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Antique Edwardian Gilt Silver Lavalier w/ Pearl Drops
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Silver:
Edwardian:
Pre 1910 item# 865566
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$135
(Free US Priority Shipping
& Gift-Wrap if Desired)
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Dainty lavalier pendants with one or more dangling drops, usually baroque pearls, are quintessentially Edwardian. Those with two drops that fall to different lengths are also called négligée pendants (a reference to the raffishly asymmetrical look, not to nightwear).
This is a particularly lovely and unusual example, being formed as a butterly and richly enameled. Enameled butterfly brooches were popular from Victorian times, but the motif isn't often seen on a necklace. Also remarkable is the fine condition of its enamelwork and gilding. It can't have been worn much and was stored with care.
Five vivid colors appear in the cloisonné enamelwork -- cobalt blue, violet, red, burgundy and green -- making this an accessory you can wear with almost anything. Since each shade requires separate firing, a great deal of work went into its creation. The gilded metal is hallmarked "silver" (rather than the later 925) and the pearls are real -- gritty when run against the front teeth, not smooth like glass or plastic. That they're suspended from fancy-link chains also signifies quality and age. No doubt there originally was a neck chain to match, but those tend to break or get lost over time. We include a contemporary vermeil chain. A bright ribbon would be another pretty option. Size is 3/4" wide and 1 3/4" long and provenance is a California estate.
Please e-mail erinharris@comcast.net to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Victorian Enameled Gilt Silver Filigree Butterfly Pin
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Silver:
Victorian:
Pre 1900 item# 865540
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$98
(Free U.S Shipping
& Gift-Wrap if Desired)
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Whether we're longing for spring or welcoming it, a colorful butterfly brooch suits the mood. Here's an especially charming antique one, fashioned of hallmarked 800 silver with panels of exquisite plique a jour enamelwork. That's the transparent kind, which lets light gleam through like stained glass. You can even glimpse the fine filigree through the colors -- artful blends of yellow, green, aqua and violet.
We can date the brooch precisely by its pin mechanism, a type used circa 1890, yet its condition is superb. I can't find any enamel losses. The filigree shows age patina, of course, and you might want this brightened a bit. A gentle polish by your jeweler would do it. (Please don't try cleaning enameled jewels at home, since even water can be damaging.)
Particularly clever is the sturdy understructure that supports these gracefully fluttering wings; it looks rather like a bi-plane. There's also an unusual early safety catch, the type with a v-shaped lever. The clasp is an old open C.
Size is about an inch in each direction and half an inch high. Probable origin would be Austro-Hungarian or Italian, though it reached us as a Texas estate find. The reverse has, besides the 800 stamp, a lozenge-shaped maker mark we haven't yet been able to interpret.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Giant Sterling and Moonstone Peace Dove Necklace '60s
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Silver:
Modernism:
Pre 1970 item# 855705
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$155
Free USPS Priority Shipping
(& Gift-Wrap if Desired)
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If you're looking for a "statement necklace," here it is -- unmistakably making the statement "Peace and Love" via a gorgeous domed pendant 3 1/4 inches round!
This handcrafted vintage pendant of hammered sterling features a stylized dove whose breast, wing and tail are formed with cutout hearts. Adorned with a collet-set cabochon of blue-white moonstone -- the prized color that's so hard to find today -- it also has a glinting eye of lightly gold-washed silver.
The marks are Sterling, Eden and Eden repeated within an apple shape. I find no record of a firm called Eden, so this must be the creation of an independent designer. That would also explain the Sterling mark, which large-scale makers replaced with 925 during the 1930s. Dating has to be during the Vietnam War -- far more likely the hippie '60s than the disco '70s, based on design. Of course, given the elegance of this jewel, its style is far from basic Boho; it's what we poor college students of the time enviously called Trust Fund Hippie.
Provenance is a Cape Cod estate and condition, as you see, is superb. We added the contemporary sterling chain 20 inches long.
