With its plain form and prominent monogram, this small Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Pitcher sold for $800, more than 3 times its scrap value.

A woman came into Skinner with a collection of family silver that she no longer wanted. She’d already been to a smelter, who offered her $800 to melt the silver down for scrap. It was tempting to take the money, but she felt bad about the decision and decided to come to Skinner auction house first.… Read More

Pair of Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre Pillar Vases, England, c. 1925 (Lot 384, Estimate $4,000-6,000)

BOSTON, MA – Skinner, Inc. will present an auction of European Furniture & Decorative Arts in its Boston Gallery on Friday, October 13. With over 700 lots on offer, the auction will feature an expansive selection of fine ceramics and silver as well as European furniture and decorative arts of the 16th through early 20th centuries.

The auction opens on Friday at 10AM with over 200 lots of silver featuring a broad range of flatware and hollowware from the United States, England, and Europe.… Read More

Franz Bergman Cold-painted Bronze Figure of Cleopatra’s Barge, Austria, early 20th century (Lot 476, Estimate $8,000-12,000)

BOSTON, MA – Skinner, Inc. will present an auction of European Furniture & Decorative Arts in its Boston Gallery on Thursday, July 13 and Friday, July 14. With over 1000 lots on offer, the auction will feature an expansive selection of fine ceramics and silver as well as European furniture and decorative arts of the 16th through early 20th centuries.… Read More

Carol Ferranti

Skinner is proud to offer a diverse group of silver and decorative objects in our April 7 European Furniture & Decorative Arts auction from the collection of Carol Ferranti, a passionate collector, and our long-time friend and colleague. From her early days as an artist and colorist for fabric companies supplying designs for women’s wear, her keen eye and talents followed her throughout her life and touched everything she did.… Read More

Prosper Roussel Patinated and Gilt-bronze Jewel Casket and Cover, France, second quarter 19th century (Lot 176, Estimate: $6,000-8,000)

BOSTON, MA – Skinner, Inc. will present an auction of European Furniture & Decorative Arts & Fine Silver in its Boston Gallery on Friday, April 7 at 10AM. With over 650 lots on offer, the auction will feature an expansive selection of fine silver and European fine and decorative arts of the 16th through early 20th centuries.… Read More

From the monumental Tiffany centerpiece to the towering Polish tureen on stand and striking Russian Kovsh, the January 12 Fine Silver auction features some of the most imposing pieces I have worked with. While I have too many favorites to list, one such piece that caught my eye was the German sleigh-form centerpiece (Lot 206). Though my interest may stem from daydreams of this piece in the center of a holiday table setting, this impressive sleigh highlights some interesting aspects of the Hanau region of silver production as a whole.… Read More

Pair of Elkington & Co. Sterling Silver Ewers, Birmingham, 1869-70 (Lot 178, Estimate: $3,500-4,500)

James Horton Whitehouse was one of Tiffany & Co.’s earliest and most well-respected designers, producing many of the firm’s most important pieces during his 44-year career. Born in Staffordshire, England in 1833, Whitehouse was trained in metalworking in Birmingham, England, home of leading silver manufacturer Elkington & Co.… Read More

BOSTON, MA – Skinner, Inc. presents an outstanding two-day auction of European Furniture & Decorative Arts and Fine Silver & English Ceramics, taking place in Boston. Session I begins on Thursday, January 12 at 4PM with over 350 lots of fine ceramics and silver. Session II opens on Friday, January 13 at 10AM with 376 lots of fine furniture, porcelain, bronze and marble sculpture, glassware, and more.

Iconic names in design and workmanship including Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Faberge, and Wedgwood are prominently represented.… Read More