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Berlin Iron Brooch Rare Early 19th c Snowflake
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Pre 1900 item# 479343
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Berlin iron jewelry, now rare and highly prized, was first made in support of the Prussian War of Liberation against Napoleon. Those who donated valuables to the cause received these in return and wore them with great pride. Cast of iron from models of silver or brass, then polished and lacquered to a matte black finish, most examples have very precise outlines joined together by wire links for an airy, intricate look. A snowflake shape such as this was perfect for the technique.
After hostilities ended, the style caught on elsewhere in Europe and iron jewels were crafted in Austria and France, as well as Germany, from Late Georgian/Regency times into the Victorian era. Accordingly, it’s impossible to be certain of Prussian origin, unless an item bears the inscription "Gold gab ich fur Eisen 1813" (meaning “I gave gold for iron”) or a foundry mark. Not many do, and the design of this brooch left no room for markings. We can be sure, though, that it’s of this timeframe and of iron; the metal exerts magnetic force (mildly, given its delicacy).
Despite its openwork form and great age, the brooch is in lovely condition, showing only minor losses of black lacquer and no rust I can find even under high magnification. It’s been beautifully cared for, as it deserves. A very special treasure for the serious collector, it measures about one and a half inches round and reached us from a New England estate.
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Early 20th c Italian Mosaic Parure: Bracelet, Pin, Ears
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Pre 1920 item# 471410
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Acquired by some long-ago traveler on the Grand Tour or a Roman honeymoon, these flowers remain as lovely as when she picked them.
As you know if you love mosaic jewelry, early 19th century pieces are worked in almost impossibly tiny tesserae. Those were micro-mosaics. Due to the rising cost of labor, they gradually evolved toward the much larger mosaic designs made in the latter half of the 20th century. These are in between, still showing very fine workmanship. Since the earrings are screw-backs, introduced in 1894, they can't possibly be earlier than that. I expect they were made in the Edwardian era or the transitional period before Art Deco design became dominant. Of course it's rare to find a complete parure and I was lucky enough to acquire the matching brooch from a different estate.
The stunning bracelet is 7 1/2" long, the screw-back earrings are about 7/8" round and the brooch is 1 3/8" wide. Their settings of gilt brass even have minute rope-twisted ridges that separate the teensy tiled areas. The settings are richly patinated by time, but would of course polish up if you prefer a brighter look. Though I can't guarantee that every single tile is present (without going blind looking), overall condition is gorgeous - and this is a set you can wear with absolutely anything, since the accent colors are so numerous. The dark background is unusual, and particularly attuned to today's tastes.
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Victorian Arts and Crafts Copper Chrysoprase Brooch
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Pre 1900 item# 409860
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Authentic Arts and Crafts jewels of distinguished quality are getting very hard to find, so we're delighted to present this remarkable large pin for your consideration. It's definitely a Power Jewel for a lady who's equally One of a Kind.
Almost 3 inches wide, it's hand-hammered and otherwise hand-wrought, accented with graceful cutwork and set with a mesmerizing cabochon of vivid green chrysoprase (or possibly agate). The unusual "horned" shape is wonderfully witchy and suggests the possibility of Celtic origin, especially in combination with the green stone. Scotland, as you know, was a hotbead of design innovation in this era, so this could well have originated there.
The old open "C" clasp and "T" hinge let us date the piece firmly to the 19th century. The original elongated pinstem was at some point shortened for greater comfort - quite a common occurence since those things could draw blood. Overall condition, as you see, is absolutely lovely.
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Large Finely Detailed Georgian Onyx Double Cameo Brooch
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Pre 1900 item# 405482
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This exquisite double cameo shows the high quality and Neo-Classical subject matter we associate with the earliest years of the 19th century, so I believe it to be Late Georgian or Regency. Probable origin would be Italy, since the best carvers were there, though it reached us via a Massachusetts estate.
