European Furniture & Decorative Arts

In 1878, Edward C. Moore, design director and head of the silver workshops at Tiffany & Co., created a champlevé enamel after-dinner service. Champlevé is the technique of removing silver from an item’s surface to create a space for enamel. Moore’s Saracenic designs, which used shaded and matte-finished enamels, were launched at the Paris Exposition of 1889. Later, Tiffany’s champlevé enamel silverware was exhibited at the 1893 Columbian Exposition. One of the leading lots in the upcoming auction, presented by Skinner, is an after-dinner coffeepot shown in the latter exposition. The coffeepot combines acid-etched silver, hardstone accents, and enamel in a cohesive Art Nouveau form.

Known as the “Oak Man of Greenwich Village,” antique collector George Way began his quest to assemble a 17th-century chair collection at the age of 16. Later, he broadened his collection to include artwork and decorative objects from the same period. The auction offers over 200 items from his collection, including paintings, furniture, decorative art, and other household goods. Highlighted among them is an oak tester bed. The headboard of this intricately carved piece shows the arms of Edward VI and both male and female caryatids. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.