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift-wrap is always free when desired. Please e-mail erinharris@comcast.net to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Spectacular Antique Art Nouveau Silver Ring
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Silver:
Art Nouveau:
Pre 1910 item# 854878
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$145
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(& Gift-Wrap if Desired)
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Stunningly sculptural, this wonderful ring combines the flowing curves and organic floral forms of Art Nouveau with a hint of Arts & Crafts influence, evident in the simplicity of its layered openwork construction. It's fascinating when those design currents intersect, as they sometimes did around a hundred years ago.
The ring's face measures a knuckle-covering inch in each direction, so this is a jewel that can't possibly be overlooked. Its material is obviously silver, rich with time's patina. That the metal is unmarked suggests American origin, since silver hallmarks weren't required here until shortly before World War I. If you prefer a brighter finish, it would be good just to polish the high points with a jeweler's cloth and leave the depths dark for drama. Condition is excellent, provenance is a Texas estate and current size is about a US 5.5. It appears to have been resized once before, so could easily be altered again at the same junction.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Antique Art Nouveau Gold and Amethyst Heart Stickpin
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Gold:
Art Nouveau:
Pre 1900 item# 845749
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click for details
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$120 SALE (Reduced from $145)
Free USPS Priority Shipping
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The gracefully stylized heart form of this lovely stick pin, with its slight assymetry, dates it firmly to the Art Nouveau era -- and it's certain to be a Victorian jewel, since it isn't marked but tests as 10k gold. (Hallmarks weren't mandated in the U.S. until the Edwardian era.)
The almandine-shaped stone of rich purple is gorgeously faceted and appears to be genuine amethyst. After a century, glass would be badly abraded, whereas the gem shows hardly any wear, even under high magnification. As the stone's setting is open at the back, we know the color is natural, without foil enhancement.
Length of the pin is 2 1/4 inches and the heart measures about 5/8 inch by half an inch. Condition, as you see, is lovely in every way. Even the stock shows no waviness, which is quite rare. Provenance of this treasure is a Midwestern estate.
Stickpins are perfect with fashion's classic mood today, and they make fabulous gifts for both men and women.
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift-wrap is always free when desired. Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Rare Antique Victorian Bell Charm Stickpin, His or Hers
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Gold:
Victorian:
Pre 1900 item# 835525
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
Sold; thank you!
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Our delightful bell-shaped antique stickpin must have been fashioned for a gentleman with a highly developed sense of occasion -- the anti-Scrooge, as it were. Obviously perfect to wear during the holiday season, it would also be wonderful for a wedding, christening or any other bell-worthy occasion.
Extremely sturdy and quite rare in form, the pin features a bell that dangles like a charm, swaying freely. (There was never a clapper, so it doesn't make annoying noises.) The bell is so perfect in shape that it must have been cast, but the stock and large jump ring were handcrafted. The stock has the twist in the center that indicates great age, as well as a very graceful curve at the top (from which the bell hangs) that makes me think of old street lanterns.
The pin dates from around the middle of the 19th century, I believe. It was in early Victorian years, soon after the queen's marriage to Prince Albert, that German Christmas traditions entered England and the festival became more important, acquiring most of the traditions now associated with it. In 1841, the Royals put up their first Christmas tree and, also around that time, they began sending Christmas cards. Thus, it was exceedingly fashionable then to ornament oneself in the holiday spirit -- and the quality of this piece indicates it was worn by an "early adopter" of some social standing. This is no flimsy mass-produced trinket. It was most likely made in England; it could, however, be from elsewhere in Europe or from the US. (If American, a pin of this type would certainly have come from New York, since people there were also quick to take up Christmas customs derived from their Dutch heritage and generally close links to Europe.)
There's no question that all the parts are original, since the color match is so precise. Everything's a softly patinated golden hue. I can't say for sure what the metal is, since I'm averse to damaging lovely old things with files and test acids, but the weight suggests rolled gold or bronze, rather than brass. Total length is 2 1/4" and the bell, alone, is about 5/8" tall and 5/8" round at the bottom. The jewel is so well-made that the only flaws I can find are a few teensy dings visible only with magnification and a slight waviness to the lower part of the stock, which any good jeweler could straighten if desired. Provenance is an estate in Arizona: a great place for antiques, since so many people retire there and the climate preserves things beautifully.
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift-wrap is always free when desired. Thanks for looking!