Double cameos are rare to begin with, and this one is also unusually large, ornately carved and imaginative. Its foreground figure is a warrior whose helmet has a ferocious feline on top - or perhaps the cat is on the head of the background figure. One or the other thus appears to be Heracles (aka Hercules), the ancient superhero noted for slaying lions and wearing their pelts. If he's at back, the helmeted figure is likely his patron Ares, god of war. If, on the other hand, Hercules is the helmeted figure, then the one in back is probably Queen Omphale (known to have borrowed the Nemetean lion's skin at times to make a fashion statement) - or the hero's later wife Dejanira - or perhaps his patron goddess Athena. The imagery on the shield at the extreme foreground is more straightforward: It shows a winged figure cracking a whip over a pair of horses pulling the chariot that signifies the sun's daily progress across the sky, thus the passage of time.
The cameo, which appears to be onyx, is seriously sizeable at 1 1/2 inches tall and 1 inch wide. The rope-twist frame, evidently gilt bronze, adds another 1/8 inch in each dimension. Both parts are very old, but the cameo and its present setting certainly didn't begin life together. The frame, characteristically Victorian, isn't really worthy of the cameo, nor is the fit perfect. Black epoxy holds the frame on and another epoxy line reveals repair to an old hairline fracture. Thankfully, the little crack did not extend into the carved area, which is crisp and pristine. Even the noses haven't been dinged and you know how common that flaw is.
No problems at all are apparent at the front, apart from age-appropriate loss of gilding to the frame and a slightly wavy joint of the bezel. This jewel is immediately wearable, although you may want to put it into a proper gold or silver frame. The price would of course be enormously higher if the cameo looked as perfect on the back as it does from the front. (The only other Hercules-in-lion-pelt cameo I've found currently online is merely of shell, rather than stone, but framed in gold and priced at $1,000.)
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Edwardian Jeweled Lavaliere Chandelier Necklace
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Pre 1910 item# 404865
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While the typical antique lavaliere is content to finish with a sweet little pearl drop, this one cuts loose with 2 1/2 inches worth of swaying sparkle! The longest of the three dangling drops has two faceted stones at the bottom; the others have one; and the lavaliere itself is set with four. I believe the jewels are Bohemian crystals - the name appied to Czech crystals before Czechoslovakia came into existence in 1918 - but there's a possibility they're small genuine amethysts. They flash yellow, as well as purple, in certain lights and amethyst and citrine are chemically the same stone.
Dating of this gorgeous necklace is definitely Late Victorian or Edwardian. Most likely it was made circa 1905-1910, since the delicacy and refinement of Edwardian design are very much in evidence. The curvy shape of the 1/2-inch x 1/2-inch lavaliere also shows strong Art Nouveau influence. The metal, gilt brass, has acquired a lovely patina over the past 100 years, but could be polished more brightly if you prefer that look. Age-appropriate surface wear is of course apparent under high magnification.
The basic chain is 14 inches long, but an extra 2 inches of larger chain allow the wearable length to be as much as 16 inches (plus lavaliere and drops). An early lobster clasp, the earliest I've ever seen, is present. I'd consider it a later addition, except that it's the same color and it shows the same wear.
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Lovely Victorian Art Nouveau Lady Amid Flowers Buckle
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Pre 1900 item# 379458
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This highly ornate antique Victorian buckle is a showpiece of Art Nouveau design, featuring a beautiful lady amid and even crowned with flowers. There's elaborate scrollwork, too, and all the repousse work was done in very high relief to enrich the design further with shadows and highlights.
Dating to the Late Victorian era, circa 1890-1900, the buckle measures about 3" x 1 3/4" when both parts are fastened and its brackets will accommodate a sash or belt up to 1 1/8" wide. Imagine it at the waist of your prom gown -- or perhaps even a wedding dress -- although you could certainly wear it for less formal occasions, too.
The metal under the gilding appears to be silver of less than sterling grade. (It isn't heavy enough to be pot metal.) Condition is lovely, showing only minor loss of gilt finish. The eye of the fastener (but not the hook) does seem to have been reattached at some point, possibly replaced. The buckle is very sturdy and wearable now, but of course our price reflects the old repair. This would be a great deal more expensive if perfect. Likely origin, based on style and quality of craftsmanship, is French or Belgian, although it reached us from a Chicago collection.
