As he says in the catalogue introduction, this is hardly a comprehensive list of his stock but, with upwards of 100 full colour illustrations and detailed accompanying text it does provide a very interesting shop window through the post.
A piece that caught my eye on Marks’ stand at Grosvenor House – and one of the catalogue entries – was a Martelé dragon pitcher, made by The Gorham Manufacturing Co. of Providence, Rhode Island in 1900 and now carrying an asking price of around £40,000.
It stands 101/4in (26cm) high, was chased by George W. Sauhaf and is from the Martelé range of hand-wrought silver (martelé is the French for hammered) introduced in 1897.
Marks made sales in the opening hours of the Grosvenor House preview when significant business was done by, among others, Mallett, Offer Waterman and Norman Adams, who sold the mid-18th century Irish carved mahogany wine waiter they illustrated in the fair catalogue to an English buyer minutes after the doors opened.
Keeping up to the Marks wherever there’s trade to be done
MAYFAIR dealers in fine silver Marks have extensive showrooms at 49 Curzon Street, London W1 but you are just as likely to encounter Anthony Marks, who is head of the family firm, at swish fairs in Palm Beach, New York and, of course, London. Last week I caught up with him on preview day at Grosvenor House, where he made his debut last year, and he presented me with his latest catalogue, a glossy hardback selection of some of his current stock.
