Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Silver (306)

Perfect for the black turtlenecks and heavy coats of winter this vintage Mexican Deco silver and turquoise bird of paradise brooch is a stupendous work of art! Not only does its sheer size stun the eye, its layered sculpturality and curvaceous repoussage invites the touch and allows the light to play a thousand tricks hiding in its recesses and reflecting off its elevations...

Long antique guard chains have been very popular in the last couple of years and I am very happy to have come upon this stunning solid silver example. This is not your ordinary guard chain, as you can see. All its links are hand-cut and chased, each featuring a beautiful forget-my-not flower and even the connectors are embellished with tiny little bead appliques...

Slick, strong design that brings to mind the best of Scandinavian modernism, this sterling silver studio-made necklace consisting of neck ring and pendant is an unsigned American beauty...

One of my favorite “less celebrated” early Mexican maestros, AEM (or AE Heart as he is also referred to because of the way he signs his work) had his workshop in Mexico City and he created some really nice pieces. It has been a long time since I presented something by him but this set of “mesh and bead” dangle earrings more than compensates for the gap...

Straddling the divide between Aesthetic and Arts and Crafts design, this hinged sterling silver buckle bracelet was, I believe, made in the USA based on its hallmarking. The entire surface of the front "wing" is etched with ivy leaves, a motif beloved by the Victorians it seems, while the back is left blank, as is usually the case with bracelets of this type...

True to the philosophy of the Arts and Crafts movement which valued artistry and craftsmanship at the expense of ostentatious materials this early 20th c. ring is wrought in silver and centered by a glorious Peking glass cabochon. The ring’s bezel is supported by laurel leaves, their layering given depth by oxidation while the white swirls in the green cab bestow it the dynamism of turbulent water. Currently a sz 4.25 US the ring is easily resizable...

True to the basic principles of the Arts and Crafts movement, this silver and sodalite ring brings together careful, honest craftsmanship in an uncomplicated, clear design that respects the nature of the materials used and brings out their natural beauty. I love the deep color of the stone with its veins of black and the spiderweb of white that just makes it through to the surface...

The Arts and Crafts is one of my favorite periods in jewelry design - emphasis on motifs from nature, design that focuses on craftsmanship while allowing the viewer to follow the artisan's hand, "honest" materials without necessarily seeking out the most expensive metals and gemstones, it was a real break with the fussy excesses of Victorian aesthetics. The silver and banded agate intaglio ring presented here is an example that brings together all the above...

A nicely cast sterling silver band of nautilus shells surrounds an oval, semi-translucent piece of gorgeous carnelian in this Arts and Crafts brooch presented here. I have had this piece for a little while and was reluctant to part with it because of its tactile beauty, its warm patina and the color of the stone that brings to mind warm, aromatic caramel. I am assuming this is a native, US-made brooch because it is simply marked for metal quality and I suspect it is a studio-made pin...

Meticulously worked and perfectly finished this antique silver repousse cuff bracelet is obviously of Asian origin but I am not quite sure of its exact provenance. I don’t profess any kind of deeper knowledge in the world of Asian jewelry and the existence of cross-pollination and diasporic artisan communities throughout the region (the Indian and Chinese being prominent among them) make its identification a challenge for me...

The Deco year saw an influx of gorgeous jewelry out of China in which, more often than not, contemporary silver work was combined with antique elements like carved semi-precious stone buttons, medallions and even mah-jhong and other game pieces. The ring I am presenting here is an immigrant of that era. Delicate silver vermeil adjustable shank and an old amethyst "button" with a lotus flower carving come together in an understated, classically elegant combination...

Created using the shadowbox technique a row of silver flowers and leaves elegantly circles the wrist in this early 20th c. Chinese bangle bracelet. The floral and foliate motifs are set against a dramatically oxidized background visible through the openings in the cut-work and they are enhanced with hand-etched details...

The busy, ever-changing worlds of the bottom of the sea and the shores of tranquil lakes unfold themselves in the carefully worked repousse silver frames surrounding the chunky turquoise "rocks" that adorn this early 20th c. Chinese necklace and earrings set. I never cease to be amazed at the amount of minute detail Chinese silversmiths were able to condense into such small spaces without ever losing the crispness of each motif...

I have had this antique Indian Raj bracelet in my collection of unlisted jewelry for quite a while and from time to time, I would take it out and marvel at the miniature paintings that form its links. Colorful, minutely detailed and kept under glass, I think they depict long past scenes of Hanuman Jayanti - the feast and parade to mark the birthday of Lord Hanuman, Indian god of wisdom, strength and devotion...

Beautifully worked and quite generous in size this late Victorian / Edwardian locket pendant is, I am assuming, a US-made piece since it is not hallmarked at all...

Potent design and perfect execution combine in this set of Antonio Pineda cufflinks shaped like bull skulls. Fine, .970 silver with a satin finish (which I love here!), horns of what I believe is obsidian and not onyx (they test as glass on my gem tester, which is what obsidian is, volcanic glass) and a haunting interplay of negative and positive space in the casting of the animal's skull bequeath an other-worldly aura to an already impressive pair - and I mean impressive both in its boldness as...

The combination of fine, high purity silver and moonstone is one of my favorite and was equally favored, it seems, by Antonio Pineda, Taxco's renowned modernist. Set in three-dimensional 970 silver settings the stones at hand have a luminous pearlescence that draws the eye into their magical depths, and perfectly reflect the warm glow of the precious metal surrounding them. Antonio's jewelry is characterized by an unfailing sense of easy luxury and that feeling is present here as well. Substanti...

The combination of fine purity silver with silky, shimmering pearls is among my favorite when it comes to Antonio Pineda’s work. And the modernist floral brooch I am presenting here is a superb example not only of the renowned Taxco maestro’s exceptional sense of design but also of the quality of materials he used. I love the fluid, curvaceous body of the elongated “pod” and the tender forcefulness (I know, a contradiction in terms, right?) with which the stamens emerge out of it. Slick ...