Grosjean & Woodward Antique Sterling Silver Cake Basket, Retailed by Tiffany & Co., 1854-65

This lovely cake basket features unusual decoration of raised undulating matted lines, which are punctuated by renaissance style strapwork cartouches. This same motif is repeated on the swing handle. The pedestal foot is decorated with complementary strapwork details. A rope border is applied around the edge of the basket and foot. We have had similar decoration on tea services, but we have never seen it on a basket before.

Grosjean and Woodward started in Boston as Woodward and Grosjean and are listed as working there from 1847-1850. They made exceptional silver, moving to New York in 1850 to become one of Tiffany's early major suppliers of holloware, and this mark dates the basket to 1854-65.

This stunning basket is marked underneath twice 'G&W.' It is also stamped 'TIFFANY & CO/ 5627/ ENGLISH STERLING/ 925-1000/ 22/ 550 BROADWAY N.Y.'. It measures 12.25 inches long by 9.75 inches deep by 10.25 inches high to the top of the handle when raised. It weighs 32.75 troy ounces, has never been engraved, and is in excellent condition.