The Emlen Salver

The Emlen Salver was made ca. 1775 by Philadelphia silversmith Richard Humphreys. It's engraved with the monogram "GE" for George Emlen IV (1741-1812).

The salver was sold at auction by Sotheby's in January 1997, and was featured on the front cover of their auction catalog (see image at left). The pre-auction estimate was $200,000 to $300,000, and it sold for $250,000. It was sold again via Sotheby's/eBay in January 2003. (I don't remember the selling price that time, but I believe it was quite a bit less than $250K.)

George Emlen IV also purchased the following items from Humphreys, which are currently in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art: a tankard, three sauce boats, a pair of canns, a 7.25" waiter, a pair of casters and a pair of salts, all engraved with a monogram or initials. A coffee pot with the "GE" monogram also exists.

Pages from the Sotheby's catalog: