Dear Helaine and Joe: I would like to know about a five-piece lady's dresser set. The mark on the set looks like a rolling pin with a tack or nail. Also on the lip of one jar is inscribed "Mermod and Jaccard Jewelry Company." What is the history and value?
Thank you, —K.F., Haworth, N.J.
Dear K.F.: This is another time when photography can be a little bit confusing. We believe that this set consists of a hand mirror, a brush and three jars — two with sterling-silver tops on cut glass vessels, and one that is solid sterling silver.
The smaller cut glass jar appears to be a rouge pot while the taller one appears to be a toothbrush holder. The solid silver piece is a powder jar. When we say the glass jars are "cut glass," we are referring to a simple panel cut and not a prismatic cut with facets like those found on examples of American Brilliant Period cut glass.
The design on these pieces is really a little hard to see, but on very close examination it turns out to be a nude Art Nouveau-style woman with long, sensuously flowing hair that is adorned here and there with flowers.
The woman's head is seen in profile with a rather serene — almost smug — look on her face, and her hair frames all the pieces, but on the brush and mirror it runs the whole length of the objects and terminates at the ends of the handles. This type of Art Nouveau design is a much-desired theme for dresser sets and is often associated with well-known firms such as Unger Brothers.
The mystery of who made this revolves around the mark, which K.F. describes as a "rolling pin with a tack or nail."
This, however, is really a representation of a Roman Fasces, which was a bundle of rods with an ax in the center that was carried in front of magistrates as a symbol of authority. This mark was used by Wm. B. Kerr & Co. of Newark, N.J., which was founded in 1855.
Primarily, this company made items from silver and gold including flatware, other tableware, jewelry and dresser sets. In 1906, it was purchased by the Gorham Corp., and in 1927, the company moved to Providence, R.I.
The "Mermod, Jaccard" mark is that of a company that was founded in St. Louis in 1829 by Louis Jacquard. He was joined by A.S. Mermod in 1845 and Goodman King in 1865, and the company became Mermod, Jaccard & King Jewelry Co.
Our research is unclear as to whether this latter company actually manufactured silver and jewelry, but we suspect that it did. However, we also believe that the set in today's question was manufactured by one company and that this was probably Wm. B. Kerr. The name Mermod, Jaccard Jewelry Co. that appears on one of the lids may be there because this company ordered the set to be made and was the ultimate retailer.
This particular set is circa 1895 and the value is dependant on the wonderful depiction of the highly collectible Art Nouveau nudes. With these stylish images, K.F. should insure this set in the neighborhood of $1,000 to $1,200.
Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson are the authors of the "Price It Yourself" (HarperResource, $19.95). Questions can by mailed to them at P.O. Box 12208, Knoxville, TN 37912-0208.