Pick up a penguin
Artemest travels throughout Italy to bring connoisseurs across the globe wonderful handmade products crafted by exceptional artisans. The company explores the varied worlds of home décor, jewellery and fine art as they change in character from region to region and observes each artisan in his or her workshop. This sterling silver champagne bottle holder is playfully modelled after a penguin. Its true-to-life quality is remarkable which makes it an ideal talking point for dinner tables. The piece is handcrafted over many hours using traditional techniques by master silversmiths, the Lisi brothers, in Florence.
Delicate design
Tuscan architect and designer, Giovanni Raspini has designed everything from houses and furniture to household items and jewellery. He is passionate about silver and this is reflected in the design of this large, sleek dish featuring five butterflies gently settling on its rim.
£9,940 / €11,095 / $13,056
Giovanniraspini.com
Pride of place
There are certain objects that express the pleasure of conviviality, the excitement of a day of celebration – such as this superb silver champagne bucket. Featuring beautifully crafted lions, it reflects the traditional skills of the animalier in cast silver, resulting in a combination of classical and contemporary design.
£12,300 / €13,970 / $16,150
Giovanniraspini.com
Centre of attention
This exceptional oval centrepiece is crafted entirely from solid silver and is unusual both for its large size and exquisite detailing. It features four figures representing the Arts and further depictions of Mercury and Ceres with a full length female figure in the centre representing Curiousity. A cherub is at her feet and the piece is further decorated with floral and scrolling features, signed, situated and dated ‘Armand-Calliat et Fils / Lyon 1893’.
Curious condiments
The Kairos Collective is a platform for collectors and those who are passionate about beautiful home furnishings to access antique, vintage and contemporary pieces. This pair of charming sterling silver mice salt and pepper pots from the early 20th century is an excellent example. Attributed to Francis Howard, they are hallmarked ‘925’ and ‘Sterling’ to their feet, with one other indistinguishable maker’s mark.
£768 / €857 / $1,008
Thekairoscollective.com
Keep it cool
These George III sterling silver wine coolers were made by the renowned silversmiths Benjamin Smith II and James Smith III. They have a classic Campania shaped form on to a knop and domed circular spreading foot and retain their original detachable support frames, liners and push fit covers. Their components were crafted in 1810 and, although the pair will have been made in the same year, due to the hallmarking system all the components of one wine cooler are struck with the date letter P, while the other bears Q.
£32,250 / €36,625 / $42,345
AC Silver via Lapada.org
Sweet Thoughts
An extremely rare, early Charles II silver sugar box which is full hallmarked for London 1662. The ovoid box and lid sit on four little bun feet while the arms on the lid are those of Offley and were engraved somewhere between five to 15 years after the piece was made. Only three earlier examples are recorded; one of 1650 sold at Sotheby’s in 1974, another of 1651 which is in the Worshipful Company of Goldsmith’s collection, and an example of 1661 from the Charles L. Poor collection.
£45,000 / €51,100 / $59,100
Mayflower Antiques via Lapada.org
