Brimfield treasure!

[captain flintlock]

This past week was the start of the famous Brimfield Mass antique and flea market season. Held three time a year, May, July and September. A week long extravaganza and let me just say, there are still great finds to be discovered. Not all of the dealers know what they have and I try to take advantage of that when I can. Pirate!! ☠️[emoji38]. Here’s my two great scores. First was my very first purchase at the first vendor of the morning. I spotted this little beauty and knew it was special. It’s an English “air twist” glass. These were made between 1745-1770. This one is circa 1745-1760 and is a double twist as well. Purchase price- $5.00. The next one is a set of four coin silver demitasse spoons circa 1785-1790’s. Made by a local silversmith Zebulon Stanton. Bought those for $10.00. Not a bad day and the glass was the best find by far.

 

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[bdsawyer]

Wow! That is truly wonderful, great finds. I need to get out there sometime!

 

[tamrock]

Huh, I know those old stemware pieces can be worth a pretty penny, but how can you be positive it's a genuine period piece? If that one is almost 270 years old it's amazing how it survived in such excellent condition being glass. I've sent old brilliant cut crystal and 100 plus year old Baccarat paperweights nicked and scuffed to hell to a glass guy back east to have a little cleanup done on chips and scratches and when I asked him if he could grind and polish the base of all the scuffing, he said you don't want to do that, as that's the true honest wear you need to leave in order to somewhat verify it's an old piece of glass. If that is as old as it appears and in the condition it's in you really scored at that sale. I'm not doubting it, but a skilled glass makers today would have no problem replicating a glass like that I would think.

 

[Doubter in MD]

There appears to be something printed on the edge of one of the spoons. What does it say?

 

[captain flintlock]

There appears to be something printed on the edge of one of the spoons. What does it say?View attachment 1714575

I does look like there is but It’s just a reflection of something on the edge.

 

[silverdollarbill]

The spoons are a great find.....dealers....ha

 

[JimDon]

Great finds. The glass pics are not showing. I was supposed to go this year but couldn’t work it out

 

[captain flintlock]

Huh, I know those old stemware pieces can be worth a pretty penny, but how can you be positive it's a genuine period piece? If that one is almost 270 years old it's amazing how it survived in such excellent condition being glass. I've sent old brilliant cut crystal and 100 plus year old Baccarat paperweights nicked and scuffed to hell to a glass guy back east to have a little cleanup done on chips and scratches and when I asked him if he could grind and polish the base of all the scuffing, he said you don't want to do that, as that's the true honest wear you need to leave in order to somewhat verify it's an old piece of glass. If that is as old as it appears and in the condition it's in you really scored at that sale. I'm not doubting it, but a skilled glass makers today would have no problem replicating a glass like that I would think.

You ask a good question. There are many variables that are right that makes this a period piece. The pictures don’t really show but there some nice age and wear marks on the base. A nice pontil mark. The base is larger than the bowl. Etc, etc. And it has the nicest ring when you tap the edge. A very common trait for early English glass. I’ve seen several of these in museums here in New England and it’s the real deal. They made lots of these during that period and many of them were for export to the states and many survived. They are actually very sturdy glasses. I just happened to find one. I saw more period glass, silver, pewter and furniture than you could shake a stick at in Brimfield. Some of the booths are like going into a museum. These finds that I had are what I call sleepers. Something that the seller knows nothing about, but I do. Happy hunting!! ☠️

 

[captain flintlock]

Great finds. The glass pics are not showing. I was supposed to go this year but couldn’t work it out

I’m not sure why they’re not showing for you. Brimfield has the July show and September. I would recommend the September show if you can make it. It’s absolutely huge and impossible to see in one day.

 

[tamrock]

I record the whole series of BBC's antiques roadshow and watched an appraisal done by this fella Any McConnell and in the episode I watched last night Andy was appraising a collection of glasses very much like your piece and I now feel you very well had found real treasure. There was even one like yours made in the 18th century. All the pieces obtained in around 1968 by the women's father were in unbelievable condition for how old they were. I'm always inspecting old glass in the pre-owned marketplaces and have made some good scores that have made me a nice profit also. Most of what I find are the newer lalique, baccarat Waterford and signed studio art glass, but I am aware something like what you found could show up somewhere, but that's highly unlikely out west here, but I did find some cast sterling 18th century candle sticks in a TS for dirt frickin cheap in my neck of the woods, so you never know, unless you're out lookin. What you found I now consider a true treasure find and an excellent score.

 

[captain flintlock]

I record the whole series of BBC's antiques roadshow and watched an appraisal done by this fella Any McConnell and in the episode I watched last night Andy was appraising a collection of glasses very much like your piece and I now feel you very well had found real treasure. There was even one like yours made in the 18th century. All the pieces obtained in around 1968 by the women's father were in unbelievable condition for how old they were. I'm always inspecting old glass in the pre-owned marketplaces and have made some good scores that have made me a nice profit also. Most of what I find are the newer lalique, baccarat Waterford and signed studio art glass, but I am aware something like what you found could show up somewhere, but that's highly unlikely out west here, but I did find some cast sterling 18th century candle sticks in a TS for dirt frickin cheap in my neck of the woods, so you never know, unless you're out lookin. What you found I now consider a true treasure find and an excellent score.

