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Saltcellars Prior to the early 20th century saltcellars, which are also known as open salts and salt dishes, were used to dispense salt rather than saltshakers. Salt at the time came in rock form, and was chipped to a coarse grain that was far too large for use is a shaker. This salt also caked in damp atmospheric conditions owing to impurities. These issues necessitated the use of open dishes to effectively serve salt. In the post civil war era of 19th century however, threaded glass shakers equipped an agitator to fragment the coarse and caked salt became increasingly popular. In the late 1800’s, progress was made in purifying sodium chloride and by 1914; the Morton Salt Company developed their product to be more fine-grained and resistant to dampness. With their refined product on the market the Morton Salt Company adopted the slogan when it rains, it pours, indicating their products ability to withstand damp weather. The improvements in the refining process introduced to market by the Morton Salt Company accelerated the decline of the open salt, which essentially became obsolete and disappeared form the table by the first quarter of the 20th century. The production of salt and peppershakers took off in the 1940's, with the birth of modern ceramics. It became easier to make shakers in a variety of shapes and designs. The market for souvenir shakers and novelty shakers grew with the capacity to produce such items affordably and with that development came an expansion in collecting. Collectors can specialize in a particular material, maker or subject matter and because vintage and collectable shakers are available at a variety of price points, the field is virtually open to anyone with interest. Source: http://www.architecturals.net

sarcophagus form Georgian Carved and Mother-of-Pearl-Inlaid Rosewood Double-Compartment Tea Box, first quarter 19th century, of sarcophagus form, the interior compartment divider and the covers lacking, h. 5", w. 8-1/4", d. 5".

Satsuma Vase This Japanese Satsuma pottery vase is a common example of a decorative item found in many homes. This piece may have been one of a pair. Made in the early part of the 20th century, the vase is in baluster form and has multicolored hand-painted late Art Nouveau-style decoration with moriage, or raised-slip, floral and leaf motifs. The insurance value for this vase is $450. Source: http://www.countryliving.com/antiques/appraisals/japanese-satsuma-vase-0105

Serves Sevres Porcelain traces its roots in France to early craftsmen who had small manufacturing operations in such places as Lille, Rouen. St. Cloud, and most notably Chantilly. It is from Chantilly that a cadre of workers migrated to the Chateau de Vincennes near Paris to form a larger porcelain manufactory in 1738. French King Louis XV, perhaps inspired by his rumored relationship with mistress Madame de Pompadour, took an intense interest in porcelain and moved the operation in 1756 to even larger quarters in the Paris suburb of Sevres. Sevres was also conveniently near the home of Madame de Pompadour and the King's own Palace at Versailles. From the outset the king's clear aim was to produce Sevres Porcelain that surpassed the established Saxony works of Meissen and Dresden. Though the French lacked an ample supply of kaolin, a required ingredient for hard-paste porcelain (pate dure), their soft-paste porcelain (pate tendre) was fired at a lower temperature and was thus compatible with a wider variety of colors and glazes that in many cases were also richer and more vivid. Unglazed white Sevres Porcelain "biscuit" figurines were also a great success. However, soft-paste Sevres Porcelain was more easily broken. Therefore, early pieces of Sevres Porcelain that remain intact have become rare indeed. The Sevres Porcelain manufactory always seemed to be in dire financial straits despite the incredibly fine works it produced. In fact, the king's insistence that only the finest items be created may have contributed to the difficulties. Only a limited number of European nobility could afford the extravagant prices demanded for such works. King Louis XV and eventually his heir, the ill-fated Louis XVI, were obliged to invest heavily in the enterprise. Ultimately, the Sevres Procelain Factory produced items under the name of "Royal" and thus the well-known Sevres Mark was born. King Louis XV even mandated laws that severely restricted other porcelain production in France so as to retain a near monopoly for his Sevres Porcelain. The king even willingly became chief salesman for the finest of his products, hosting an annual New Year's Day showing for French nobility in his private quarters at Versailles. He eagerly circulated among potential buyers, pitching the merits of ownership and policing the occasional light-fingered guest. Sevres Porcelain may have indeed given the makers of Meissen and Dresden a run for their money by the end of the 18th Century but for the French Revolution. By 1800, the Sevres Porcelain Works were practically out of business due to the economic devastation of the new French Republic. About the time when Napoleon Bonaparte named himself Emperor of France (1804), a new director was named for the Sevres Porcelain Manufactory. Alexandre Brongniart, highly educated in many fields, resurrected Sevres Porcelain. Soft-paste porcelain was eliminated altogether thanks to the earlier discovery of kaolin near Limoges. For four decades until his death, Brongniart presided over monumental progress for Sevres Porcelain, catering not only to Napoleon himself, but at last to include the more financially profitable mid-priced market in the emerging middle class.

