Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Silver (346)

This openwork, rectangular ring of organic form is set with a highly polished chrysoprase bead. It is unmarked, but is clearly the work of a studio jeweler. It tests as silver, and has a rough, unfinished feel but is well constructed. The setting measures about 1 inch by 5/8 inch; the ring is sized at about a 6 1/4. Gross weightL 12 grams

This pin has heft and presence, with a compelling design by Uni David-Andersen for the David-Andersen workshop. It resembles lattice work in its construction, but the irregular lengths of the ribs give it a primitive feel. The pin has a secure roll-over clasp and measures 2 inches long by 5/8 inches wide. Weight: 9 grams

This ring features an organic design of a textured, ribbon-like setting enclosing an untreated, polished piece of amethyst in lovely condition. The design is naturalistic, evoking a thick, curling vine with a texture like bark. The ring is marked ST925 inside the band, which is often seen on jewelry produced by Israeli designers. It is sized The impressive setting measures approximately 1 1/2 inches long by 1/4 inch wide by 1/2 inch high. The ring is sized at a 6 1/2 scant. Gross weight: 11 grams

Bold and colorful, this bracelet of five different agates alternating with sterling silver bars is a classic and sophisticated look. The oval stones are beautifully polished and seamlessly set in rounded, backed frames; they show no condition issues. Each connecting ring is soldered closed and the clasp is very secure; there are also rings for attaching a safety chain if desired. The bracelet is surprisingly light, probably because of the hollow cast bars, which means it sits comfortably on the wrist and exerts less stress on the clasp. The back of one oval setting exhibits an unidentified maker's mark as well as marks for Mexican sterling silver. The bracelet measures 7 ¾ inches long by 1 ½ inches wide. Gross weight: 56 grams

This dramatic choker necklace of sterling silver and applied copper has a Southwest feel, combining both Mexican and Native American design elements. The individual angular panels feature applied wires formed as spirals with silver beads at the end; the dangling curved panels bear applied fan-like copper designs. The necklace is completely handmade, down to the bands connecting each panel and the rings that suspend each pendant. The surfaces are highly oxidized, and the degree of cleaning will depend on the aesthetics preferred by the new owner. Regardless, it's truly a piece of wearable art and few of its kind probably exist. Dating could be anywhere from the 1930s to the early 1950s, and it is marked only sterling on the back of one pendant. The necklace has a total length of approximately 16 1/4 inches; the width is about 3/4 inch. Weight: 59.4 grams

This sterling silver belt buckle by renown modernist Ed Wiener exhibits a strong, clean design, crisply forged with a smooth panel of ebony set within a partial applied frame. The back has a well-soldered rectangular loop and prong with no signs of repair; it bears Ed Wiener's mark and the mark for sterling. There is a nicely aged patina, with random spots of oxidation, and a roughly half-inch shallow incision of unknown origin on the surface (best seen in first and last photos). The ebony is in lovely condition, and exhibits tiny white spots, again of unknown composition. The buckle measures 2 ¼ inches long by 1 ¼ inches wide. Gross weight: 3.5 grams

Cast as a lion's head and upper body, this ring is especially compelling for its intricate detail. The lion's mane continues from the head down to the ring's shoulder, and the tail rises from the band on the opposite side. It shows hardly any wear; the patina on the lower band suggests there is some age to the ring. The ring is unmarked and is sized to 6 ½; the lion's head measures about ¾ inch wide and ½ inch high. Weight: 9.5 grams

This silver pin evokes the late Arts and Crafts era with its hammered-look surface and serpentine vines, though it is definitely later. The applied coral-colored glass bead centers offer a nice splash of color. The hooded clasp completes the artisan look. The piece was probably made during the late 1950s-1960s to imitate the popular Scandinavian aesthetic of the time. It tests for silver, but not definitively for sterling, so could be European in origin. It is unmarked. The pin measures 2 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches. Gross weight: 18.2 grams

