A Unidor sterling silver pendant, in Modernist style, circa 1970. The pendant is circular, the disc has been cut, folded and partly textured, and 17 silver balls of different sizes have been applied. The disc hangs from a long connecting rod, also with 4 balls, the pin has 2 arms similar to a hair-clip. The top of the pin has a connecting loop for a silver chain. The pin is hallmarked "925 UNIDOR", which is small but very clear. Unidor was a German jeweller operating from Pforzheim, the "Goldstadt" or Golden City, renowned for its jewellery industry.

A classic Kupittaan Kulta Sterling silver and moss agate ring, designed by Elis Kauppi of Turku, Finland. The ring is beautifully designed, it features 2 segments, with a stunning etched texture on both sides, around a central semi precious stone ball (we believe moss agate), orange and white in colour with black strands, with 4 sterling silver balls on the end of each segment. The ring itself is plain, adjustable for sizing, it is clearly hallmarked with Kupittaan Kulta makers mark and 925S sterling guarantee. The ring resembles an opening seed pod to us, one of the more innovative of the Kauppi designs. Elis Kauppi (1921 - 2004) established Kupittaan Kulta in Turku, Finland, in 1945 at the end of the Second World War, at age 24. His use of local semi-precious stones and innovative design resulted in increased attention, and by 1958 he was an award winning regular exhibitor at international shows. Today he is remembered as a foremost figure in modernist jewellery, who put Finnish design on the world stage. W...

A Danish silver Skonvirke (Arts & Crafts) cream ladle, made by the respected Danish silversmith Evald Nielsen in 1924. The ladle is the No 4 pattern, which has organic flowing scrolls in relief, so quite pleasing to hold. The ladle is hand hammered, with the planish marks visible in the bowl and the stem. The ladle has a flat circular bowl with a narrow lip, about 0.7 cm deep. The ladle is 830 grade silver, as is usual for Danish silver. The well struck hallmarks include "Evald Nielsen" in an attractive script, with "No 4" indicating pattern, date letter "ANNO 1924", the letter "S" surrounded by dots in shaped punch for silver, and "830" in oval punch surrounded by dots for grade of silver. Evald Nielsen worked between 1905 and 1958 from Copenhagen, he designed all his own designs (as opposed to his contemporary Georg Jensen). He won numerous awards internationally, and his silver can be seen in numerous museums, including the Metropolitan in New York, V&A in London, and Kunstmuseum in Denmark. Nielsen produ...

An interesting German silver coin dish, with a German 3 Mark silver coin set in the centre of the circular dish. The coin is a special issue by the city of Hamburg, the front has the Hamburg city armorial (3 turreted castle supported by lions, it has lovely detail), and city motto "FREIE UND HANSESTADT HAMBURG", the obverse has German eagle and "DEUTSCHES REICH 1911 DREI MARK". The bowl is also engraved "UBERSEE-KAFFEE, Hamburg", Ubersee Kaffee (translated Overseas Coffee) was a large German coffee business focussed on the export market, we assume this was a corporate gift. Given the size of their building it must have been a substantial business (see photo). The hallmarks are clear, the German silver half moon and crown used after 1888, 835 standard mark, and a script makers mark von Hafen, for Juwelier von Hafen, a Hamburg Jeweller established in 1902, they still exist today, specializing in jewelry with a nautical theme.

A Danish modernist silver strawberry serving spoon, in Georg Jensen style. The spoon is beautiful, and is a good weight and quality. The spoon has a large circular bowl, with a pierced strawberry leaf design, to allow the juices to be drained before serving. The handle is cast, and has 2 well designed strawberries amongst foliage, these are embossed so provide a nice grip for the handle. This spoon is a useful size, suitable for serving other items besides strawberries. The spoon has 4 hallmarks, all of which are well struck and clear. The Danish 3 tower mark and date letter 33 for 1933 indicates purity of 826/1000, the SJ assay master mark (Stadtsguardein) for Johannes Siggaard (worked between 1932 and 1960). The 3rd mark is "Haandarbejde" indicating this item was made by hand, and the 4th mark is the script F surrounded by oval dots, the assay master mark for Frederik Fabritius, who worked between 1787 and 1823. The presence of this older assay masters mark is a mystery, it has also been observed on other D...

