Auction: November 12

Our curators picked their favorite items from our upcoming November 12 Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu Signature® Auction.
| Karen's Picks Karen Rigdon | Vice President, Fine Silver & Decorative Arts
A Six Hundred Eighteen-Piece Maison Odiot Grimaldi Pattern Partial Vermeil Silver Flatware Service for Twenty-Four Including Banquet Service for Ninety-Six, Paris, circa 1900
When Odiot silver appears, one expects excellence - but few works capture the height of French dining culture like this monumental 618-piece Grimaldi Pattern Flatware Service, crafted by Maison Odiot, Paris, circa 1900. The sheer scope of the service - accommodating ninety-six guests - embodies the Belle Époque ideal of abundance, artistry, and refinement. The Grimaldi (or "Pearls") pattern was favored by European royalty and remains one of Odiot's most elegant designs. Complete services of this magnitude rarely survive intact, making this ensemble an extraordinary testament to Odiot's craftsmanship and the grandeur of French taste at the turn of the century.
A Rare Peter Bentzon Silver Pap Bowl, St. Croix and Philadelphia, circa 1810-20
Peter Bentzon, born free in the Danish West Indies and trained in Philadelphia, stands as the only early American silversmith of African descent whose silver bears a personal hallmark. His known pieces number fewer than thirty and reflect the technical precision and mastery of the restrained English forms favored in early nineteenth-century Philadelphia. This rare pap bowl embodies Bentzon's refined craftsmanship and his remarkable place in history - a free Black artisan whose legacy endures in the silver he left behind.
A Rare Tiffany & Co. Silver and Mixed Metal Tea Set, New York, circa 1880
This four-piece mixed-metal tea set, created at the height of Japanese influence on Tiffany & Co. silver, is a captivating expression of the firm's late nineteenth-century innovation - transforming everyday ritual into art. Its hammered silver surfaces shimmer with engraved seagrass and applied motifs in copper and bronze: the kettle alive with gilt butterflies, the teapot adorned with a bronze finial and ladybug, every handle uniquely conceived. A masterful union of texture, movement, and natural form, the set embodies the perfect harmony of artistry and technique achieved by Tiffany's craftsmen at their creative height.
A Stephen O'Meara Silver Horn Bowl with Reversable Stand, Scottsdale, Arizona, late 20th century
Stephen O'Meara was a silversmith of rare brilliance - a sculptor, art dealer, and aviator whose passion for beauty found its highest expression in silver. His work revives the grandeur of America's golden age of silversmithing while bearing the unmistakable mark of a modern master. Trained in traditional techniques and inspired by travels through Europe, Russia, and Japan, O'Meara united precision and imagination in every piece. Each object - from table silver to sculptural forms - reveals a devotion to craftsmanship seldom seen today. His legacy endures in luminous works that speak to the timeless power of art and the enduring allure of the handmade.
| Carolyn's Picks Carolyn Mani | West Coast Director, Trusts and Estates
Curator's Picks: The Paul Storr Collection The name Paul Storr-synonymous with refined elegance and superior craftsmanship-continues to still the soul of silver collectors around the world. As one of the most prestigious silversmiths of the 18th and 19th centuries (indeed, perhaps of any century), Storr's work represents the pinnacle of artistry and design in silver. Working with a collection such as the one featured in this sale is both a great honor and a personal milestone. I first met the collector nearly twenty years ago while assisting with the estate of a mutual friend. During our conversation, he shared his passion for fine silver and spoke with great pride about the collection he had assembled over the years. A deeply private individual, he spent decades building this remarkable grouping, selecting only the finest examples. Recently, he made the thoughtful-if difficult-decision to divest, entrusting Heritage Auctions and myself with this momentous task. It represents a relationship founded on trust, respect, and a shared admiration for the legacy of master craftsmanship.
A Fine Pair of Paul Storr Silver Wine Coolers
The highlight of the collection, without question, is an extraordinary pair of Paul Storr Silver Wine Coolers, London, 1817. Embellished with the Order of the Garter insignia and bearing the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense, each cooler also features the family motto Humani nil alienum-a shortened form of the Latin phrase Homo sum: humani nihil a me alienum puto ("I am human, and I think nothing human is alien to me"). A brilliant fusion of elegance and regal design, this pair-crafted circa 1814-displays all the hallmarks of a Royal Commission. Today, most works of this caliber reside within the world's most prestigious institutions and museum collections. The opportunity to acquire such an important example of Storr's artistry on the private market is exceedingly rare. With its impressive history and impeccable pedigree, this pair is certain to captivate collectors across the globe.
Other notable highlights from the collection include:
A Pair of Paul Storr Silver Covered Vegetable Dishes on Silver-Plated Stands
This beautiful pair of covered tureens, exhibit the refined elegance of the Regency period. With figural handles these stunning examples of the Nobel Coat of Arms will be the center piece for any holiday table.
