Exquisite Bride's Basket This Week's Find of the Week

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Video Translation: Hi this is Jennifer with City Farmhouse Antiques and I am here with this week's Find of the Week. As you know I brought back a small collection of antique bride's baskets from my last antiquing trip. This basket is by far the most incredible out of all of them. As you can see this is a figural silver antique bride's basket. It is not marked at the base, but it is absolutely exquisite. The silver work and craftsmanship of this piece is phenomenal. As you can see there are three elk heads or stag heads at the base. I am going to try to get in here closer so you can see all the detail. No detail was spared on this piece. You can see that the maker finely etched the base, there you can see the scrolled feet. When you go up on this piece you can see the fine beading down each edge of the pedestals that hold this up. You can see the fine detail in each of the leaves. There is another piece of silver that drops down with a finial ball at the end of it. Near the top this piece is also etched around the rim where the art glass bowl in a diamond optic pattern rests in a fluorescent green yellow color with a ruffled rim. When you look at the glass from the top you can really see the diamond optic quilted pattern. When you turn the bowl over you can see that it is definitely a hand blown piece. The pontil has not been polished on this piece. That rough little area is actually where the ball of molten glass would have come off of the punt or the stick that was put into the kiln. It just fits back on just like so and rests there. What an exceptional, one of a kind piece. These antique bride's baskets are quite collectible today and were once used at weddings to hold flower petals, or as a decorative piece at the main table where the bride and groom would sit. They are very collectible because they are so colorful and ornate.  Some of the history behind silver antique pieces that you find can be so fascinating because many people traveled from east to west across the United States in search of gold. Because many of them never made it to California they settled in other states out west where silver mining was popular. Some of these unique pieces have been carried down through generations within families and you can see the incredible work of the artisans that did ornate silver work back during that time. This is definitely one of those, one of a kind, heirloom quality pieces that could be handed down for generations and what a great gift for someone that collects antique bride's baskets or antique silver. It is such a unique piece and one of my favorite finds. So be sure and check us out at www.cityfarmhouseantiques.com where we have more than just antiques and give us a like on Facebook.