Stephenson's to welcome 2011 with Jan. 1-2 auction of silver, jewelry, fine & decorative art A superb Russian silver bear inkwell, an Emma Brownlow genre painting and a vast array of jewelry and fine & decorative art will be auctioned on Jan. 1-2 at Stephenson's in suburban Philadelphia.
News-Antique.com - Dec 14,2010 - SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. – Philadelphia-area estates, residences and private collectors were the sources contributing to the outstanding lineup of fine paintings, decorative art, silver and jewelry to be offered by Stephenson’s Auctioneers over the first weekend of 2011.
The opening session on Saturday, Jan. 1 is laden with beautiful antique silver and jewelry. One of the premier lots is a circa-1900 Russian silver and gold cigarette case with the hallmark of Nicholai Kemper (St. Petersburg, 1898-1908). It is a heavy piece that almost certainly would have been a specially commissioned item, judging from the many script names and applied tokens that include a frog, pig, crown, German 50-mark note, and Masonic logo.
Two American silver tea and coffee services will be auctioned – one by International Silver and the other by Stieff. Both are large sets with a creamer, sugar bowl, waste receptacle and tray. Additionally, the silver section includes a sizable array of hollow ware.
Approximately 120 lots of jewelry are on the auction roster for day one. A collection of lovely Victorian pins, a Victorian rose gold brooch with seed pearls, tassels and d’epargne black enameling ($500-$700); and a Victorian dragon-head necklace encrusted with garnets ($500-$700) are among the highlights. Other important pieces include a hallmarked European 14K gold wide-mesh basketweave bracelet ($1,200-$1,500) a 1940s Tiffany owl pin, gold with bloodstone accents ($300-$500); and a 1950s Georg Jensen (Denmark) sterling silver cuff bracelet. “We’ve conservatively estimated the Jensen bracelet at $600-$1,000 because it is so uncommon we could not find a comparable bracelet in any available reference material,” said Stephenson’s jewelry expert Theresa Zaengle. “It’s really a great-looking piece.”
High-quality vintage Mexican silver will be offered, as well. Within the grouping are a 30-inch sterling link necklace by the Taxco silversmiths Los Castillo ($200-$300) and a wide silver cuff bracelet of 980 silver decorated with amethyst stones and the ancient Mayan motif of the “Feathered Serpent” deity Quetzalcoatl (200-$300).
Every woman loves a charm bracelet, and Stephenson’s New Year’s event includes one of the most desirable examples to come to auction in quite some time. The heavy gold bracelet includes six substantial charms adorned with pearls, rubies and sapphires, and representing such forms as a golf bag with clubs, opera glasses and a telephone. Estimate: $1,500-$2,000. A second charm bracelet features gold coins and a gold charm replicating a coin.
Among the other jewelry highlights are a 30-inch double strand of uniform 8mm pearls with a 14K gold and carved cameo opal and diamond clasp ($2,000-$3,000), a Chinese jade necklace with a large disc pendant, matching earrings and bracelets; a 1920s Art Deco-style 14K white gold filigree three-stone diamond ring, several cameos, and a suite of angel skin coral and diamond earrings, pendant and ring, with each piece to be auctioned separately. Exhibiting the chic, modern styling of David Anderson, a plain silver and enameled pendant duo will be offered as one lot.
The opening session also includes a number of excellent decorative art lots, with leading entries being
