One of the most intense interests at Hess Fine Art is antique silver. Most people don’t know that only half of our goods come from Tampa Bay residents. In addition, jewelers, collectors and pawn shops from around the world send us their unusual and expensive watches, jewelry and especially, their silver. These three items were purchased from jewelers throughout the country. We pay a lot more for aesthetic, nouveau and Victorian arts and crafts silver than most dealers.
$1,200-$3,000 / 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES ANTIQUE SILVER TROPHY AND CENTER PIECE BOWL
Trophies Earned From Family Social Clubs
We paid over $3,000 for the oversized arts and crafts Shreve San Francisco 100 ounce centerpiece bowl (right). Shreve was a leader in silversmithing in the 19th century. On top is an English-hallmarked 1870s military shooting award trophy (left). It only weighed 56 ounces, but we paid $1,200 because of the history and well-known names engraved on this incredibly beautiful piece.
An Indiana jeweler sold us the magnificent loving cup with matching boar’s tusks (bottom) made by Alvin & Co. (later Gorham) for the Friday Night Pleasure Club in 1905. This club was a family social club where families from Indiana would gather for badminton, sack races and picnics. The silver value of this piece is under $600, but we paid $1,200.
$1,200-$3,000 / 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES ANTIQUE SILVER TROPHY
This is an archival article formerly written and is for informational purposes only. The valuations in this article have likely changed since it was first written.
