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Rare Victorian Golf Trophy Putting Stone Marker Fob
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Antiques:
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Silver:
Pre 1900 item# 950781
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
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$695 SALE (Was $795)
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To dazzle a golfer who has everything else, here’s a superb Gothic Revival putting stone from Fife in Scotland -- the birthplace of golf, home to St. Andrews and other legendary links. It reached us via an auction sale in Dundee.
Certainly handcrafted and one-of-a-kind, it was presented to a tournament victor in the mid-19th century, being inscribed "1st Prize Putting Stone" on the reverse. The front is a work of art -- literally: a gorgeous enamel portrait of an early golfer in medieval attire -- and the silver frame is intricately worked with Gothic arches on both sides and crowned by thistles, emblematic of Scotland and its Royal house for centuries. This particular triple-thistle motif may allow it to be traced to a particular golf course.
The loop at the top suggests it was used as a watch fob, when not busy being a marker. It would make a glorious necklace pendant, too.
This is an extremely high-quality piece with a lot of heft. It measures about 2.25 inches by 1.5 inches and is in almost pristine condition. The enamel colors remain radiant and unworn and the lavish silverwork is undamaged. We've left the patina of age in place on the silver, which is unmarked but obviously of high grade. It can of course be polished brightly if you prefer that look. The only issue we can find is a tiny chip at the edge of the portrait's black background. Our pricing naturally reflects the flaw, although it’s hard to notice, since the medallion appears to be black all the way through.
Golf collectibles have gained value dramatically over the past 25 years, as you probably know, with exceptional items far outperforming stocks and bonds. Because prices have eased with the recession, now is a great time to invest in them before future run-ups reflect the growing worldwide popularity of the game.
The tradition of awarding golf tournament gifts can be traced back to 1744, when the Edinburgh City Council was asked to provide a silver club for an annual competition held by the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith (still extant as The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers). Prizes have subsequently taken just about every form, among which this is the most beautiful I’ve seen.
For this treasure, there will be no charge for delivery to any country where we ship, 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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Stunning Antique Edwardian Suffragette Dangle Earrings
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Costume:
Pre 1920 item# 830804
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
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$145
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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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Antique Jeweled Suffragette Earrings World War I Era
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Jewelry:
Continental:
Pre 1920 item# 814244
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
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$135
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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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Huge Antique Victorian Staffordshire Roses Jardiniere
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Antiques:
Decorative Art:
Ceramics:
English:
Porcelain:
Pre 1900 item# 727519
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
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This magnificent antique flower pot features, on all four sides, lush bouquets of pink and red roses amid fern green leaves. It's big enough hold a massive plant -- so large, in fact, that you could also use it to chill several bottles of wine.
Designed with a graceful undulating shape and scallops at both top and bottom, the jardiniere measures 9 1/2 inches across, stands 7 3/4 inches high and has a lot of heft, being of Staffordshire Ironstone. As you know, this is very sturdy stuff, despite its delicate appearance. There's been minor flaking of the wide gold-lustered edge and age-appropriate scuffs are on the base, but I can't find any flaws in the china. A couple of small discolored areas are under the glaze, so they were original to production.
Acquired from a dealer in Cambridgeshire, this beauty has an elaborate hallmark that includes an extremely determined-looking phoenix rising from flames and the initials NWAO and YWAO, along with the words "Staffordshire Iron Stone". Being a specialist in jewelry, rather than ceramics, I haven't yet been able to identify the maker. If you happen to know which of Staffordshire's 100+ potteries of Victorian times created this treasure, I hope you'll tell me.
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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Pair of Victorian English Vases by Brahma Dated 1896
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Pre 1900 item# 727504
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The British registry number 27633 on their bases dates these beautiful vases to 1896 -- no surprise, given their ornate Late Victorian style and shape. Cast of an unmarked silver metal, they still have gilt-finished bases, but the gilding inside has largely worn away from a century of use. About 5 1/2 inches tall and 3 1/4 inches at their widest, they would be a charming pair of vases for a vanity and also are a lovely height for the dining table, allowing people to see one another over the posies.
