EXTRAORDINARY SAN FRANCISCO CA SILVER PRESENTATION GROUP PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT OF U.S. SANITARY COMMISSION HENRY W. BELLOWS.

Revised: 3/14/2010

Note: One client called to ask for precise condition of this service, in regards to damage or alterations. 1) Two of the goblets have very slight dents. One appears in the shield of one goblet, the other dent appears on the reverse of the goblet in the back. Both of these are very soft dents, not sharp and deep. We have photographed them and put them online. Please click on the photo. 2) We have lined all of the vessels up, goblets, etc., to make certain they stand straight and are not bent. They are not bent, and everything shows extraordinary little wear on the bottom and we suspect there was either very little use, or no use at all. 3) The height of the goblets vary a tiny bit, the most dramatic difference from the smallest to the largest is approx. ¼- inch. We have very carefully examined the shortest of all, and the mid-rib ornamentation on stem is not as detailed as the others. We are not certain if the stem had been repaired at one time at the rib, or if this is just an aberration in the making. 4) I believe we have already indicated this in the catalog, but if we have not, all 12 goblets carry the word “sterling” and nothing else. The basket is stamped twice with the same marks that include “Geo. C. Shreve & Co. S.F. Cal.” and also carries the hallmark of Vanderslice. This information is stamped on two different ends of the oval base on the bowl, there is no designation as to whether this is coin silver or sterling silver. The tray however, is stamped “Geo. C. Shreve & Co. S.F. Cal.” and also carries the hallmark of Vanderslice, and pure coin and is doubly stuck on each end. Both the wine ewer and the silver pitcher carry the mark “Geo. C. Shreve & Co. S.F. Cal.” and also carries the hallmark of Vanderslice, and pure coin. 5) The basket has a little tarnish on the inside but for the most part, the entire set has a high-luster silver relief. We assume, but do no know, that this may have been polished and then lacquered so as to hold the shine. 6) As indicated in our description the service was in the National Red Cross Museum and a copy of the archival card with history will accompany this lot. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.

EXTRAORDINARY SAN FRANCISCO CA SILVER PRESENTATION GROUP PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT OF U.S. SANITARY COMMISSION HENRY W. BELLOWS. This extraordinary cased presentation set consisting of a spectacular massive tray weighing 10.6 pounds with large script presentation “To Henry Whitney Bellows, President of the U.S. Sanitary Commission from his Friends in San Francisco, a Tribute of Honor and Gratitude to his service to the sick and wounded soldiers of the National Army, June 1863.” This presentation is surrounded by 4 highly detailed and extraordinary vignettes depicting very popular and historic scenic California scenes including Mt. Shasta, Yosemite Falls, a View of Ft. Point and the Golden Gate, and a Stand of Giant Sequoias. The rest of the surface of the tray is highly scrolled with elaborate decoration and the border of the tray ornamented with a relief bead-like design. Also included is a large handled pitcher engraved with a basket weave design around the body and various bands of ornamentation on the base and top. The frontice of the pitcher with a shield into which the letter “B” is engraved. The base of a pitcher with a bead design similar to the tray. Also a huge oval pierced centerpiece bowl having a scalloped pierce cut rolled edge, the top portion of the gold with pierced 4-leaf clover style designs, all the surface also engraved with intricate basket weave design. The lower body of the bowl being repousséd with melon ridge sides and sprigs of flowers and French style fleur-de-lis. The frontice of the bowl also engraved with a “B”. The base of the bowl with a bead design similar to the tray. There are 2 stoppered handled claret jugs or wine ewers each with an ornamental repousséd grape design, the pitchers themselves with alternating bands of decoration, the central body again with a delicate basket weave type decoration, the very base with a similar ring of bead type decoration as the other types of pieces. The frontice of each also ornamented with shield inside of which is engraved the letter “B”. In addition is a set of 12 matching heavy goblets again with alternating borders, the central body is a wide band of delicate basket weave design, the frontice of each goblet engraved with a shield inside of which is engraved the letter “B”, and the base of the goblets with a bead design similar to the tray. During the Civil War the Sanitary Fair was created in an attempt to generate monies to begin the construction of hospitals and to provide for the care of wounded soldiers. Bellows was a renowned Unitarian minister who together with Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell worked to establish the woman’s central organization of relief. Bellows himself approached President Abraham Lincoln in an attempt to lobby him in his assistance in accepting this important aid. As a result the