Featured George III-era Vinaigrette. (1807)

I wanted to go to my local auction-house this week. Buuuut...I couldn't...because someone dropped a 200-year-old barometer and now there's mercury all over the floor and according to a friend of mine, everyone went into a complete meltdown over it.

Anyhoo, since I was out on the town anyway, I shuffled off into one of the lesser-visited antique shops that I frequent, and purchased the item at the top of this posting. I bought a few other things at the same shop and once I balanced out the figures (by dividing the payment by the items bought), I ended up paying about $190 for this charming little piece of antique silver!

Ain't it just the most adorable thing you ever seen?

 

Yes, it is adorable! Congratulations!

 

Sorry about the damage to 200 yr old barometer. When I think of how, as kids we would deliberately break thermometers to play with the mercury ball! Still standing at 80 yrs. old with no (apparent) brain impairment.

 

My friend said that everyone was freaking out for nothing, but in this age of um...concentrated stupidity...that we are privileged to live in...I think...the auction-house wasn't taking any chances with anything.

 

Lovely little thing ! We played with mercury too,my dad had a little bottle full,who knows why.

 

All they needed to do is roll the little balls together into one or several big ball(s), and scoop the mercury up.

 

Very nice, Shangas! And even better that it's complete.

I have one, passed down in the family, that's marked from 1809. Unfortunately missing the screen. It's screen was a lift out variety - not attached by hinge - which may have contributed to the screen's loss.

 

Hi,
I had a friend who bought a loft in SOHO in Manhattan. After she lived there for 6 years her ceiling came crashing down. Seems like there was over 75 pounds of mercury between the ceiling joists that finally gathered together and CRASH. It seems like the building was used at the turn of the century to make thermometers and barometers. Everyone had to move out while all the floors and ceiling were replaced. The cost was so much that she will never be able to sell so she just walked away as did 20 other people. I have a half pound or so bottle around here somewhere.
greg

 

as a kid I cracked an oral thermometer...( it fell on the tile floor..) ......gathered up the liquid silver stuff....put it in a bottle...played with it...............
didn't everyone ?

 

Now I've got mercury all over the thread! Maybe I should've kept my mouth shut and just talked about the vinaigrette! LOL.

 

I did the same thing with the thermometer, dropping it on the floor. But I tossed it all out.

 

@Shangas!!! It's a lovely little vinaigrette.....now, polish it up, make it nice and beautiful and show us again!!!! I love shiny but HATE to polish!!!! Which is why ALL of Mom's SS Tea services went when we sold the Cape house!!!!!!!!!!! Happy, happy happy!!!!!

 

...that IS polished! Are you saying you don't like my cleaning efforts!?

*Bursts into tears*

If you think that's bad you should've seen it when I bought it! It was the colour of pewter!

 

OK, so sorry, slap me down and cut off me other leg......................
and your silver is ALWAYS pristine......just wasn't seeing clearly with the dam* patch over me eye......

 

I have just found my new favorite saying...CONCENTRATED STUPIDITY...It sums up a lot of things.I will use it (hope you don't mind) in some of my twitter rants.

 

Oh please!

It comes in three strengths:

Dense.
Concentrated.
Extra-Thick.