Ball, Black & Co., John R. Wendt

American Egyptian Revival sterling silver compote, probably made by John R. Wendt, New York and retailed by Ball, Black & Co.

• Round and curved bowl with engraved monogram.
• Tapering columnar shaft.
• Large ball knop mounted to raised and round tripod foot.
• Three scrolled brackets with cast pharaoh mask terminals.
• Beading and stylized bead-and-reel borders.
• John R. Wendt was located in the same building as Ball, Black & Co. and their principal supplier of silver.
• Marked with retailer's stamp and English Sterling.
• Until the mid-19th century, American silver was coin standard (90% silver), but in the 1860s, American makers adopted the English sterling standard.