Description:

Pair of Kalo Hand-Wrought Sterling Silver Beakers, 1912-1916, marked "STERLING/HAND WROUGHT/AT/ THE KALO SHOP/CHICAGO/AND/NEW YORK/91/E", each with flared lip, hammered surface and applied monogram "B", h. 3 5/8 in., dia. 3 ¼ in., combined wt. 11.85 troy ozs.; together with a Kalo sterling martini spoon, early 20th c., marked "STERLING/KALO/H/201", heart-shaped bowl, elongated tapering handle with applied monogram "B", hammered surface, l. 13 11/16 in., wt. 3 troy ozs. Provenance: Treadway Toomey, Oak Park, IL, Mar. 8, 2014, lot 315. Note: The Kalo Shop of Chicago, known for its high and exacting standards, was founded by Clara Barck Welles in 1900. Welles was inspired by the philosophy of the arts and crafts movement and the ideals of the women’s suffrage movement. The Kalo name was derived from the Greek word for beauty. The firm’s motto was “Beautiful, Useful and Enduring”. In the early days the designers employed were almost exclusively women. In 1908 the first professionally trained silversmith, Julius Olaf Randahl, was hired. As production increased and the firm’s reputation grew, more silversmiths trained in Scandinavia and in East Coast firms were added. From 1912 to 1916 the Kalo Shop maintained a branch on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The prosperity of the Kalo Shop allowed Welles to devote more time to the suffrage movement. She retired in 1939, but maintained some involvement with the business. In 1959 she gave the Kalo Shop to the last four silversmiths working for the firm. They ran it until 1970 when the enterprise was closed. Ref. Darling, Sharon S. Chicago Silversmiths, pp.45-54; Steven Pakiz, “Beautiful, Useful and Enduring,” The Magazine Antiques, May/June 2023, pp. 128-139.

  • Condition: If Condition is NOT stated in the description of the lot, the absence of a condition report does not indicate the lot is free of damage or condition issues. Available Condition Reports will appear as an additional image. Condition Reports and photographs may be requested on items until the Tuesday prior to the auction. Bid accordingly. All sales are final, no returns are accepted on the basis of condition.

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December 7, 2023 1:00 PM CST
New Orleans, LA, US

Neal Auction Company

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $49 $5
$50 $99 $10
$100 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $99,999 $1,000
$100,000 $199,999 $2,000
$200,000 + $5,000