A 24 piece set of Georg Jensen sterling silver Cypress pattern flatware, consisting of 6 dinner knives, 6 dinner forks, 6 dinner spoons and 6 soup spoons. This set has a lovely elegant design, we particularly love the soup spoons. The spoons and forks are all sterling silver, the knives have stainless steel blades, also engraved "GEORG JENSEN DENMARK", and the usual hollow silver handles, the knives are serrated on one side and have an indent at the top of the blade. This is a vintage set dating from 1960, all 24 pieces are fully hallmarked. The hallmarks include "GEORG JENSEN" in oval dots, above "STERLING DENMARK". All 24 pieces also carry London import marks, sponsors mark G.JLd for Georg Jensen (their London branch), oval U import mark, .925 sterling mark and date letters e and f for 1960 and 1961. The Cypress (or Cypres) pattern is #99 in the Jensen catalog, it was designed by Tias Eckhoff in 1954. The Cypress pattern won the design competition held for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Georg J...

A lovely Art Deco Norwegian silver spoon, made to commemorate the unveiling of the Mor Og Barn (Mother and Child) statue in Sandefjord. The spoon has an embossed copy of the statue, a naked mother holding her baby in front of her, standing on a plinth. The rounded bowl has a stunning embossed view of Sandefjord, the detail is exquisite, complete with boats in the harbour, church steeples, houses and trees, with "SANDEFJORD" underneath. The Art Deco look and feel of the spoon is completed with the 8 pillars at the top of the handle. The hallmarks include silver mark 830S (830 grade silver) and makers mark of a goblet in an oval punch for Thorvald Marthinsen of Tonsberg. The original bronze statue is by Norwegian sculptor Arne Durban (1912-1994), who was known for his naturalistic work, his work is featured in over 30 Norwegian towns. It was unveiled on 17 May 1950 (Norwegian Constitution Day), which celebrates Norway becoming an independent kingdom in 1814. This spoon has been described by the website www.spoo...

A pair of Art Deco silver serving spoons, made by the German firm of Lutz & Weiss in Pforzheim, circa 1930. The spoons have the classic Art Deco pyramid pattern design, repeated on both sides, and an unusual but very practical 4 sided bowl, with rounded edges and a pointed front. The hallmarks include 835S indicating silver of 835 purity, makers mark of intertwined LW in a shield, and a Dutch import mark used since 1906 (V in shaped shield with shaded background), indicating the spoons must have been imported into the Netherlands at some stage. Both sets of hallmarks are clear. Lutz & Weiss Silberwarenfabriek was founded in 1882.

A Danish silver Skonvirke (Arts & Crafts) pastry or cake server, made by the respected Danish silversmith Evald Nielsen in 1925. The server is the No 4 pattern, which has organic flowing scrolls in relief, so quite pleasing to hold. The server is hand hammered, with the planish marks visible on the blade and the stem. The blade is nicely shaped, and has a raised lip which increases away from the pointed tip, so very practical to use. The server is 830 grade silver, as is usual for Danish silver. The well struck hallmarks include "Evald Nielsen" in an attractive script, with "No 4" indicating pattern, date letter "ANNO 1925", the letter "S" surrounded by dots in shaped punch for silver, and "830" in oval punch surrounded by dots for grade of silver. Evald Nielsen worked between 1905 and 1958 from Copenhagen, he designed all his own designs (as opposed to his contemporary Georg Jensen). He won numerous awards internationally, and his silver can be seen in numerous museums, including the Metropolitan in New York...

A magnificent 950 grade French silver gravy or sauce ladle in the Renaissance pattern, that carries the marks of 2 of France's greatest silversmiths - Christofle and Cardeilhac. The ladle has a pierced tri-lobe finial, with a smiling cherub's head in the centre, surrounded by very ornate scrolls. the centre of the stem is decorated with a reverse baluster design, and the stem is rectangular, with 90 degree angles. The oval double lipped bowl is connected to the stem with an ornate rat-tail, and the base of the bowl has a channel to allow for easy pouring. The bowl also has a guard over the channel to assist pouring and prevent splashing. Needless to say, the quality and feel of this ladle is fabulous, and it is made of the higher grade 950 silver (as opposed to Sterling which is 925). The Renaissance pattern honours the Renaissance period, and has been described as one of Christofle's most prestigious models, it is entirely hand made in the Haute Orfevrerie workshops in Paris - which produces Christofle's fi...

