Photograph album of an Important Silver Collection.
Ca. 1900-20's. A careful photographic record of an extremely important silver collection, magnificently bound in full red elaborately gilt morocco by Ed. Berck, Paris. 62 professional photographs, 8x10" black & whites, possibly recorded for insurance purposes, mounted in plastic sleeves, with a description of the items, maker and date on the opposite page. The owners of this important collection are unknown, indicated only by the gilt letters "I.W." on the front cover, and the engraved "C.P.W." on the vanity set photograph. The striking thing about the collection is the quality & early date of the pieces. There are four pieces by the famed Huguenot silversmith, Paul Lamerie (silver mirror 1745; 3 silver shells 1724; tea kettle & stand 1731; cake basket 1734.) There are no less than five pieces from the Queen Anne period (silver tea kettle & stand, 1708 by Lewis Mettayer; teapot 1714 by Humphrey Payne; coffee pot 1709 by Edward Pearce; tea caddy 1712 by Richard Watts; silver gilt cake tazza 1712 by David Willaume.) There are many George I pieces, including a rare set of 4 candlesticks by Edward Pearce dated 1720. The bulk of the collection is George II, with some George III pieces. The silver encompasses the full range of a households' necessities & trivialities - a mirror, silver shells, tea kettles, cake basket, coffee pots, tea caddies, brandy saucepan, tea strainer, cream pitchers, sugar tongs, bowls & covers, a ewer, covered entree dishes, sauceboats, a cake tazza, sugar castors, a candle snuffer & stand, spoon trays, candle sticks, salt cellars and spoons, pepper pots, waiters, meat platters, tea trays, set of 12 silver plates, basting spoon, salad servers, pie server, asparagus tongs, butter spades, sauce ladles, skewers, dessert & dinner flatware & spirit labels. The only two later pieces, which look to be ca. 1910-20, are a vanity set & hip flask. Thankfully, those are the only ones which appear to be monogrammed by the owners. A handsome contemporary record of an outstanding silver collection, many pieces of which by now are probably held in museums. Oblong 4to, 9 1/4 x 13", red gilt morocco, with slipcase (red morocco foredge, marbled paper boards). Item #6683
Price: $950.00