Nancy N. Schiffer - Janet Drucker

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Jensen Silver

Sterling Silver jewelry and tableware that was sold at the Jensen store in New York City included designs by American craftsmen, especially William De Matteo and Alphonse La Paglia, in the late 1940s. This is the story of these two silversmiths work and its impact on fancy goods of the mid-20th century period. Silver tea sets, candelabra, centerpieces, bowls, serving spoons, and women’s jewelry sets were made in original designs that incorporated Danish styles for which the store was famous. Today, these are vintage items that are valuable and highly popular among collectors of fine traditional style decorative arts. Many identifying marks, catalog pages, and original advertisements are presented and discussed. Through newly found documentation, original working drawings, and careful analysis, these vintage silver items finally can be identified and appreciated for their specialty status among the finest luxury goods worldwide.