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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2 Romantic Antique Victorian Floral Photograph Mats
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Antiques:
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Frames:
Pre 1900 item# 727490
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$40
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As emblems of the goddess Venus, the lush red roses on these gorgeously printed antique 19th century photo mats leave no doubt that they were meant to showcase the people you love most. Measuring 8" x 11", possibly cut down from larger size, they're of heavy cardboard surfaced with paper. One features summer blooms only -- lilies and mixed roses -- while the other adds holly and mistletoe to forsythia and a Christmas rose. Although more than 100 years old, the designs are as vivid as if printed yesterday. Minor damage to the reverses will never show when pictures are framed.
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 Mid-Victorian Beaded Bag Early Plastic Frame
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Pre 1900 item# 727055
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
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This extremely rare antique bag from an English dealer near Cambridge is sure to be a star in any handbag collection. I date it to the 1860s or 1870s, based on a confluence of factors. First off, its frame and chain are splendid examples of the earliest craftsmanship in plastic - so early, in fact, that there's no clasp! Thus, the custom of attaching purse chains diagonally to both sides was born for security (and continued into the Edwardian era, long after clasps became quite good). Another fascinating quirk is that a teensy screw fits through one side of the frame - for an unknown cause, since there are no other holes or hardware. (If you have any clue as to why that's there, please tell me!)
While I'm no authority on plastics, the style of this bag suggests the substance may well be the very first man-made plastic: Parkesine, unveiled by Alexander Parkes at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in London. An organic material derived from cellulose, it could be heated and molded, carved and even made transparent. However, it cost a lot to make and Parkes' investors soon pulled out. The search for an affordable faux-ivory tough enough to use as billiard balls continued and an American came up with celluloid (the first thermoplastic) around 1870. The next major advance was Bakelite in 1907 - *much* too late an invention to be what we see here.
Another thing that helps us date the bag is that Prince Albert died in 1862 and the Queen's deep mourning was widely emulated by other widows and the nation at large. This is clearly a mourning bag made for personal use, intended to be as fine a creation as an amateur could manage. The black fabric hand-stitched to its frame was lavishly hand-beaded with black and clear crystals in a starlike pattern often seen in old quilts. It's been cared for beautifully, too. One small hole seems to have been repaired long ago on the back (so well it's difficult to notice) and absolutely no other flaws are evident to me.
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift wrap is always free on request. Credit cards & e-checks are accepted securely at PayPal, subject to their limitations, and next-day shipment is usually available with online payment. Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photographs. Thanks for looking!
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Lovely Czech Art Nouveau Faux Moonstone Brooch c1919
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Continental:
Pre 1920 item# 723605
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$125
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The "Czecho" signature on this ultra-feminine antique brooch lets us date it quite precisely to the first years of the Czech Republic (established in 1918). The region was previously known as Bohemia, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until World War I ended, and Bohemian glass has been prized from medieval times. These gorgeous old pink satin glass moonstones certainly live up to the area's reputation.
Although its dating is technically transitional, falling between the death of King Edward and the period dominated by Art Deco style, the brooch is wholly Victorian in spirit, so must have been crafted immediately after the war. There's not even a hint of Deco styling, so it would have been out of style by the early 1920s.
The lavish gilt setting, as you'll notice, has scrolling openwork at both ends, which would allow the brooch to be worn also as a pendant or even as a choker necklace, if threaded over a ribbon at each end. Its size is impressive -- 2.5 by 2 inches -- and it's in beautifully wearable condition. As you'd expect, there's age-appropriate surface wear to the gilding, especially on the reverse. The fastener is of the old open C type, right for the period. The pinstem would originally have extended beyond the edge of the brooch but, as is common, it was snipped and filed to a new point at some time in the interest of safety. One of the smaller cabochons has a teensy chip, hard to notice without extreme magnification. Provenance of this beauty is a Wisconsin estate.
