Silver

1930s Bespoke Gentleman's Spirits Case from Goyard

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Men's Style, The Classicist

An elegant 1930s bespoke gentleman's spirits case from Goyard, the luxurious Parisian luggage maker founded in 1853, is being offered for sale by New York's Mantiques Modern for $2,800. Custom made for a connoisseur who wanted to be sure of always having his favorite tipple ready to hand while gallivanting around the globe, the handmade monogrammed case is crafted of fine pigskin with brass hardware. Inside it features two sizable silver plated flasks and a set of four silver tumblers in fitted compartments. When fastened it resembles a briefcase. Goyard has long had a devoted clientele of celebrities and royalty. Aristocrats such as the Grand Duke of Russia, the Maharajah of Kapurthala and the Duke of Windsor all traveled with Goyard luggage.

Gallery: 1930s Goyard Spirits Case

Tags: 1930s, antiques, bespoke, briefcase, flasks, France, Goyard, leather luggage, luggage, Mantiques Modern, mens style, New York, Paris, silver, spirits, vintage luggage

How to Clean Silver (video)

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

In the video above, Richard Sisson with Chevy Chase Plating & Polishing in Rockville, Md., demonstrates how to hand polish silver pieces, from tureens to flatware. Sisson describes how to clean and buff a piece of silver that is slightly tarnished, as well as how to remove old polish residue that has built up over time in the nooks and crannies of older pieces. He also shows how to best clean a piece of silver that is badly tarnished. Which high quality paste polish is the best for hand polishing smaller silver pieces, such as flatware? Watch the video and find out. To learn what is the difference between sterling silver and silver plated, watch this video.

Tags: awards-main, Chevy Chase Plating Polishing, how to clean silver, luxist-awards, Richard Sisson, silver, silver cleaning, video

Antique English Picnic & Games Chest for $34,500

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

A stunning expanding English mahogany picnic chest and games table is being offered for sale by M.S. Rau Antiques of New Orleans for $34,500. The exquisite piece, made circa 1920, resembles a simple wooden trunk at first glance; with its four legs unfolded however, the top and sides open out to reveal a complete luncheon service for eight, including Sheffield silverplate utensils, bone-handled cutlery, plates and saucers, cups and glasses, kettles and burners for hot water and soup, single and stacked enamel containers, wicker-wrapped glass bottles, ceramic butter pots, silver plated tins, a corkscrew and matchbox.

When the meal is over, the table folds and unfolds again, transforming into a felt-topped card table, perfect for a game with the deck of playing cards which are also included in the fitted compartments. No doubt designed for a wealthy British army officer or aristocrat on safari who wished to sacrifice none of the comforts of home, the impressive example of British Colonial campaign furniture would have been custom crafted to the owner's specifications and transported about by a retinue of servants – the brass fittings highly polished, of course.

Tags: 1920s, antiques, aristocrat, decor, England, furniture, games, luggage, M.S. Rau Antiques, mahogany, New Orleans, picnic, safari, silver, trunk

Russian Billionaire's Philippe Starck - Designed Superyacht Startles San Diego

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Yachts & Sailing, Wealth, Architecture & Design

It caused quite a kerfuffle when 38-year-old Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko's megayacht A (above), designed by Philippe Starck, weighed anchor off San Diego the other day while its owner drove off to check out Hearst Castle. The 390-ft. craft which resembles a sci-fi submarine cost over $300 million to build to the quirky designer's specs at Blohm + Voss, where Roman Abramovich's Eclipse was also constructed. With a crew of 35 (all outfitted in Starck-designed uniforms) to run it, the A's twin diesel's kick down 24,000 hp for a maximum speed of 24 knots, impressive for a ship this size. The interior features $40,000 bath faucets and $60,000 stair banisters.

The all-white, 2,583-sq.-ft. master suite wrapped in bulletproof, 44-milimeter glass is accessed by a silver-plated staircase with a fingerprint scanner at the door. Elsewhere Starck scattered Baccarat crystal tables, alligator skin and Kudu horn chairs, stingray skin upholstered walls and hand-stitched leather paneling. Some of the companies involved in constructing the unique sea beast went bankrupt due to the difficulties in executing Starck's design dictums. Filling the A's gas tanks alone costs $500,000 a pop and running costs come to about $20 million a year. Check out a video of the eye-popping yacht after the jump:

Tags: alligator, Andrey Melnichenko, Baccarat, Blohm + Voss, bulletproof, design, leather, megayacht, Philippe Starck, Roman Abramovich, Russian billionaire, San Diego, silver, stingray, superyacht, yacht

Continue reading “Russian Billionaire's Philippe Starck - Designed Superyacht Startles San Diego”

The Classicist: Sotheby's to Auction Treasures from Chatsworth, England's Most Famous Country Estate

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Auctions, Art, The Classicist, Architecture & Design

On October 5–7 Sotheby's will stage what amounts to the world's most luxurious yard sale at Chatsworth (above), England's most famous and beautiful country estate, owned by the the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The treasures on offer include art, architectural elements, furniture, ceramics, glass, silver, and other items – even an antique motorcar – with estimates ranging from £20 to £300,000, or about $30 to $450,000. The sale comprises 20,000 objects in over 1,000 lots which will be on view in a series of marquees on the grounds of the house from October 1st. The several million dollars which the sale is expected to generate will go towards upkeep on the famed estate, which has 126 rooms – including a bathroom with murals painted by Lucian Freud – and sits on over 30,000 acres.

Several of the most magnificent pieces – handsomely carved fireplaces, architraves, doors and shutters - were once part of the fabric of the many great houses that have featured in the Devonshire family's extraordinary history, including Chatsworth itself, Chiswick House, Hardwick Hall, Lismore Castle in Ireland, Compton Place, Bolton Abbey and especially their palatial London residence, Devonshire House – now destroyed but for centuries the centre of the city's social, political and cultural elite. The sale includes works from almost every conceivable area, including books, carriages, glass, collectibles, sculpture, garden statuary, natural history, jewelry, prints, carpets, textiles, tapestries and wine. Some items relate to royalty and others to one of the family's most colorful members, the beautiful and charismatic Georgiana Cavendish, 5th Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806), one of the most beloved and influential characters in British history. [continued]

Gallery: Treasures from Chatsworth & Devonshire House

George III gilt-bronze mounted library bookcase / doorway, circa 1800

The Devonshire Borghese table, an Italian carved giltwood console table with a serpentine alabaster veneered top, mid-18th centu

An ormolu-mounted Sevres style jardini�re, late 19th century, Est. �2,000-3,000

Tags: antiques, architectural, aristocrats, British style, castle, Chatsworth, Chatsworth Estate, country estate, country house, Duchess of Devonshire, Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, Duke of Devonshire, England, English country house, fireplaces, furniture, Jane Austen, Keira Knightley, King George IV, Lismore Castle, London, mahogany, mansion, marble, Pride and Prejudice, royalty, silver, UK

Continue reading “The Classicist: Sotheby's to Auction Treasures from Chatsworth, England's Most Famous Country Estate”

Sun Pendant Necklace by Jean-Francois Fichot

by Marsha Reid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Reminiscent of an Egyptian artifact that you find in a glass case at an art museum exhibit, the Sun Pendant Necklace ($7,341) by Jean-Francois Fichot is breathtakingly beautiful. Drawing his inspiration from ancient Hindu and Buddhist artifacts, the pendant is made from two ancient shells to form concentric circles that are lightly decorated with sterling silver and 18k gold embellishments. The pendant hangs perfectly at chest level maximizing on its wow effect. Even with an exceptionally large size, the pendant still holds a delicateness and timeless sense of style that one cannot deny.

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Tags: Jean-Francois Fichot, jewelry, pendant, silver, statement necklace

Massive Wine Cooler Sets Silver Record

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

A massive silver wine cooler fetched a high price at a recent Sotheby's London auction. The cooler was considered to be the most important piece of English silver to come to the market in 50 years and weighs in at a hefty 168 pounds. The piece which measures more than a meter across was sold to a private Asian buyer during Sotheby's sale of "Treasures," a carefully curated 21-lot sale brought in £13,951,250 / $21,177,998 (skimming over the high end of the pre-sale estimate of £8,790,000 - £13,430,000). The Great Silver Wine Cistern made for Thomas Wentworth sold for £2,505,250 beating the pre-sale estimate of £1.5-2.5 million and setting a new record price for English Silver at auction.

An Italian ivory inlaid rosewood table made for the Duke of Urbino Francesco Maria II Della Rovere circa 1596-7, and subsequently part of the collection of the Medici family, sold for £937,250. An amber box bearing the arms of Prince William IV of Orange and Anne, Princess Royal of Great Britain, North German, circa 1734, realized £657,250 over double the high estimate if £300,000. Even more impressive, a set of three ivory painted and parcel-gilt Royal Pliants by Jean-Baptiste-Claude Séné (1748-1803) made for Queen Marie Antoinette's Salon des Jeux at the Châteaux of Compiègne and Fontainebleau, Louis XVI, circa 1786-87, took in £541,250 against an estimate of £150,000-250,000.

Mario Tavella, Sotheby's Deputy Chairman Europe and the specialist in charge of the sale said: "Today's very successful results represent a fantastic achievement in the field of decorative arts. These extraordinarily rare Treasures with highly desirable aristocratic provenance sparked competition from private collectors and institutional buyers alike as well as the trade and there was bidding and buying from Europe, the United States, Russia, Asia and the Middle East."