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Graceful Antique Art Deco Diamante Dress Clips Pair
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Clips:
Pre 1930 item# 835108
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$89 SALE (Reduced from $129)
Free 1st Class U.S. Shipping
& Gift-Wrap if Desired
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These curvaceous antique clips are ultra-feminine, and they're beautifully paved with diamond pastes of a more subtle hue than modern rhinestones. All are obviously original. Because the stones are of this early type, the look is dazzling white-on-white and overall design shows Edwardian and Art Nouveau influences, along with Deco, we date the clips no later than the 1920s. Each measures about 1 1/2 inches tall and 3/4 inch wide and has four nicely sharp prongs at the back.
The metal surface appears to be rhodium, a member of the hard-wearing, tarnish-free platinum family. Condition is lovely, with only a couple of stones slightly dimmed and one darkened. Personally I love these little variations in color that prove great age, but your jeweler can easily replace the dark one for a few dollars, if it bothers you.
Glitzy clips like these once made "sweetheart" necklines sweeter. Today I love to see them flashing on lapels and pockets. They're also great as barrettes and accents for scarves, handbags, hats and shoes. You can even slip them over ribbons to wear as a dzzling necklace and bracelet set. They're endlessly versatile, which is what clips were all about!
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift-wrap is always free when desired. Please e-mail erinharris@comcast.net to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Stunning Antique Edwardian Suffragette Dangle Earrings
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Jewelry:
Costume:
Pre 1920 item# 830804
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$145
Free U.S. Priority Shipping
or Equivalent International Discount
(& Gift-Wrap if Desired)
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These are among the loveliest Suffragette earrings we've been privileged to offer. Besides being set with wonderful, large faux gems, they're exquisitely patterned on both sides. That the backs of these drops are as lavishly detailed as the fronts is a sure sign of very great age, not seen much after Victorian times. Screw fasteners existed in the 19th century, but gained wide popularity a little later, so we date these beauties circa 1905-1910.
To the Suffragettes' efforts through many decades, we modern women owe our right to vote, which was extended to all American women in 1920 and to all in Great Britain in 1928. As you know if you collect jewels from the Suffragette movement, the unusual combination of green, purple and white had deep meaning for early feminists. For them, green represented hope, purple signified dignity and white stood for purity. The language we associate with "regard" jewelry applied, too: The "G" of green, "W" of white and "V" of violet comprised an abbreviation for Give Women (the) Vote. All this seems cryptic now, but was clearly understood by everyone in an era when messages were also communicated by which flowers you sent, how you held your fan and which corner of a calling card you folded down, if any. The wealthiest suffragettes mixed amethysts and pearls or diamonds with green stones such as emeralds or peridots, but pretend gems were naturally favored by the majority.
In this case, we have beautifully marbled faux jade, plus sparkling, faceted amethyst pastes and softly glowing glass pearls. Everything remains in spectacular condition, including the gilding. It takes high magnification to notice age-appropriate surface wear. It isn't unusual for Suffragette jewels to survive a century in great shape, since they were worn only occasionally (to meetings and when marching for the vote) -- then tucked away and forgotten for decades. They're been rapidly gaining value since the movie "Iron Jawed Angels" appeared in 2004, revealing what the gals went through, including hunger strikes and beatings.
Wearing Suffragette jewels is a great way to show your pride and appreciation and, now that the genre has been rediscovered, they're getting much harder to find. We try to maintain a good selection, but demand keeps growing. If these strike your fancy, you'd better not delay. They reached us from a Florida estate. and could have been made by an East Coast firm in America. However, the extremely high quality suggests origin in Bohemia or France. You'll be surprised how solid these are -- not a bit flimsy. They're truly superb.
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift wrap is always free when desired. Please e-mail erinharris@comcast.net to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Ornate Antique Victorian Pearl Pendeloque Earrings
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Silver:
Victorian:
Pre 1900 item# 816165
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click for details
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$635 SALE (Reduced from $885)
Free delivery to any country where we ship
(& gift-wrap if desired)
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On sale this month - think ahead to holiday gifting!