shell-form foliate Pair of George II-Style Walnut Sidechairs, third quarter 19th century, each with a padded and shaped back-scrolled back above the padded seat, raised on cabriole legs headed by shell-form foliate carving and ending in paneled pad feet

Sheraton Thomas Sheraton (1751 - 22 October 1806) was a furniture designer, one of the "big three" English furniture makers of the 18th century, along with Thomas Chippendale and George Hepplewhite. Sheraton was born in Stockton-on-Tees, England. He was apprenticed to a local cabinet maker and continued working as a journeyman cabinet maker until he moved to London in 1790, aged 39. There he set up as professional consultant and teacher, teaching perspective, architecture, and cabinet design for craftsmen. It is not known how he gained either the knowledge or the reputation which enabled him to do this but he appears to have been moderately successful. Starting in 1791 he published in four volumes "The Cabinet Maker's and Upholsterer's Drawing Book". At least six hundred cabinet makers and joiners subscribed to his book and it was immediately widely influential over a large part of the country. During this period he did not have a workshop of his own and it is believed that Sheraton himself never made any of the pieces shown in his books. No pieces of furniture have ever been traced to him directly. So a piece of furniture described as being "by Sheraton" refers to the design and not to the maker of the piece. In 1803 he published "The Cabinet Dictionary", a compendium of instructions on the techniques of cabinet and chair making. Then a year before his death, in 1805 he published the first volume of "Cabinet Maker, Upholsterer and General Artist's Encyclopaedia". Sheraton's name is associated with the styles of furniture fashionable in the 1790s and early 1800s. Many of the designs are based on classical architecture, knowledge of which was an essential part of a designer's technical education. Not all of the drawings are of his own design; he acknowledges that some of them came from works in progress in the workshops of practicing cabinet makers. But he was a superb draughtsman and he set his name on the style of the era.

sideboard sideboard is an item of furniture traditionally used in the dining room for serving food, for displaying serving dishes such as silver, and for storage. It usually consists of a set of cabinets, or cupboards, and one or more drawers, all topped by a flat display surface for conveniently holding food, serving dishes, and even lighting devices. The overall height of the tops of most sideboards is approximately waist level. The earliest versions of the sideboard familiar today made their appearance in the 18th century, but they gained most of their popularity during the 19th century as households became prosperous enough to dedicate a room solely to dining. Sideboards were made in a range of decorative styles and were frequently ornamented with costly veneers and inlays. In later years, sideboards have been placed in living rooms or other areas where household items might be displayed. In traditional, formal dining rooms today, an antique sideboard is a desirable and fashionable accessory, and finely styled versions from the late-18th or early-19th centuries are the most sought after and costly today. Among its counterparts in modern furniture styles, the form is often referred to as a server. Some of the earliest production of sideboards arose in England, France, Belgium and Scotland. Later, American designs arose.[1] Characteristic materials used in historic sideboard manufacture include oak, pine and walnut.

