Coolest piece of sterling ive ever found

[cjon455]

Hey guys, found this awesome sterling either brush handle or cane topper on a small permission yesterday. Slamming 38 signal on the nox800. Thanks for looking and hh!!!

 

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[ajaj]

Awesome piece of silver. The figure of the face doesn't look happy!

aj

 

[WHADIFIND]

Hey guys, found this awesome sterling either brush handle or cane topper on a small permission yesterday. Slamming 38 signal on the nox800. Thanks for looking and hh!!!

Finial? Cane topper? Interesting!

 

[Digger RJ]

Hey guys, found this awesome sterling either brush handle or cane topper on a small permission yesterday. Slamming 38 signal on the nox800. Thanks for looking and hh!!!

Very Nice!!!! Congrats!!!!

 

[Steve in PA]

Very cool

 

[Bamasteve]

Nice find

 

[Red-Coat]

That's rather nice. The maker mark is for William B. Kerr & Co. of Newark, New Jersey. The business was founded in 1855, went through several partnerships and was bought by the Gorham Corporation in 1906 after Kerr committed suicide. They continued using the name and the mark, with the company operating as the Kerr division of Gorham until they were fully absorbed in 1927. Although there's a wider span of possible dates, I think the styling probably puts it in the 1880s or 1890s (pre-Art Nouveau).

I don't know what it's from but they made all kinds of fine jewellery, personal accessories, vanity sets and the like.

 

[Rhapsody]

Hey guys, found this awesome sterling either brush handle or cane topper on a small permission yesterday. Slamming 38 signal on the nox800. Thanks for looking and hh!!!

very cool that will look nice in your relic case

 

[DCMatt]

Hey guys, found this awesome sterling either brush handle or cane topper on a small permission yesterday. Slamming 38 signal on the nox800. Thanks for looking and hh!!!

I'm having trouble judging the size. Pen cap size or walking stick size?

It's Medusa. Here's a Kerr sterling dress buckle:

 

[Lenrac2]

That is freaking awesome!! Congrats!!

 

[callmez]

I think the manufacturer is William B. Kerr & Co of Newark NJ. Dates stated for this marking are 1855-1892.

www.silvercollection.it

 

[Old Dude]

Wow! That thing is incredible!
Great info from Red-Coat and DCMatt also!

 

[Chilli]

Hey guys, found this awesome sterling either brush handle or cane topper on a small permission yesterday. Slamming 38 signal on the nox800. Thanks for looking and hh!!!

Very nice!

 

[pepperj]

That's top self piece for sure, congrats on the piece.

How big is the diameter of the opening-pencil size or larger?

 

[Red-Coat]

I think the manufacturer is William B. Kerr & Co of Newark NJ. Dates stated for this marking are 1855-1892.

www.silvercollection.it

See my post (#7). It is a Kerr piece, but those trademark dates are incorrect and tell an incomplete story. Wiki has the same dates in the Kerr company history, but there is no attribution for the information. I think this dating misconception arose from the fact that the company registered a new trademark on 29th March 1892, but they also carried on using the old one (the fasces: an axe wrapped in a bundle of wooden rods) for some time after that. Also, pieces carrying the word “STERLING” in addition to the trademark won’t be as old as 1855. They’ll be post-Civil War and usually not before 1868 when America began to embrace the sterling standard.

The fasces trademark continued to be used after 1892 until Kerr’s death in 1906, and then beyond that when the business was owned by Gorham who continued to run it as a separate division until 1927, using the same name. The trademark was clearly used well into the period of Gorham ownership and perhaps all the way through to the business being fully absorbed.

Here's a 1910 invitation and a 1917 advertisement, both with the fasces trademark. Although Kerr pieces aren’t datemarked, here’s one which has a personalised inscription with an April 1914 date (I’ve edited the two marked areas together in the picture).



Kerr pieces usually need to be dated from their style/pattern (the numbers don’t help much since they’re poorly documented). Pieces with the Medusa invariably get sold as “Art Nouveau” because that’s a hot phrase but Kerr were making Baroque pieces with the ‘green man’, the Medusa, serpents, cupids and such before the art nouveau period “proper” began around 1890. This would certainly be “Belle Epoch” (post 1870) and perhaps just into the art nouveau period of the 1890s (my opinion).

