Photo Credit: ricou251
Set of 12 Antique French Liquor Cups in 1st Quality Silver
Buy It Now Price: $215 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)
Pros:
-This exquisite set of one dozen antique French liquor cups from the early 20th century have gilt interiors and are fashioned from solid, .950 fine silver.
-Each silver shot glass measures 1.5 inches (4 cm) tall by 1.2 inches (3.3 cm) wide. The lot of 12 cordials weighs in at a substantial 239 grams (7.68 troy ounces) in aggregate.
-These silver cordials are in the Louis XVI style, even though they date from the early 20th century. The Louis XVI style was originally popular during the reign of the last French Monarch, from circa 1770 to 1789. It later enjoyed a revival in France from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.
-This set of liquor cups bears two period-correct hallmarks: Minerva with a "1" underneath her chin, indicating French 1st quality silver of .950 purity (which is higher than sterling), and the maker's mark in a lozenge.
-Louis XVI style revolted against the excesses of earlier Baroque ornamentation and was characterized by simple embellishment and clean, straight lines. Louis XVI decoration often consisted of elegantly rendered ribbons, garland and fluting, which foreshadowed the later Neo-Classical style.
-This set of antique French liquor cups was made by the silversmith Charles Barrier, who operated out of his Paris workshop located at 7 Rue Réaumur between 1905 and 1923.
-These antique French liquor cups, with their simple form and restrained scrollwork, are perfect examples of the Louis XVI style. As an added bonus, they are in excellent condition, with only a couple small dings present. Normal wear of this type is to be expected on silver hollowware that is fully a century old.
-Old French silver is rather undervalued in today's antique market. This is puzzling in light of the fact that classic French artistry is world renowned and their workmanship is universally superb.
-With spot silver currently trading for $15.31 a troy ounce, these antique French liquor cups contain nearly $112 in melt value. Yet you can buy the set for just $215 - less than double their scrap value! Seriously, you are paying less than $18 for each cordial, which is an embarrassingly low price. We truly live in a golden age for antique enthusiasts and investors.
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Cons:
-In my opinion, the only possible con is the relatively high shipping charges ($19 to the U.S.) because the items are coming overseas, direct from France. But this is really a minor quibble for such a fine set of antique French liquor cups.
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