Catalog: Estate Jewelry (468)

Rectangular, with one side decorated with elaborate raised flower and scrolled leaves. The anchor button shows lengthwise ridges. The marks look to be European, but are as yet unidentified. The cuff links look hardly worn, with secure bridge bars and connecting rings. The larger buttons measure ¾ inch by ½ inch. Weight: 11.2 grams total

Decorated with three curved inset areas of abalone, surrounding an impressed and oxidized pre-Columbian motif. The clip is secure and retains its flexibility; it appears to have been hardly used. The back bears a Mexican circular mark indicating sterling and the maker’s initials of GAV. The clip measures 1 ¾ inches wide by 2 1/8 inches long. Gross weight: 16.8 grams

Composed of cast rectangular double links, this classy bracelet from the 1960s-1970s is sturdy and well made with completely soldered connecting bars. The bracelet has a good heft and a secure, clever clasp with a pressure spring closure. The bracelet is marked for sterling, with a partial mark of ITALY and a double-struck partial sterling mark. The bracelet measures 7 ¾ inches long and a little over ¼ inch wide. Weight: 29.6 grams

Composed of curved openwork panels formed as highly stylized bird heads, possibly eagles, with a pre-Columbian influence. The tongue-and-groove clasp is original and very secure for this substantial bracelet. It is bears the circular mark for Pedro Castillo, who worked for Spratling and Aguilar in the 1930s and started his own taller in the 1940s (per Bille Hougart’s ‘Little Book’ of Mexican silver marks, p. 41). It measures 7 ½ inches long, taking into account the curved panels, by 7/8 inch wide. The detached security chain can be removed or re-attached, depending on buyer preference. Weight: 83.8 grams

The pendant is composed of two hand-wrought flat pieces of sterling silver formed into an oval with three applied silver beads on one side. An irregular-shaped piece of polished moss agate, mounted in a sterling bezel, dangles in the center. The entire pendant is suspended from a substantial sterling chain of forged wire. One of the forged links near the hook clasp bears a crown with a W above; another link is marked with an overstruck W. Two of the links indicate sterling. The necklace measures 13 ½ inches long, clasped. The pendant alone measures 3 3/8 inches long, including the bale, and 2 inches wide.

Dramatically decorated with an embossed and oxidized Celtic design. The inside of the cuff exhibits hammering; it is quite sturdy and has retained its shape. The bracelet shows hardly any signs of wear. It is marked 925 sterling inside the band. It measures 1 ¼ inches wide and the opening measures anbout 1 inch across. It has a 7-inch internal circumference. Weight: 61 grams

The pendant is composed of a forged oval frame surrounding an applied lost-wax cast piece of organic design. It is suspended from a sturdy leather cord that exhibits some wear and stiffness. The necklace is secured by a spring-ring clasp marked sterling. The pendant is unmarked, but tests as sterling silver; its surface is tarnished and could use a light cloth polishing. The necklace measures 14 ½ inches long when clasped; the pendant measures 2 ½ inches long (including the bail) by 1 5/8 inches wide. Gross weight: 24.7 grams

This quirky and charming bird pin is the work of a talented Peruvian jeweler named Goizueta, of whom very little is known. The pin is set with two pieces of greenish-blue stone known as azurite or chrysocolla. There is some roughness to the edges of the round piece, but it is securely mounted. The pin has a secure rollover clasp and bears the name of T. Goizueta, as well as marks for sterling and Peru. It is quite substantial and measures 1 ¼ inches by 1 ¾ inches.

Wide copper band is decorated with an applied brass monkey figure inspired by a Precolumbian motif (see the last photo). It is inset with small pieces of abalone. On one side is a discolored area, of about ½ inch square, left from an old label. As the discoloration is on the side, it is not obvious when the cuff is worn. The bracelet measures 2 ½ inches at its widest part and 2 ½ inches across the opening. It has a 7 ½-inch internal circumference.

Formed as hollow cast discs, embossed and chased with elaborate floral designs, and bezel-set with carnelian beads – one of which shows a partial hole to one side. The earrings are secured with working clip backs; the maker’s impressed mark looks like Zuoco or Zocco. The earrings measure 1 ¼ inches in diameter.

This impressive Mexican silver link bracelet, probably made for the tourist trade, has a distinctive and quite unusual design. It is composed of gilded silver and green glass cabochons to imitate jade. The four linked panels are large openwork rosettes, applied to embossed floral frames. The links are well soldered; one is slightly separated but still secure. The glass cabochons show no wear. The box for the tongue clasp is impressed with the early Mexico/Silver mark; the bracelet dates from the 1930s to the mid-1940s. It measures 7 ½ inches long and about 1 1/2 inches wide. Matching screw-back earrings are also available (please inquire).

The earrings are composed of single rosettes of gilded sterling silver and iridescent green glass. The screw backs are marked ‘Mexico/Silver.’ Each earring measures 1 ¼ inches wide.

A colorful studio piece molded as an abstract, modified circle and enameled in browns and blues. The back bears a secure rollover clasp on one side and a pendant bale on the other. The piece works best, however, as a pin. There are some illegible marks on the back; although the pin does not indicate silver, it does test definitively as silver, but not sterling. It measures 2 inches by 1 ¾ inches. Weight: 11.9 grams

Composed of wood beads that are dyed red, wire-mounted on a pewter bar and from chain swags. The photos show the red as a fire-engine red; the beads actually are darker, more of a maroon. Photo 3 is the closest to the actual color. It is a sizable brooch, but lightweight, and secured on the back by a modified C-clasp. It is signed Aarikka Finland on the back of the pewter bar, which has been highly oxidized. The chains appear to be made of darkened brass. The pin measures 4 ¼ inches at its widest part by 4 ½ inches at the longest point. It is one of Aarikka’s more creative and dramatic designs.

Set with four pieces of green art glass to resemble jade, alternating with Egyptian motifs. The central oval piece is flanked by applied openwork lotus blossoms; the sides exhibit applied elongated elements, possibly symbolizing the eye of Ra. The bracelet is probably American, dating 1920s-30s, and is marked sterling. The glass stones show signs of wear, and one of the smaller stones has a small chip to the side, but all are well secured in their bezel mountings. The bangle measures 3 ½ inches across, with a 7 1 /2-inch internal circumference. The width varies from ¼ inch at the sides and back to ¾ inch at the front.

Decorated with classic engine-turned engraving, with a blank reserve for initials. This money clip shows few signs of wear and appears to have a lacquered surface to preserve the finish. It bears the mark of B. A. Ballou & Co., of Rhode Island. It measures 1 ¾ inches by ¾ inch. Weight: 11.3 grams

Featuring a simple design of vertical bands bound horizontally, this ring is probably 1920s or 1930s, influenced by arts and crafts design. The band has a raised design of tiny discs. The inside of the band bears the sterling mark as well as the maker’s mark of a stylized W inside an inverted triangle, for J.J. White Manufacturing Co., Providence, RI. The ring is small, a size 4 ½ scant. Weight: 2 grams

This interesting pin is constructed of four flat, interlocking rings and has a nice heft to it. The rollover clasp is original to the piece and in good working order. The back bears the maker's mark of a conjoined HT, an unidentified silversmith who also worked with Estela Popowski, as well as independently. There are four other marks on the back: an eagle 20, a Hecho en Mexico mark and two sterling marks. The pin measures 2 inches long by 1 inch wide. Gross weight: 14.9 grams