Silver and Silver Plate Silver and silver plated wares can be easily damaged and should be handled with care. Silver wares should not be cleaned more than absolutely necessary with proprietary polishes as they remove a small amount of metal each time they are used, which can pose a problem for silver plated wares as the silver plate can be worn to the metal core. Regular dusting with a soft cloth, using a brush with very soft bristles for crevices and washing in warm soapy water fallowed by rinsing and drying with a soft towel will reduce the need to subject your silver to harsh cleaners. Silver should never be subjected to the harmful salts and detergents used in dishwasher cleaning. Keep silver and plated wares wrapped in acid-free tissue paper, dye-free cotton or linen and enclosed in airtight containers when not in use to reduce tarnishing. Caused by a variety of conditions including humidity, body oils left from handling and foods high in sulfur, tarnish is not harmful to silver however the cleaning products and rituals required to remove tarnish can be. Wear cotton gloves during general cleaning to reduce fingerprints and polish as seldom as possible. Silver containing a large proportion of copper may corrode as a consequence of a damp atmosphere or prolonged contact with salt, resulting in a green crystalline deposit. This corrosion can be removed from plated silver with methylated spirits but solid silver should be treated professionally. When polishing is absolutely necessary, impregnated cloths and silver foam or polish are the least abrasive products for tarnish removal. Use a long-term variety, as this will help reduce the need for frequent cleaning. Silver dip can be wiped on large objects with cotton wool, however it should not be used in subsequent silver cleaning projects as particles of silver collect in the jar and can result in unsightly deposits on pieces that are difficult to remove. Silver dip is ideal for cleaning plated items, as this method does not remove any of the silver plating. When cleaning silver, only use polish specifically designed for silver. Avoid metal polishes intended for copper and brass, which is particularly important when cleaning Sheffield plate or electro-plate. Rinse after cleaning in clean water and dry with a clean soft cloth towel, a dry soft brush can be used to remove any polish remaining in crevices. Never use wire wool or an abrasive cloth to remove stains as they will scratch the surface and remove plating. Worn plated wares can be re-silvered professionally but this can reduce the value. Source: http://www.architecturals.net/newsletter/2007_08_19.html

sinuous 1. Characterized by many curves or turns; winding. 2. Characterized by graceful curving movements.

Spinet Desk A spinet desk is an antique desk form which has the exterior shape of a slightly higher than usual writing table, fitted with a single drawer under the whole length of the flat top surface. The spinet desk is so named because when closed it resembles a spinet, a musical instrument of the harpsichord family. This single drawer, however, is a dummy. It is a hinged panel which is meant to be folded in, at the same time as half of the hinged top surface is folded back on to the top of the other half, revealing an inner desktop surface of normal height, with small drawers and pigeonholes in the back. In certain spinet desks the inner desktop surface can be drawn out a few inches, adding working space. Front of spinet desk, closed Side of spinet desk, partly open The image of the front of the spinet desk shows it in a closed position while the image of the side shows it in a partly open position, just before the hinged mobile part of the top is placed on the fixed part of the top. By this capacity of hiding or revealing the main working area the spinet desk could be said to be a smaller, less obtrusive cousin of the rolltop desk and the cylinder desk. Like them, and unlike the secretary desk or the fall front desk, it can be closed up without disturbing too much the paperwork and various documents and implements left on the main desktop surface.

spiral-reeded baluster form Queen Anne-Style Mahogany Tripod Table, mid-19th century, the tilting circular top raised on a spiral-reeded baluster-form standard to three cabriole legs ending in pad feet,

Staffordshire spainels Staffordshire dogs have become one of the most popular pieces of collectible ceramics in recent years. For those interested in Victoriana, nothing quite exemplifies it as these spaniels, originally created to be displayed on fireplace mantels during the Victorian Era from the 1840s through the 1890s. Source: http://georgiaantiques.com/The_Educated_Collector/articles/11-2004-THOSE_CHARMING_STAFFORDSHIRE_DOGS.htm Staffordshire pottery dogs come from the many pottery companies located in the County of Staffordshire, England, which produced them to sell to working class families to decorate their homes. While they produced dog figures from 1720 to1900, the peak of interest and, therefore, production came towards the end of the 19th century. Staffordshire spaniels are the most common and come in many sizes, shapes, and color schemes. The Staffordshire area, including Stoke-on-Trent, also known as "the Potteries," has an abundance of local clay and coal. Local folk artists used these resources to produce many charming unsophisticated figurines to sell to the working class. Aside from dogs there were depictions of other animals, royalty, famous persons, cottages, commoners, politicians, and even murderers! Made to decorate fireplace mantels, most had unfinished backs. Also called "pot dogs" or "china dogs," these were ceramic figures. Liquid clay called "slip" was poured into molds to make them. When the clay figure had dried, potters fired it to a hard "bisque" state. They then covered the bisque figure with several coats of clear glaze then fired it again, this time to a higher temperature. It was after this second firing that they hand-painted them with china paint. This paint, being translucent, had to be applied in several coats, with firings between each coat. Finally, they applied real gold in a liquid suspension, which again with firings between several coats. Staffordshire spaniels are the quintessential Victorian decoration. Of all the figures the potters created, sets of whimsical spaniels became the favorite, and came to epitomize Staffordshire ceramics.