These spectacular antique pearl earrings from an English estate dangle almost 2 inches below the ear and are highly dimensional. Minor variations between the two attest to hand-craftsmanship -- most likely in Spain or Portugal, where colorless gems were set almost exclusively in ornately worked silver. Jewels of this type were eagerly collected by British travelers to southern Europe. It's easy to imagine these earrings as a honeymoon gift for a young bride from her husband, who delighted in how the dangling drops gleamed and swayed as they strolled in the Mediterranean moonlight.
Both upper and lower domed elements of the lovely setting twinkle with pyrites (mistakenly called marcasites, which are chemically the same but crystallize differently and are too soft to use as gems). The silverwork is thick, sculptural and lavished with beaded detail. Above, it's fashioned into leaves and, for the drops, into flower petals framing two sizeable, lustrous pearls. The stones were represented to me as natural sea pearls and I believe them to be, since pearls weren't cultured until around 1900. They seem to be full rounds, not halves, nestling into silver cups that protrude from the back.
Probable dating of the earrings is no later than 1880, yet their condition is superb. Even the lever-back fasteners appear original. If they aren't, the earrings would have hung from wires and are probably even older. Pendeloque (pear-shaped) drop earrings have been with us since the late 18th century, retaining popularity throughout Victorian times, and the fully closed backs and other details of construction here are more Georgian than Victorian. The Georgian traditions did hang on longer in Spain and Portugal than elsewhere, though, so it's really impossible to be certain whether these are early or late 19th century.
Because they were extremely tarnished, I broke my usual hands-off rule and gave them a light cleaning. With apologies to the purists among us, I'm awfully glad I did. They dazzle like the dickens now. We can't be precise about the silver content, but it's clearly very high.
Please e-mail erinharris@comcast.net to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Antique Jeweled Suffragette Earrings World War I Era
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Jewelry:
Continental:
Pre 1920 item# 814244
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click for details
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$135
(Free U.S. Priority Shipping
& Gift-Wrap if Desired)
|
These wonderful antique earrings make a powerful feminist statement, while also being extremely elegant. We date the pair to Edwardian times, give or take a few years. A hint of Victorian Art Nouveau is evident in their curvaceous form, but they also have the refined delicacy we associate with Edwardian and transitional styles. As is appropriate for the period, size is restrained (about 3/4" round) and the settings are intricate and highly dimensional. Screw fasteners are present -- popular because piercing was then considered rather barbaric by modern women.
Each earring features a square-cut cabochon resembling emerald or imperial jade, held by tall talon-like prongs, plus two faux pearls and two faceted amethyst pastes. All stones appear original and are in lovely condition, as is the richly textured gilt metalwork. Suffragette jewels often survive in great shape, having been worn only occasionally (at meetings and when marching for the vote). To the Suffragettes' efforts through many decades in the U.K. and U.S., we modern women owe that right, which was finally extended to all American women in 1920 and to all in Great Britain in 1928.
Most likely the earrings were made for export in Bohemia, which for centuries produced the finest simulated gems, as well as ornate and rather fanciful mounts that were widely prized. The area became Czechoslovakia after World War I, but was previously part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
As you know if you collect Suffragette jewelry, the unusual combination of green, purple and white had deep meaning for early feminists. For them, green represented hope, purple signified dignity and white stood for purity. The language we associate with "regard" jewelry applied, too: The "G" of green, "W" of white and "V" of violet comprised an abbreviation for Give Women (the) Vote. All this seems cryptic now, but was clearly understood by everyone in an era when messages were also communicated by which flowers you sent, how you held your fan and which corner of a calling card you folded down, if any. The wealthiest suffragettes mixed amethysts and pearls or diamonds with green stones such as emeralds or peridots, but pretend gems were naturally favored by the majority.
Tucked away and forgotten for decades, Suffragette jewelry began rapidly gaining value when the movie "Iron Jawed Angels" appeared in 2004, revealing what the gals went through (including hunger strikes and beatings). Wearing Suffragette jewels is a great way to show your pride and appreciation and, now that the genre has been rediscovered, they're getting much harder to find. We try our best to maintain a good selection, but demand keeps growing. If these strike your fancy, you'd better not delay.
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift wrap is always free when desired. Please e-mail erinharris@comcast.net to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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