Round Antique French Silver Bowl / Lid

"You have to know which silver cleaner to use," Patricia explains. "I love Hagerty Silver Bath — they make two types, one for personal use and one for professional use. You dip the piece in. It's the only one to use. For big pieces, I put it in a pot. I'm the silver queen." From the Paris apartment of Patricia and Walter Wells, this silver-plated piece is a collectible in the truest sense. Most likely the lid of a jar or serving vessel, it has long since been separated from its original partner and now works beautifully as a small bowl or vide-poche. The form is rounded and generous, a smooth dome that catches light across its polished surface. A delicate embossed border runs around the circumference. On a dressing table it holds rings and earrings with understated elegance; on an entry table or beside a reading chair, it gathers keys, coins, a folded note.