Tags: antique silver, silver, sothebys, vintage silver

Woodford Reserve & Tiffany Unveil World's Most Exclusive Mint Julep

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Charity

Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, has created the world's most exclusive mint julep in collaboration with Tiffany & Co. Only 73 of the sterling silver cups will be available at $1,000 apiece; purchasers will be served a julep in the cup at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, May 1st. Not just any old julep either. The elite cocktails are crafted from raw-cane sugar made from 100 percent organic sugar cane grown in Brazil; Kentucky Colonel Mint from Louisville, KY which was grown in a used Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel; ice made of water from a 10,000-year-old glacier in the far northern region of the Pacific Ocean near the Gulf of Alaska; and a small batch of the Master Distiller's personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon.

Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center. Each individually numbered cup is presented with a sterling silver sipping straw and features the Woodford Reserve logo along with a unique horse racing design. The handmade silver cups come with a sterling silver sipping straw. Each cup will be presented in a unique Tiffany & Co. "blue box" and will be set in a Woodford Reserve casing made from the same oak as Woodford Reserve barrels. Consumers age 21 years and older can log on to www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com through April 28 to purchase one of the 73 cups (first come first serve basis).

Tags: Bourbon, cocktails, horse racing, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, mint julep, mint julep cup, silver, sterling silver, Tiffany, Tiffany Co., Woodford Reserve

$1.5 Million Luxury Gown to Debut at Miami International Fashion Week

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Next week at Miami International Fashion Week a luxurious $1.5 million gown will make its way down the runway, worn by an as-yet-to-be-named celebrity model.

A creation of Jad Ghandour and Danasha Luxury, the "ultimate red carpet gown" is being kept under lock and key until March 20th but we do have this sketch and know it will feature lots of airy silver fabric, a belted waistline, and a special handset made of diamonds and 18k gold. And as for inspiration Ghandour's design team was quoted as saying they wanted "a gown that would highlight the finest materials without looking overwrought and costume-y."

Sounds like a modern-day Cinderella gown to me and I can't wait to see it.

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Tags: 1.5 million gown, danasha luxury gown, diamonds, gold, jad ghandour, JadGhandour, Miami Fashion Week, silver

How Much is a Gold Medal Really Worth?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

The 2010 Winter Olympics are over, with the final United States medal count coming in at 9 Gold, 15 Silver, and 13 Bronze. That's a total of 37 medals making their way back here to the States in the hands of our worthy athletes, and although the sentimental value is truly immeasurable one can't help but wonder: just how much are those medals actually worth?

Here's how it breaks down: a gold medal is made of 550 grams of silver covered with 6 grams of gold, a silver medal is made of 41 grams of copper and 509 grams of silver, and a bronze medal is made of a mix of mostly copper with some tin and zinc. This means that in today's market a gold medal is worth approx $494, a silver medal $260, and a bronze medal just $3.

Interesting to know (I thought the gold medal would be worth more).

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Tags: 2010 winter olympics, 2010WinterOlympics, bronze, gold, gold medal, GoldMedal, medals, olympics, silver

The $35,000 Louis Vuitton Whisky Case

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, Men's Style

Famed French luxury goods house Louis Vuitton has come out with an updated, ultra-luxe version of the classic Whisky Case portable bar that the firm first offered in 1955. Available by special order priced at about $35,000, it's wrapped in elegant Taiga leather, though you can order it in iconic monogram canvas as well. And whereas with its compartment for mixer the previous model was more of a Scotch and soda case, if you will, the new incarnation demands nothing less than the finest single malt. Constructed entirely by hand at Vuitton's atelier in France with fittings, hasps and locks of silvered solid brass, it comes with a silver ice bucket and tongs, silver cocktail sticks in a pull-out drawer, four crystal whiskey tumblers, a crystal decanter with a silver lid, and two crystal "Coupelle" dishes in separate compartments.

Tags: bar, crystal, France, leather, Louis Vuitton, LouisVuitton, luggage, portable bar, PortableBar, silver, whiskey, whisky

The Silver Fund Celebrates 15 Years With New Showcase Catalogs

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

The Silver Fund, the leading source for the finest estate Georg Jensen (1866-1935) and other signature 20th- century silver masterworks, is publishing a series of "Showcase" catalogues featuring newly acquired "signature" designs selected because of their special rarity and appeal.

The hard bound catalogs will include works by Georg Jensen as well as other designers associated with his studio including Johan Rohde, Harold Neilsen and Henning Koppel. The catalogs will also feature examples of exemplary 20th-century design by Jean E. Puiforcat, William Spratling, Allan Adler and Antonio Pineda and works from celebrated makers like Tiffany, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Gorham, Murano, Christofle, and Dunhill. The Silver Fund has been based in London for 15 years and exhibits at antique fairs in New York, Palm Beach, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco.

Trained as a sculptor at the Royal Academy of Art, Georg Arthur Jensen apprenticed as a ceramist and goldsmith before opening his first silver shop in Copenhagen in 1904. His work quickly garnered worldwide attention and a slew of celebrated clients such as Gloria Swanson, Greta Garbo and Katharine Hepburn. Jensen's work and other minimalist silver pieces coming out of Denmark revolutionized modern silver design in the early 1900s. You can see some of the Silver Fund's offerings on their website and at upcoming art shows like the Miami international Art Fair and the Miami Beach Antique Show in January.
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Tags: antique silver, AntiqueSilver, collecting silver, CollectingSilver, silver

Historic Ship Gets It Own Tiffany Registry

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Wedding guests are often sent to a Tiffany registry but this is the first time I've seen a registry for a Navy ship. The NY Times City Room blog reports that the the U.S.S. New York, which will be commissioned on November 7 has its own Tiffany registry. The U.S. S. New York includes more than seven tons of salvaged steel from the World Trade Center and it has some pretty pricey tastes. On the list are the sterling silver Chippendale tray ( $2,868.75) shown at right, a Queen Anne tea pot and a commemorative Riedel ice bucket as well as a full flatware service.

Why the registry? Naval ships often have "ship's silver" that is brought out for special and diplomatic occasions and usually a ship's silver is donated by a state or a corporation or a large entity. But for this ship, which is so much a part of New York City, the U.S.S. New York commissioning committee wanted to involve the people. Purchasers can engrave the name of a loved one on the silver pieces they buy. The newest U.S.S. New York will inherit some Tiffany pieces from the last U.S.S. New York battleship, which was built in 1911 and retired after World War II and from other previous ships that bore the name. These days state names refer to submarines, but former New York Governor George E. Pataki asked that the U.S.S. New York name be revived in 2002. The motto for the ship is "Strength forged through sacrifice. Never forget."

The registry was set up back in July but only around 20 of the more than 200 pieces have been purchased. The ship is an amphibious assault ship which will carry Marines. It will be based in Norfolk, Virginia. On November 2, the ship will arrive in New York City and it will stop in water near Ground Zero, lower its flag to half mast and fire a 21-gun salute. Some crew members who are from New York requested to be part of the first crew of the ship.

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Tags: naval ship, NavalShip, navy, New York, NewYork, ship, silver, tiffany

Jan Leslie Sterling & Enamel Bee Cufflinks

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Men's Style

Here's a whimsical wardrobe addition from men's jewelry and accessories designer Jan Leslie: hand-painted enamel and sterling silver bee cufflinks. Recently introduced at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, the luxe links have become an instant bestseller at $595 a pair. In Leslie's sterling silver hand-painted enamel collection, which also features designs such as racecars, jockeys and spiders, artisanal methods produce unique works of quality and understated elegance. Leslie's creative process begins with the study of the actual subject - insect, animal or otherwise; next a wax prototype is sculpted then cast in sterling silver and polished smooth. The creation is then individualized through a technique of meticulously hand painting layers of enamel, creating the desired blend of color and luminescence. The overall process "transforms a simple statement into a commissioned piece of art."

Tags: Bergdorf Goodman, BergdorfGoodman, cufflinks, Jan Leslie, JanLeslie, Neiman Marcus, NeimanMarcus, silver, sterling silver, SterlingSilver

Tragic John Lennon Sterling Cartier Box at Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping

On June 14 Bonhams & Butterfields is auctioning off a sterling silver Cartier cigarette box with an extremely interesting provenance as part of their Entertainment Memorabilia sale in Los Angeles. For Christmas in 1980 John Lennon and Yoko Ono commissioned 12 of the boxes from the famous French jeweler and had them engraved "Double Fantasy / Xmas 1980 / N.Y.C. / John & Yoko." Shortly before they were being readied to send out however John was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman outside their New York apartment house, the Dakota, on December 8th. Despite the horrific tragedy, Yoko ended up sending out the boxes because as their Dakota neighbor Marnie Oetrozze Hair, who owned this one, noted, Lennon had made out the list of recipients back in October. The box, which comes with a letter of provenance handwritten by Hair, is estimated at $3,000 - $5,000.

Tags: Bonhams, Bonhams Butterfields, BonhamsButterfields, Cartier, celebrity, Dakota, entertainment, John Lennon, JohnLennon, Los Angeles, LosAngeles, memorabilia, New York, NewYork, silver, smoking, sterling silver, SterlingSilver, Yoko Ono, YokoOno

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