On Sep 21, 9:44 am, Mark Thorson > wrote:


> Do you think that shell dish is not original to the piece?
> If so, it'll be easier to resist. The other thing that
> makes it easier was realizing just how tiny this thing is.
> It looks big in the pictures, but the dimensions are given
> in the description.

Mark,

Since you asked, a couple of things had me wondering about this
item...

#1 There are a number of examples of the Asprey toast rack with the
warming unit you can find with a quick google search, but nary a one
with this glass insert.

#2 The ebay pics show two numbers, the registration and another
which is probably Asprey's item number. In my google search I ran
across photos of the rack w/warming unit that had exactly the same
numbers marked on it as the ebay item - unusual since they are clearly
different versions. The "warmer" version has an open ring that holds
the spirit lamp and the ebay item has an attached metal cup that the
glass dish sits in. Generally a difference that significant would
rate a different set of numbers. (That said, it could be an earlier or
later version of the same basic design)

#3 The ebay pics showing the marks give you a view of the underside
of the metal cup. It may just be the photo, but the silver plate
there looks rough for an Asprey piece. It may be because it's
"pounded," but that would be an odd element for a part that would be
covered by a glass insert and generally not seen.

#4 Since you've been wandering around ebay for a while, I'm sure you
realize there's frequently an element of creative thinking in the
seller's descriptions. Over the years I often found pieces that had
lost original parts and had functional, but incorrect, elements
added. That glass insert could be original, but it also could be an
individual nut dish or some other bit that just happened to be the
right size to pop in there. The seller may not even be aware if it is
a replacement.

#5 Have never seen a small toast rack which incorporated a butter
dish - probably because it would be somewhat awkward to dig in there
for the butter while there were still pieces of toast racked up on
top. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but it would be unusual.

The good news is that if it is indeed a marriage, dedicated Asprey
collectors aren't going to pay top dollar for it. It's charming and
very usable - but I wouldn't gamble any more than your $137.99 on it.
It's a very simple plated piece, not sterling, and realistically
speaking, I'd have been hard pressed to get more than that for it in
my shop. English collectors go nuts over Asprey, but I never found
the same level of interest in the San Francisco area.

Nancy T