Featured Another one!

This footed bowl is lovely in its simplicity!
The rim of the base has a slight dent, so it doesn't sit quite flat, but that's easily remedied.
It's 3.5 inches high, 10 inches across (13.25 including the handles). It weighs roughly a touch over 1.6 lbs. The sides feel nice and thick, The stamp "Sterling" is the only mark on it.
Is there anything about the design, either of the bowl or the handles, that might suggest a maker and/or a date range?

 

Tray with similar handles. https://www.lelandlittle.com/items/500427/a-modernist-sterling-silver-sandwich-tray/

https://www.ebay.com/itm/267102451805 William G DeMatteo

 

Based on Kronos' information above, I've found a handful of items from the same maker, and a couple of them have identical handles. Those items bear a maker's mark, while mine does not (unless it's very faint and obliterated by polishing). Also, the items I located are trays, while this one is a bowl.

The artist is William Lawrence deMatteo. I won't positively attribute my bowl to him, but I'll give it a probable.

 

It's taken me years to ferret out marks on some of my favorite 'keepers'-some artisans are discreet to the point of absurdity !
PS-Listing the maker as 'probable' or 'in the style of' is a great way to go.

 

That's especially true since these designers are long dead and cannot file VERO violations on you.

 

This piece bothers me a bit, could you post pics of the bottom and the underside of where the handles are attached? Bill deMatteo, like his father and his son Chip, was a skilled silversmith, and can't say I've seen just a 'STERLING' stamp like that on a deMatteo piece, but suppose it's possible.

I made a comparison of a properly marked piece and yours, and as said, to my eye yours just doesn't look quite right.

Might consider contacting Chip at Hand & Hammer:

https://www.handandhammer.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CONTACT





~Cheryl

 

I'll have to clean out the old dried polish first...
But I'll post the requested images shortly. Thank you for your help!

 

I found this information on the hand-hammer.com website: "Frederik Lunning began commissioning deMatteo to make pieces in the style of Georg Jensen in order that he could sell them in his Georg Jensen USA stores during the War. deMatteo took to these designs immediately and had an affinity for the style. The designs were not exact copies of Jensen pieces but were close enough that an ordinary consumer might not detect a difference. Lunning also used Alphonse LaPaglia for this purpose and deMatteo’s and LaPaglia’s Jensen-style pieces provide an interesting addition for Jensen silver collectors. The quality of the design and workmanship is equal to the Danish products and they are rarer, more varied and slightly idiosyncratic. For years, the “mystery” behind the deMatteo and LaPaglia silver fostered a sinister reputation that is undeserved since the silver of both makers is lovely and highly collectable."

Here are close-up photos (sans old dried polish) of my piece, as requested.

 

Geez, my memory just isn't what it used to be - knew there was something sticking in the back of my head about this mark - it was attributed to deMatteo for years, but it isn't one of theirs (explaining why it appears to be 'deW':

https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15455



~Cheryl

 

Interesting. The OPs piece does not have that marking, but all the trays i've been able to find similar to the ones linked above have the Armand mark and one just Sterling like the OPs bowl.

Another thread with some more info: https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41915
https://sideways.nyc/discover/6KQW7h2e0t3l1WELN87FL2/jeans-silversmiths


Now, here's a different tray, first with the Armand mark:
https://www.capsuleauctions.com/auc...tteo_sterling_silver_blossom_tray_DecLX_14048

And then a bowl with markings for Nicholas Schelnin Co.
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/nic-schelnin-co-danish-sterling-blossom-bowl-46-c-ef3411bb64

So.. were they marking others pieces that they refinished/repaired in their shop?

 

So we're looking at mid to late 20th century, and Danish influence, but nothing concrete to assign a maker. I like it, and will probably keep it in my collection.

 

And then there's this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/115509000105

 

So, your piece is leaning towards Schelnin, as I don't see anything with that handle type correctly marked under DeMatteo.

Lots of misidentified DeMatteo pieces out there it seems.

 

Entirely possible that if Armand Guior had a workshop on the premises, the production might also have been wholesaled to other vendors, stamping their marks, or only 'Sterling'. Regardless, despite attribution of that conjoined 'NS/SN' mark to the Nic. Schelnin Co., it's not theirs, they were a short-lived firm, makers of gold jewelry and silver novelties, in business from 1903, no indication of being in business after 1909, definitely out of business by 1915 - much earlier than these pieces were produced...











~Cheryl

 

So.. two different design handles on pieces that have what looks like the Nic. Schelnin Mark. And then a number of other pieces with the same handle types that are marked with what is said to be an Armand mark. And both patterns have been attributed to being from deMatteo at some point. Something weird/wonky going on. Oh well. Wasted enough time on this mess. The original piece is nice regardless, and the worth of it isn't going to be affected by the markings in this case.