figural napkin rings and toothpick holders FOR SALE sold swap or buy/bought auction collection collectors dealers sell shop browse learn buy

Antique American and Australian
Figural Napkin Rings & Figural Toothpick Holders
c1860-1899
This is my personal collection of figural napkin rings.
The categories are listed below.
In each folder you will find a photo of the item with a brief desription.
I am interested in buying, selling, or swapping examples with people.

If you see something you like, make me an offer, as I am not a round forever.
All offers and prices by private exchange.
All prices are USD.
HITS since 24 March 2024

Shipping $20 to USA per item, $10 to Australia (more for larger items)
shipping discounts apply
all transaction will be done securely through Paypal.
Paypal also handles any credit card transactions.
Click here to contact me by email.

if link does not work, my email address is: ubuy@iinet.net.au

Figural napkin rings and figural toothpick holders were popular mainly in the USA and in other places of the world during the period 1860-1910.

Napkin Rings were a necessary item for every person to have to identify their cloth napkin, which would only be washed once a week. Paper napkins had not been invented then.

Toothpick holders were a necessary item on tables to hold toothpicks, which were at the time were what a toothbrush is now.

Everyone had a napkin ring, not all figural, but figural napkin rings are one of the most collectable items as most of them were marked as to maker and number according to the pattern/patent/production design. And just when you think you have them all, there are lots of others. Figural napkin rings were generaly made of Britannia metal and silverplated 4 times. Figural toothpick holders are rarer than figural napkin rings as less were made or required.

Most of the figurals I have, were found in Australia. I imagine a lot came over during the Gold Rush period in Australia during the 1880/1890s. Some were even sold in Australia, in Melbourne or Sydney, that were not released in the USA or Canada.

I research items carefully before buying and pricing them. My prices are set in accord with past sales, condition, and rarity. There is a fair amount of data on the web to price most items, although some have never appeared for sale before.

There are also numerous books/references which detail them photographically with their estimated value. Some of the figural napkin rings are worth $50, while others are worths thousands of dollars. Many figural napkin rings have sold for over $3000/4000 USD at public auctions in the USA.

I often use the book "Figural Napkin Rings: Collectors Identification and Value Guide" by Lilian Gottschalk and Sandra Whitson (1996) as a reference, denoted G&W in my descriptions.

Figural napkin rings are arguably the most collectable item. They are works of art c1880. They are in most classified and identifiable. They are of high value. They can be easily transported/posted when sold. They do not take up much space. There are some that you will never acquire, so it is a bottomless pit as a collectable. And finally they are beautiful.

Click here to contact me by email.

Here are the categories I have created (click on photographic link below to see each category)

Figural Napkin Rings