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Victorian Japanned Bronze Egyptian Revival Snake Brooch
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Pre 1900 item# 344079
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While most of us know the discovery of King Tut's tomb in the 1920s led to a craze for Egyptian-inspired jewelry, fewer are aware there were earlier Egyptian crazes - circa 1800, prompted by Napoleon's campaign in Egypt; again during the 1860s, when the Suez Canal opened to great pomp and ceremony; and to a lesser extent in the closing decades of the 19th century, sparked by various archeological discoveries.
This particular jewel, based on its style and details of fabrication (such as the tube hinge and safety pin clasp), has to be from the Late Victorian era, likely circa 1880. It's a rare example of a decidedly Egyptian motif on a bar pin. Quite heavy for its size (about 2" x 3/8"), it seems to be of bronze rather than brass and has a japanned (blackened) background and reverse. Upraised in relief and brightly polished, the serpentine motif is as trendy now as when the Victorians fell in love with it. To them, the snake signified eternity and worn often in sentimental contexts; Queen Victoria's wedding ring, for instance, was of serpent form. The use of black suggests this could have been a mourning jewel.
Given its stylized simplicity of design and indications of hand-craftsmanship, Arts and Crafts influence on this brooch is strong. It was probably made in Europe - England would be my best guess - but reached us from a Florida estate. Condition is lovely, all original except that the pinstem was at some point snipped (not a bad idea, since those extra-long ones could easily draw blood). The pinstem shows a slight crimp, too, indicating that someone tried first to shorten it by this means for greater comfort.
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Rare Cut Steel Halley's Comet Brooch c1910
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Pre 1910 item# 339862
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During Victorian and Edwardian days, it was typical to depict comets in floral form. Often the comet tails are easily mistaken for stems; in this case, however, the way the tail finishes with a forked or crescent moon shape makes the creator's intent quite clear. A highly showy celestial event is definitely represented here!
Inspired by the 1910 appearance of Halley's or an even earlier comet, this stunning and unusual antique pin can't possibly be later than Edwardian. It has the wonderful old open C clasp, a tube hinge and a pinstem that remains elongated despite evidence of being snipped from an even greater length. Overall size is substantial, about 1 1/2 inches x 2" inches.
Cut steel jewelry, as you know, was prized from the late 18th century for the ability of its facets to mimic the flash of diamonds in low light. Electrification brought true gemstones with fancier cuts to the fore, and most surviving steel items are shoe buckles. Less sturdy forms, like this delicate brooch of openwork filigree are remarkable finds, indeed. There's evidence of one small expert repair on its reverse; otherwise, condition is pristine - no doubt because it came from a New Mexico estate, where the arid climate protected it from rust, steel's mortal enemy.
You - or the lucky recipient, if you're thinking of this as a gift - will be proud to own such an exceptional piece of the past. I was thrilled and enormously surprised to find it.
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Very Rare, Exciting & Huge Victorian Shoe Clips
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Pre 1900 item# 327304
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Layers and layers of gracefully shaped and incised leaves ornament this remarkable and exquisitely crafted set of enormous antique clips. The engraved front surfaces feel wonderfully silky - a real treat to touch and the reverses are fascinating, too. The hinged fasteners are highly detailed and, beneath them, you can see how the clips were built up architecturally in layers, showing a strong Arts & Crafts influence. They were definitely hand-assembled, if not entirely hand-crafted.
Measuring about 2 5/8" by 2", the clips date from the late 19th or very early 20th century; they're certainly no later than Edwardian, but probably Victorian. The metal, quite sturdy, looks like gilded brass in back but bronze in front, so you might want to polish the fronts it you prefer a brighter look. Overall condition is excellent. It's quite unusual to find clips of this great age that are so gently worn.
If you clip these on your favorite pumps, you'll step out in spectacular style - or they'd be equally enchanting on a pair of jacket pockets.
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Victorian Porcelain Bar Pin or Beauty Pin for Baby
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Pre 1900 item# 322567
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Exquisite and truly one of a kind, this hand-painted antique jewel would be charming worn by a baby as a so-called "beauty pin" (perhaps on the antique christening robe also shown in our catalogue). Of course it can be worn conventionally by an adult as a bar pin, too. The china plaque adorned with two roses is nicely set in a gilt brass mounting with a rich patina and the early open "C" clasp indicative of great age. Flowers have faded somewhat, adding 'shabby chic' charm. Length is about 1 1/2".
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