A set of 3 Danish Sterling silver serving pieces, comprising a spoon, fork and ladle. Each is topped with matching sterling silver Danish Royal crown, which is well modeled. The set comes in its original silk and purple velvet lined box, they do not appear to have been used. The fork is long and elegant with 2 prongs, the spoon bowl is quite wide for serving, and the ladle has a deep bowl. All three are hallmarked clearly with "STERLING DENMARK" and makers mark SDG, with the D and G inside the curves of the S. We believe this indicates they were made post 1977, when the Danish official hallmarks were retired. The crown is a replica of the Danish Royal closed crown of Christian V, so it is also possible these were made to commemorate the coronation of the current Danish Queen Margrethe II in 1972.

A Swedish silver spoon, commemorating the Goteborg Jubilee Exhibition of 1923, celebrating 300 years since the city was founded. The spoon has the bust of the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus The Great, who was King between 1611 and 1632, he founded Sweden as a great power, and was a great military commander. November 6 is still celebrated in Sweden as Gustavus Adolphus day. The spoon has a large, deep fig shaped bowl, the stem reads "1923 Goteborg", the finial has a circular bust of the King, surrounded by flowers and scrolls. The spoon has clear hallmarks, the Swedish 3 crown National mark, S sterling silver standard mark, date letter M8 for 1938, and Stockholm city mark (kings head), along with C.G. HALLBERG makers mark. We are not sure how to reconcile the 1923 date with it's 1938 production date, we can only assume it was still in demand. CG Hallberg was a prominent Swedish Goldsmith, jeweler to the Swedish court, and one of the top firms in Sweden in the early 20th century.

An antique Danish silver christening spoon, this is a 19th century replica of a 16th century spoon, originally used for Royal coronations. This is a beautiful spoon, extremely good quality, it has a lovely feel. The circular bowl is engraved in traditional style, the gilded front with Madonna holding 2 babies, one with a crown, and surrounded by traditional religious inscription in ancient Scandinavian (translation assistance would be most welcome!). The back of the bowl is engraved with St Olaf of Norway, holding battleaxe and orb, standing on a lion with crowned head, also surrounded by inscription. The cast handle of the spoon is very decorative, a head above a warrior with sword, above traditional implements (thor hammer, hand). The back of the handle has an attractive celtic design. The hallmarks include makers mark A.M (possible Anton Michelson?), the Copenhagen town mark (3 towers), date letter for 1868, and assay masters mark SG for Simon Groth, who worked between 1863 and 1904. Wayne Bednersh, author...

A Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) silver baby pusher, of standard design and plain except for the Jugendstil decoration to the handle. The top of the pusher also has a wavy rim. The silver is 800 standard, which is common for German silver (usually 800 or 833 standard), so lower than sterling standard. The hallmarks are clear, including the German moon and crown used after 1888, 800 for grade, and wheel and star makers mark for Martin Mayer of Mainz. He started working in 1888, we have dated this circa 1905 given the style. Mayer produced designs by Peter Behrens, Hans Christiansen and Patriz Huber.

An interesting antique silver wine label, marked "Curacao". The label is triangular in shape, with wavy top, and a zig-zag engraved border. 'Curacao" is hand engraved, indicating the label's age, it adds considerable charm to the label. Curacao is a bitter orange flavoured liqueur from the Caribbean island of Curacao, still produced today (Grand Marnier is an example). It was popular in the 19th century, Curacao silver wine labels have been recorded between 1804 and 1892 (Wine Labels, 1730 - 2003, John Salter). The label is unmarked, but we believe it to be Swedish, or possibly French, due to its shape and style. A series of 4 very similar Swedish labels, by Hans Lyberg of Borus (1806 - 1848), is depicted in the book "Wine Labels, 1730-2003, John Salter, pg 370-371, number 1411-1413 ad 1426. Swedish labels were generally unmarked before 1900. 3 Similar French labels, pg 354 (1347-1349) are also shown in the book above, but our preference is Swedish origin (comments welcome, thanks). The Wine label book we des...