U.S. Government eventually chartered the United States Sanitary Commission to deal with medical supplies and support medical and health related matters as pertaining to wounded veterans. Bellows was a very instrumental figure in this whole matter, and the resulting Sanitary Commission, headed by Bellows, managed to attract thousands upon thousands of volunteers all over this country. Years later, this organization served as the impetus for the eventual founding of the American Red Cross. Another Unitarian Minister by the name of Thomas Star King was instrumental in California and particularly San Francisco and worked hard to convince California to stay in the Union. He was essentially responsible for the far West branch of the U.S. Sanitary Commission and his efforts resulted in extraordinary support amounting to an excess of $1.5 million. This truly extraordinary service was made by one of San Francisco’s foremost silversmiths, Mr. William Keyser Vanderslice. Vanderslice originally worked in Philadelphia prior to 1858 and eventually moved to California. Vanderslice was an extraordinary craftsman and established a tremendous name for himself among the wealthy elite of San Francisco. Early in his career in San Francisco, he sold many of his wares through the George C. Shreve Company, which later became Shreve & Company. The tray, 2 wine or claret jugs and pitcher are all marked “Coin” on the underside. The goblets are all marked “Sterling” on the underside and the magnificent basket is Solid Silver but unmarked as to purity. All pieces except the goblets carry the mark of George C. Shreve Jewelry Company as well as the Hallmark of Vanderslice. The entire set is fitted in a huge mahogany period presentation case. SIZE: The extraordinary Silver Tray is 28 x 21.2 inches, the pitcher stands approx. 11 inches high, each of the claret jugs are approx. 13 inches high, each goblet is approx 7.25 inches, the basket is approx. 16.5 inches wide. The tray alone ways 10.6 pounds, the entire set including the tray weighs an incredible 31.25 pounds. PROVENANCE: This entire service was at one time in the collection of the American Red Cross and each piece on the underside still retains a special museum curatorial number identifying it. A museum accession form from the American Red Cross affirming this set as having been in their collection accompanies this lot. CONDITION: Generally excellent. Two of the sterling goblets have minor dents, the case shows wear and handling on the exterior and the fitted interior is worn and loose. The service in general is in spectacular condition. 8-76262 (20,000-35,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2372	$46,000.00	Revised: 3/14/2010 Note: One client called to ask for precise condition of this service, in regards to damage or alterations. 1) Two of the goblets have very slight dents. One appears in the shield of one goblet, the other dent appears on the reverse of the goblet in the back. Both of these are very soft dents, not sharp and deep. We have photographed them and put them online. Please click on the photo. 2) We have lined all of the vessels up, goblets, etc., to make certain they stand straight and are not bent. They are not bent, and everything shows extraordinary little wear on the bottom and we suspect there was either very little use, or no use at all. 3) The height of the goblets vary a tiny bit, the most dramatic difference from the smallest to the largest is approx. ¼- inch. We have very carefully examined the shortest of all, and the mid-rib ornamentation on stem is not as detailed as the others. We are not certain if the stem had been repaired at one time at the rib, or if this is just an aberration in the making. 4) I believe we have already indicated this in the catalog, but if we have not, all 12 goblets carry the word “sterling” and nothing else. The basket is stamped twice with the same marks that include “Geo. C. Shreve & Co. S.F. Cal.” and also carries the hallmark of Vanderslice. This information is stamped on two different ends of the oval base on the bowl, there is no designation as to whether this is coin silver or sterling silver. The tray however, is stamped “Geo. C. Shreve & Co. S.F. Cal.” and also carries the hallmark of Vanderslice, and pure coin and is doubly stuck on each end. Both the wine ewer and the silver pitcher carry the mark “Geo. C. Shreve & Co. S.F. Cal.” and also carries the hallmark of Vanderslice, and pure coin. 5) The basket has a little tarnish on the inside but for the most part, the entire set has a high-luster silver relief. We assume, but do no know, that this may have been polished and then lacquered so as to hold the shine. 6) As indicated in our description the service was in the National Red Cross Museum and a copy of the archival card with history will accompany this lot. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. EXTRAORDINARY SAN FRANCISCO CA SILVER PRESENTATION GROUP PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT OF U.S. SANITARY COMMISSION HENRY W. BELLOWS. This extraordinary cased presentation set consisting of a spectacular massive tray weighing 10.6 pounds with large script presentation “To Henry Whitney Bellows, President of the U.S. Sanitary Commission from his Friends in San Francisco, a Tribute of Honor and Gratitude to his service to the sick and wounded soldiers of the National Army, June 1863.” This presentation is surrounded by 4 highly detailed and extraordinary vignettes depicting very popular and historic scenic California scenes including Mt. Shasta, Yosemite Falls, a View of Ft. Point and the Golden Gate, and a Stand of Giant Sequoias. The rest of the surface of the tray is highly scrolled with elaborate decoration and the border of the tray ornamented with a relief bead-like design. Also included is a large handled pitcher engraved with a basket weave design around the body and various bands of ornamentation on the base and top. The frontice of the pitcher with a shield into which the letter “B” is engraved. The base of a pitcher with a bead design similar to the tray. Also a huge oval pierced centerpiece bowl having a scalloped pierce cut rolled edge, the top portion of the gold with pierced 4-leaf clover style designs, all the surface also engraved with intricate basket weave design. The lower body of the bowl being repousséd with melon ridge sides and sprigs of flowers and French style fleur-de-lis. The frontice of the bowl also engraved with a “B”. The base of the bowl with a bead design similar to the tray. There are 2 stoppered handled claret jugs or wine ewers each with an ornamental repousséd grape design, the pitchers themselves with alternating bands of decoration, the central body again with a delicate basket weave type decoration, the very base with a similar ring of bead type decoration as the other types of pieces. The frontice of each also ornamented with shield inside of which is engraved the letter “B”. In addition is a set of 12 matching heavy goblets again with alternating borders, the central body is a wide band of delicate basket weave design, the frontice of each goblet engraved with a shield inside of which is engraved the letter “B”, and the base of the goblets with a bead design similar to the tray. During the Civil War the Sanitary Fair was created in an attempt to generate monies to begin the construction of hospitals and to provide for the care of wounded soldiers. Bellows was a renowned Unitarian minister who together with Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell worked to establish the woman’s central organization of relief. Bellows himself approached President Abraham Lincoln in an attempt to lobby him in his assistance in accepting this important aid. As a result the U.S. Government eventually chartered the United States Sanitary Commission to deal with medical supplies and support medical and health related matters as pertaining to wounded veterans. Bellows was a very instrumental figure in this whole matter, and the resulting Sanitary Commission, headed by Bellows, managed to attract thousands upon thousands of volunteers all over this country. Years later, this organization served as the impetus for the eventual founding of the American Red Cross. Another Unitarian Minister by the name of Thomas Star King was instrumental in California and particularly San Francisco and worked hard to convince California to stay in the Union. He was essentially responsible for the far West branch of the U.S. Sanitary Commission and his efforts resulted in extraordinary support amounting to an excess of $1.5 million. This truly extraordinary service was made by one of San Francisco’s foremost silversmiths, Mr. William Keyser Vanderslice. Vanderslice originally worked in Philadelphia prior to 1858 and eventually moved to California. Vanderslice was an extraordinary craftsman and established a tremendous name for himself among the wealthy elite of San Francisco. Early in his career in San Francisco, he sold many of his wares through the George C. Shreve Company, which later became Shreve & Company. The tray, 2 wine or claret jugs and pitcher are all marked “Coin” on the underside. The goblets are all marked “Sterling” on the underside and the magnificent basket is Solid Silver but unmarked as to purity. All pieces except the goblets carry the mark of George C. Shreve Jewelry Company as well as the Hallmark of Vanderslice. The entire set is fitted in a huge mahogany period presentation case. SIZE: The extraordinary Silver Tray is 28 x 21.2 inches, the pitcher stands approx. 11 inches high, each of the claret jugs are approx. 13 inches high, each goblet is approx 7.25 inches, the basket is approx. 16.5 inches wide. The tray alone ways 10.6 pounds, the entire set including the tray weighs an incredible 31.25 pounds. PROVENANCE: This entire service was at one time in the collection of the American Red Cross and each piece on the underside still retains a special museum curatorial number identifying it. A museum accession form from the American Red Cross affirming this set as having been in their collection accompanies this lot. CONDITION: Generally excellent. Two of the sterling goblets have minor dents, the case shows wear and handling on the exterior and the fitted interior is worn and loose. The service in general is in spectacular condition. 8-76262 (20,000-35,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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