A Paul Storr Silver Serving Tray with Heraldic Device
This large tray is a stunning example and exhibits the restrained design and exquisite engraving that was created to commemorate the wedding of two important families. The size and breath of this example are of an enthusiastic scale and is a stunning addition to any collection. The collector's discerning eye extended beyond English silver, encompassing important examples from Tiffany & Co., Buccellati, and other master silversmiths. This sale represents not only an exceptional opportunity to acquire world-class silver, but also a chance to celebrate the enduring artistry of Paul Storr-whose timeless designs continue to define elegance two centuries later.
| Xenia's Pick Xenia Amaya | Cataloguer, Decorative Arts
A Tiffany & Co. Silver Box with Turtle Finial
This charming Tiffany & Co. silver box perfectly captures mid-century elegance with a touch of whimsy. Its sleek, mirror-like surface is beautifully contrasted by the finely modeled turtle finial, a symbol of longevity and grace. I love how the piece balances modern simplicity with organic form; the turtle seems to glide effortlessly across the polished cover. This is certainly a piece that will always invite admiration.
A Three-Piece William Spratling 18K Gold and Wood Necklace and Earring Jewelry Suite
This striking suite by William Spratling embodies the bold sophistication of modernist Mexican design. The interplay of warm 18K gold and rich dark wood creates a beautiful contrast that's organic yet architectural, earthy yet refined. I love how Spratling's signature geometric forms give the pieces a sculptural presence while remaining effortlessly wearable. Truly a collector's dream!
A Japanese Silver and Mixed Metal Fish Basket-Form Box
Shaped like a woven basket, it's alive with detail from the golden frog clinging to the side to the intricate lid teeming with finely chased fish. I love how the artist combines texture, form, and mixed metals to create a sense of movement and life. It's both playful and masterful, a work that bridges art and nature with effortless grace, a true conversation piece!
| Elinor's Pick Elinor Chalmers | Cataloguer, Decorative Arts
A Stephen O'Meara Silver Tunn Shell
Stephen O'Meara's silver tunn shell showcases his talent for rendering natural forms into enduring works of art. Merging artistic sensitivity with technical mastery, the piece stands as a testament to his reverence for the beauty and complexity of the natural world.
A Georg Jensen Vertebrae Pattern Silver Necklace and Bracelet
Designed in 1955, Georg Jensen's matching Vertebrae necklace and bracelet exemplify the sculptural grace of Danish modernism. Composed of interlocking silver links that echo the rhythm of the human form, the pattern demonstrates the firm's enduring balance of innovation and elegance-timeless pieces that feel as contemporary today as when they were first created.
An Eight-Piece Emilia Castillo Silver, Silver-Plated, and Hardstone Tea Set with Beehive Motif
This eight-piece tea set masterfully unites form, function, and playfulness. With its hand-hammered surfaces, applied glass bees, and inlaid hardstone florals, it captures a charming vision of nature in metal and celebrates artistry as vibrant and alive as the world it depicts.
| Ben's Pick Ben Windsor | Cataloguer, Decorative Arts
A Hoaching Silver Covered Figural Ewer
A spectacular meeting of function and fantasy, this Chinese export ewer transforms the utilitarian vessel into a mythical creature. Its fierce dragon head spout and winged serpent handle animate a body densely worked with narrative scenes, each figure and architectural detail rendered in crisp repoussé.
A Whiting Mfg. Co. Silver and Mixed Metal Match Safe
Uniting the whimsy of the classic cat and mouse rivalry with the artistry of daily-use design, this Whiting Mfg. Co. match safe brings so much life to a functional object. It's a delightful expression finding beauty and humor in the useful, turning a practical accessory into a tiny work of art.
A Nereshiemer & Söhne Silver Cow-Form Creamer
Continuing with the animals + functional works theme, this playful yet masterfully made silver cow-form creamer by Neresheimer & Söhne captures the delightful intersection of sculpture and service. Its naturalistic modeling transforms a simple table vessel into a figure brimming with character.
| Rebecca's Picks Rebecca Campbell | Associate Specialist & Lead Cataloguer
A Whiting Mfg. Co. Silver Ice Bucket
One of my favorites is lot 74091. This silver ice bucket offers a sterling example of Whiting Mfg. Co.'s late 19th-century craftsmanship, quite literally. This piece, circa 1883, gleams with crisp elegance and a subtle frosty motif befitting its function. Whiting's silversmiths had a talent for transforming practical forms into objects of sculptural beauty, and this piece captures that blend of refinement and whimsy perfectly. It's a cool nod (pun fully intended) to an era when even an ice bucket could exude Gilded Age sophistication.
A Pair of Georg Jensen & Wendel AS No. 474 Silver Candelabra
I'm always a fan of Johan Rohde's designs for Georg Jensen, and lot 74195 is a wonderful example of why that is. These beautiful candelabras bring a touch of Nordic poetry to the dinner table. These are candelabra that don't just hold candles; they hold court. Light them up, and suddenly your evening feels a little more luminous, a little more Scandinavian, and a lot more stylish.
Discover timeless beauty, modern innovation, and the pure joy of silver's enduring brilliance in our November 12 Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu Signature® Auction. Sincerely,
|  | Karen Rigdon Vice President, Fine Silver & Decorative Arts KarenR@HA.com (214) 409-1723
|  | Carolyn Mani West Coast Director, Trusts and Estates CarolynM@HA.com (310) 492-8614
|  | Xenia Amaya Cataloguer, Decorative Arts XeniaA@HA.com (214) 409-1907
|  | Elinor Chalmers Cataloguer, Decorative Arts ElinorC@HA.com (214) 528-3500
|  | Ben Windsor Cataloguer, Decorative Arts BenW@HA.com (214) 409-1142
|  | Rebecca Campbell Associate Specialist and Lead Cataloguer RCampbell@HA.com (214) 409-1948