 

[oldmxrat]

That is one super nice find, congrats!

 

[navigupta]

Antique piece! Congratulation.
I think this white sterling silver cosmetic brush handle is a beautiful addition to any vanity. The work on the brush gives it a high-end look. It's perfect for use with foundation, cream blush, or powder contour products.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

A very cool find - congrats !

 

[cjon455]

Awesome piece of silver. The figure of the face doesn't look happy!

aj

Thanks! Her nose is a bit smashed lol adds character

 

[cjon455]

A very cool find - congrats ! Thank you! definitely havent seen anything like it before!!

Finial? Cane topper? Interesting!

Thanks gary, im not sure, im thinking brush or mirror handle as the opening on bottom isnt very big

Very Nice!!!! Congrats!!!!

thank you!

Nice find

thanks steve

That's rather nice. The maker mark is for William B. Kerr & Co. of Newark, New Jersey. The business was founded in 1855, went through several partnerships and was bought by the Gorham Corporation in 1906 after Kerr committed suicide. They continued using the name and the mark, with the company operating as the Kerr division of Gorham until they were fully absorbed in 1927. Although there's a wider span of possible dates, I think the styling probably puts it in the 1880s or 1890s (pre-Art Nouveau).

I don't know what it's from but they made all kinds of fine jewellery, personal accessories, vanity sets and the like.

wow! thanks so much for all the info!!

very cool that will look nice in your relic case

thank you, thats the goal eventually

I'm having trouble judging the size. Pen cap size or walking stick size?

It's Medusa. Here's a Kerr sterling dress buckle:

View attachment 2051466

thank you, its definitely wider than a pen or pencil, im thinking brush handle?

That is freaking awesome!! Congrats!!

thank you, its definitely one of my favorite all time!

I think the manufacturer is William B. Kerr & Co of Newark NJ. Dates stated for this marking are 1855-1892.

www.silvercollection.it

thank you also for the info/research!!

Wow! That thing is incredible!
Great info from Red-Coat and DCMatt also!

thanks dave! you can imagine my surprise when that was looking back at me from the plug

Very nice!

thank you!!

That's top self piece for sure, congrats on the piece.

How big is the diameter of the opening-pencil size or larger?

thanks! the diameter is definitely bigger than a pencil, i mthinking brush or mirror handle

See my post (#7). It is a Kerr piece, but those trademark dates are incorrect and tell an incomplete story. Wiki has the same dates in the Kerr company history, but there is no attribution for the information. I think this dating misconception arose from the fact that the company registered a new trademark on 29th March 1892, but they also carried on using the old one (the fasces: an axe wrapped in a bundle of wooden rods) for some time after that. Also, pieces carrying the word “STERLING” in addition to the trademark won’t be as old as 1855. They’ll be post-Civil War and usually not before 1868 when America began to embrace the sterling standard.

The fasces trademark continued to be used after 1892 until Kerr’s death in 1906, and then beyond that when the business was owned by Gorham who continued to run it as a separate division until 1927, using the same name. The trademark was clearly used well into the period of Gorham ownership and perhaps all the way through to the business being fully absorbed.

Here's a 1910 invitation and a 1917 advertisement, both with the fasces trademark. Although Kerr pieces aren’t datemarked, here’s one which has a personalised inscription with an April 1914 date (I’ve edited the two marked areas together in the picture).

View attachment 2051544 View attachment 2051545 View attachment 2051546

Kerr pieces usually need to be dated from their style/pattern (the numbers don’t help much since they’re poorly documented). Pieces with the Medusa invariably get sold as “Art Nouveau” because that’s a hot phrase but Kerr were making Baroque pieces with the ‘green man’, the Medusa, serpents, cupids and such before the art nouveau period “proper” began around 1890. This would certainly be “Belle Epoch” (post 1870) and perhaps just into the art nouveau period of the 1890s (my opinion).

thank you again! man this site never fails to amaze me with all the knowledge from its members!

That is one super nice find, congrats!

thank you!!

Antique piece! Congratulation.
I think this white sterling silver cosmetic brush handle is a beautiful addition to any vanity. The work on the brush gives it a high-end look. It's perfect for use with foundation, cream blush, or powder contour products.

thanks!

A very cool find - congrats !

thank you man, i appreciate it!