Interestingly, we happen to have a fabulous pair of pink faux-moonstone earrings that are nearly a perfect match for this. If you're interested in both pieces, please e-mail and we'll work out special pricing.
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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Historically Important Czech Cameo Necklace c 1919
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Continental:
Pre 1920 item# 721675
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Sold; thank you!
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In terms of cameo history, here's the "missing link" between the type we think of as 19th century (despite including very early 20th century examples that continued the neoclassical or Art Nouveau style) and those that are decidedly 20th century, featuring the thoroughly modern, short-haired flapper girls of the 1920s and their successors.
Cameos of course mirror our changing standards of beauty and I've never before seen one that so perfectly illustrates the spirit of the transitional period between Edwardian and Art Deco design eras. We can date it quite precisely to that timeframe, because it's signed Czecho. This mark was used for just a few years after creation of the Czech Republic at the end of World War I. The region was previously known as Bohemia, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The young lady pictured here presents an entirely new vision of elegance. Her hair, while on the long side, is quite a lot shorter than was seen before the war, during which large numbers of women worked for the first time in roles other than domestic service. Hairstyles thus had to become more practical. Her attire also isn't idealized; it's no toga or fairy-like wisp, but quite easily recognizable as an evening gown, accented by an orchid corsage. And her face is that of a real person -- not just pretty, but strong and poised. There are no frou-frous in the background, either. Capping off the design breakthrough of the cameo is that it appears to be of carved coral, complete with natural color variations, but is actually celluloid -- the latest thing!
The frame is also truly exceptional: refined and elaborately worked in the Edwardian manner, but larger and significantly bolder in form -- obviously experimental in the best sense, reflecting openness to new influences and impulses.
Both the cameo and setting are in gorgeous condition. Since celluloid is a notably delicate material, it's clear the jewel has been treated with utmost care (as it well deserves). Gilding remains extremely brilliant, even on the reverse and outer edges. When a chain is separate, not integral, we can't establish firmly that it's original; however, I believe this one is, based on its graceful, intricate structure and the extent of patina present.
In every aspect, this jewel is an absolute WOW. The framed cameo measures about 2 inches by 1.5 inches and the chain is 17.5 inches long. Provenance is a West Coast estate.
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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1870s Austro-Hungarian Renaissance Revival Bracelet
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Pre 1900 item# 721238
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$235
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As museums opened across Europe in the 19th century, people flocked to marvel at the treasures of the past -- and then they wanted the look. This led to a series of historical revivals, including Classical, Gothic, Baroque and Rococo, as well Renaissance. The Austrians (who became Austro-Hungarians after the early 1860s) did particularly lovely work in the Renaissance vein, aided by long experience in enamel painting, which was central to the style.
This splendid bracelet features a charming miniature hand-painted on a cabochon of porcelain. In the richly colored scene, an aristocratic couple are shown outdoors on an autumn day, the young lady playing a lute while her dashing beau sings along. Their attire clearly evokes the early Renaissance. Also true to that era are the wristband of finely formed and textured filigree and the painting's lovely frame, which is constructed architecturally in three layers, with intricate surface patterning and a fine dogtooth collet.
The band is an oval, as is characteristic of much early jewelry and really a better fit on the arm than round. It's on the petite side, suited to a smaller than average wrist (up to about 6 inches).
From a West Coast estate, the bracelet is in marvelous condition. The plaque shows no wear; the hinge and clasp work perfectly; and the rest of the metalwork reveals a few tiny dings only under high magnification. Even the gilding is virtually intact, so the bracelet can't have been worn much. Both its dating (1875-1880) and origin are established by the fact that a necklace featuring precisely the same painted motif is a book piece. (See "Popular Jewelry 1840-1940" by Roseann Ettinger.)
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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