95% fine, which is higher than sterling silver.

-The teaspoons are 5.82 inches (14.8 cm) long and weigh 26.8 grams (0.8625 troy ounces) each.  They are crafted from heavy gauge solid silver.  The total weight of the set is 322 grams (10.35 troy ounces) and its bullion value at current silver prices ($16 an ounce) is about $157.

-The set comes with its original 19th century ebonized wooden box, inlaid with decorative brass.  This is a highly desirable bonus.

-When knowledgeable connoisseurs speak of “old world craftsmanship” in hushed, reverent tones, this item is the sort of thing they are talking about.  Everything about these silver teaspoons exudes quality, from the original wooden storage box to the stunningly high relief decoration to the glittering vermeil (gold-plating).

-The workmanship of this set of silver gilt tea spoons is simply superb.  I have rarely seen silver flatware that matches the quality of these pieces.  They would make a great investment, even at the $650 asking price.

 

Cons:

-There are really very few negatives about this antique set of teaspoons.  I suppose you can argue that the asking price of $650 is a substantial premium over the intrinsic value ($157) of the set.  But that is only a reflection of its stellar artistic quality.

-The seller disclosed a crack underneath the box, so that piece isn’t in perfect condition.  All things considered, this set is in magnificent condition for being 160 years old.