These mid-century earrings are composed of rectangular and concave gilded sterling silver plaques enameled in a deep blue with a linear design under the glaze. The blue shows much brighter than in the images and more of a contrast with the two raised ridges of gilded sterling that decorate the center. They are secured by screw backs in good working order, and are signed Balle 925 for Øystein Balle of Norway. They measure 1 inch long by 3/4 inch wide. Weight: 10.1 grams

This double-hinged bangle, a mid-century design by Sigfredo Pineda, features a central oval amethyst cabochon, framed in sterling silver and highly polished. It is surrounded by two sets of slender sterling silver bands enclosing it like fingers. The bracelets band is in three sections, with a soft patina from age, and the two hinge pins are very secure. The push-down clasp is in good working order, and there is a long, delicate safety chain attached by soldered rings. The inner band exhibits the Sigi mark, Eagle 3, a circular country mark and the design mark of 257. The bracelet has a 6 ½-inch inner circumference; the stone measures 1 inch by ¾ in. The band measures 5/8 inch wide.

This interesting handmade ring is composed of applied angular bands of various textures. A split band is attached asymmetrically to each side. The ring is unmarked, but tests definitively for silver. It is probably from the 1970s, and is sized approximately a 6 scant. Weight: 5 grams

Composed of five connected sterling panels, each decorated with two applied sterling calla lilies and gilded leaves. The flap clasp is very secure, as are all connecting rings; the sterling safety chain has a spring-ring clasp. The flap has an indecipherable mark, possibly for a maker, between the mark for sterling and the mark for gold content: 1/20 10kt G.F. (for gold-filled). The bracelet measures 7 ¼ inches long, including the clasp, and just under 1 ¼ inches wide. Weight: 57.9 grams

This popular Georg Jensen design features a deeply recessed, oxidized groove around the entire band that is embedded with tiny silver beads. The inside of the band bears the Jensen post-1945 mark, country and sterling marks, and design number of 60 B. The ring is sized at approximately an 8 1/4. Weight: 3.3 grams

This unusual bracelet is cleverly hand-built from cast circular elements, each riveted to the next. The rivets allow the circular pieces to move as on a hinge, and each is connected at an angle to accommodate a comfortable fit on the wrist. The box clasp is sturdy and secure, with a figure-eight safety catch. Although the circular elements are hollow, the bracelet has a good heft and has a Constructivist aesthetic. It is probably from the 1970s. The clasp is marked 925 for sterling silver. The bracelet measures about 7 inches long by 3/8 inch wide. Weight: 46.5 grams

This pin bridges mid-century modernist and Southwest aesthetics with its angular design and polished ceramic cabochon resembling turquoise. It’s marked 925 for sterling silver at one end; the original rollover clasp is very secure. The pin measures about 3 inches long by ¾ inch wide.

These earrings feature simple, classic geometrical designs enhanced with oxidation that is reminiscent of Southwest design. The earrings are not marked, but test for sterling silver; the screw backs are marked sterling. The surface exhibits a warm, aged patina. Each earring drops about 2 inches and each hoop measures 1 3/8 inches in diameter. Weight: 10.5 grams total

These abstract earrings have an unconstructed, rough look of Brutalist design. They have pendants with curled, textured and oxidized surfaces that are finished on both sides and dangle from similar tops. They test definitively for sterling silver, and although they are not too heavy for the original ear clips, a good jeweler or metalsmith could convert them to posts to be on the safe side. There are indecipherable marks on the pendant top rings that could be either tool marks or struck. The earrings measure 2 inches long by 5/8 inch at the widest area. Weight: 13.2 grams total

The bold design of this cuff features Viking influences, with embossed traditional patterns on an oxidized background. The terminals are curved for easily slipping the piece over the wrist, and there are applied triangular plaques where a safety chain was attached. The bracelet is inscribed inside and dated 1967. The Georg Jensen post-1945 mark appears on the edge of one terminal, and the design number 78 is on the other. There is a 1/16-inch impact under one edge (see photo 5). The cuff has a 7-inch internal circumference; there is a 1-inch gap between the terminals, the band measures ¾ inch wide and the opening measures 2 ¼ inches across. Weight: 48.8 grams