A pair of Royal silver belt buckles, bearing the coat of arms of the House of Bourbon, which produced Kings and Queens for both France and Spain for hundreds of years. The central shield contains 3 Fleur-De-Lys, this was established by King Charles VI of France (who died in 1422) in honour of the Holy Trinity. The shield is topped by the Royal crown, and is surrounded by scrolls. The shield also has a "Golden Fleece" suspended from it, indicating membership of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which was established in 1430 by the Duke of Burgundy. The order still exists today, most European Royalty, including Queen Elizabeth II of Britain and King Juan Carlos of Spain are members. The buckles are stamped, and both have a silver bar for attachment to a belt. The bars are both hallmarked with 2 hallmarks. The first is a cross pattee (Maltese Cross) in circular punch, which has arms that are narrow at the centre and broader at the perimeter. This cross was used by the Knights Templar during the Crusades. The cross...

Two rare Georg Jensen sterling silver items designed by Count Sigvard Bernadotte for Georg Jensen in the 1930's. The first is a cigarette cup, design number 825A, and the second is a candy dish, design number 825 (both items carry the design number on the base). Both have the same simple but elegant design, and rest on the same arch patterned foot. Both items are hallmarked "Georg Jensen, Denmark Sterling, 925S", and both have the designers signature "Sigvard" along with the pattern number described above. Count Sigvard Bernadotte, often referred to as "The Design Prince of Sweden", lived between 1907 and 2002. He was the son of King Gustav VI of Sweden, Great Grandson of Queen Victoria, and Uncle to Denmark's Queen Margrethe II. Originally Prince Sigvard, he lost his title when he married a commoner. He spent his career as a designer, not only in silver but ceramics, glass, plastics, furniture and even logos. He co-founded the Swedish Society of Industrial Designers (SVID), and his designs can be found in ma...

A lovely Hanau silver commemorative spoon, with a cast bust of Frederick the Great, with lovely detail. The bust sits on a plaque with the words "Fridericus Borussorum Rex 1740-1786", translated "Frederick King of Prussia". The stem of the spoon is decorative, with dolphins, a crown and a twisted design. The spoon bowl is also decorated with flowers and scrolling foliage. The hallmarks are clear, and include makers mark "n" (Scheffler 489) for Neresheimer, and stylised bunch of grapes (image 1, 3rd hallmark under Neresheimer on www.925-1000.com). The Neresheimer n is also called the "Nuremberg n" (Culme, Gold and Silversmiths). They also include importers mark B.M (struck twice) for Berthold Muller, who for many years was the sole British agent for Neresheimer (Culme). Berthold Muller and Son traded between 1892 and 1915, when Muller changed his name to Miller (we assume as a result of anti-German feeling in London during the First World War). The 2 B.M marks were struck by different punches, the larger one B...

A Spanish silver porringer, inset with a Spanish eight reale coin (one of the famous "pieces of eight") dated 1618, the reign of Philip III (1578-1621). The porringer is hand beaten, with the individual hammer marks clearly visible, creating an attractive pattern. The rim is folded over, and the cast flat handle has a scrolling design. The handle is quite crudely cast, we believe a sign of age. We have dated the porringer 17th century to co-incide with the date of the coin, but it could be later, with an old coin inset. The coin is well preserved on both sides. The reverse reads "Hispania RVM REX 1618" (King of the Spanish), with 2 castles and lion rampants in quatrefoil design (Arms of Castile & Leon). The obverse has the crowned Hapsburg shield, with the Segovia aqueduct mint mark and assayer initial A to the left, and VIII (8 reales) demarcation to the right. It reads "Philippus III DG". The porringer has 4 hallmarks, but given their proximity to the rim are only partially struck, so they are not clearly ...

A gorgeous Tiffany silver card case, with a very attractive and unusual fan shaped textured pattern, with dark and light bands radiating from the clasp. The surface is also textured, with lines and tiny hand hammered bumps radiating out in the same pattern. The hinge is spring loaded, and the clasp is a joy, superbly crafted with a satisfying click on closure. The interior is highly polished, giving a mirror like effect. The case is exceptional quality, clearly the work of a master craftsman. The original purpose of the case is unclear, it is too small for cigarettes (although it could hold the smaller hand made variety), it could also have been a compact. It is ideal for business cards, and could also accommodate photographs. The hallmarks are clear, "Tiffany & Co, 925 Sterling Italy", made during a time when Tiffany employed Italian craftsmen. With its wonderful quality, texture and pattern, this case is a joy to handle, you become reluctant to put it down!