Thanks tamrock. 18th century candlesticks would be a bucket list item for me. That’s awesome that you found them. I’ll have to check out that episode online sometime.

 

[tamrock]

Thanks tamrock. 18th century candlesticks would be a bucket list item for me. That’s awesome that you found them. I’ll have to check out that episode online sometime.

Well I was gonna tell you what antiques RS episode that was, but it's no longer on my list of recordings and I was positive I pushed save when I finished it. I'd try to find an email contact for Andy McConnell, as he is an expert in the field of old glass. It be interesting to see what he thinks about your find. Here's a few pics of the cir. 1750 candlesticks. When I first saw them they looked like old tarnished brass, but soon I realized after seeing the hallmarks this thrifty shop really missed the mark on these two items. Ones missing the nozzle, but still each is over 400 grams of 925/1000 silver. I had an appraisers of Cowan's auction here in Denver check them out for 50 bucks and he had no doubt of their authenticity and age, he even ran a big powerful magnet up and down to be sure they had no ferrous metal supporting inside. He said value was 800 to 1500 for the pair, due to the missing nozzle. I told him had I first showed them to you without and nozzle, you may have never known any thing about them was incomplete. He looked a little funny at me and said, you know I probably wouldn't have thought they were missing something. I talked to a silversmith that could replicate another nozzle from the one I have, as the nozzles were also made with a cast silver technique, with the exception of the sleeve that goes down into the top of the candlestick and that was made of thin sheet sterling soldered to the cast drip pan. Making a match with the old gold-wash might not be possible.

 

[captain flintlock]

Well I was gonna tell you what antiques RS episode that was, but it's no longer on my list of recordings and I was positive I pushed save when I finished it. I'd try to find an email contact for Andy McConnell, as he is an expert in the field of old glass. It be interesting to see what he thinks about your find. Here's a few pics of the cir. 1750 candlesticks. When I first saw them they looked like old tarnished brass, but soon I realized after seeing the hallmarks this thrifty shop really missed the mark on these two items. Ones missing the nozzle, but still each is over 400 grams of 925/1000 silver. I had an appraisers of Cowan's auction here in Denver check them out for 50 bucks and he had no doubt of their authenticity and age, he even ran a big powerful magnet up and down to be sure they had no ferrous metal supporting inside. He said value was 800 to 1500 for the pair, due to the missing nozzle. I told him had I first showed them to you without and nozzle, you may have never known any thing about them was incomplete. He looked a little funny at me and said, you know I probably wouldn't have thought they were missing something. I talked to a silversmith that could replicate another nozzle from the one I have, as the nozzles were also made with a cast silver technique, with the exception of the sleeve that goes down into the top of the candlestick and that was made of thin sheet sterling soldered to the cast drip pan. Making a match with the old gold-wash might not be possible.

Those are freakin amazing!! Yeah definitely 1750. I worked with a silversmith for a day at Newbury crafters up at Massachusetts about three weeks ago. They do silver flatware by hand like it was done 200+ years ago. The older gentleman was a master and finished a spoon in an hour from start to finish. I’ll be out in Colorado next month to visit my son. He works and lives up at Winter Park. Happy hunting this weekend.

 

[tamrock]

Should wait until end of June and first August for Winter Park. I swear when its in the higher 90s under this mile high sun that high mountain valley of Winter Park is so cool and refreshing.

 

[bigcaddy64]

I’m not sure why they’re not showing for you. Brimfield has the July show and September. I would recommend the September show if you can make it. It’s absolutely huge and impossible to see in one day. View attachment 1715112View attachment 1715113View attachment 1715114View attachment 1715115

Its probably extremely rare to find early american silver on the west coast but i did find a Massachusetts made coffin spoon in a bucket of silver plate at a scrap yard here in CA.

I remember those candlesticks when you found them. They are an amazing find and i'd have a hard time selling them...ever

 

[tamrock]

Its probably extremely rare to find early american silver on the west coast but i did find a Massachusetts made coffin spoon in a bucket of silver plate at a scrap yard here in CA.

I remember those candlesticks when you found them. They are an amazing find and i'd have a hard time selling them...ever

Ya never know what kinda treasure can show up for sale in just about anyplace these days, as so many people move around in today's world. I quit selling all non weighted silver I come by within maybe the last 3 years now, I've kept all the sterling jewelry also about that long, unless it some signed piece I got at a bargain and can certainly get more out of with an immediate sale. I didn't post this, but this is my last non weight silver purchase. I found some non weighted sterling salt & peppers which I kept and smashed 2 wieghted compotes I recently found dirt cheap and took the scrap sterling to my local buyer. The compotes he offered $68.00 on and seening this Gorham nut dish he had, I asked how much. He put it on his scale and said $14.00. so I took this nut dish and $ 54.00 for my spashed and cleaned compotes, which I bought the two for around $6.00 at a church thrift shop. The nut dish might be worth as much as $35.00 on eBay, though I see some with prices higher, they don't seem to be selling for anymore than $35.00... No telling how long I'll keep it, as it's for now part of my collection of silver I like. Sorry about running my spew on your post Capt Flintlock, I'll be done.