Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Silver (346)

Composed of four rectangular textured panels that are curved to fit comfortably around the wrist. This bracelet features an oxidized, textured surface with an unfinished look often associated with hand-crafted jewelry and at times, brutalist design. The pins holding the panels together are slightly bent, but are secure and contribute to its handmade look. The fold-over clasp is secure, and there is a safety chain, probably added later. The panels are each marked 925 for sterling silver content and measure 7/8 inch wide. The bracelet, when clasped, has an interior circumference of 8 inches. Weight: 38.5 grams

This whimsical silver pin, possibly formed as a French horn, features a bell made of amber. The amber is in very nice condition, without scratches or wear. There are silver marks on the pin stem that look to be Russian, but they aren’t clear enough for a definite identification. The rollover clasp is very secure, and tests for silver, as does the pin stem. The pin measures about 2 inches long, from the mouthpiece to the bell, and 1 1/8 inches wide. Gross weight: 11 grams

Composed of oval twisted-wire rings, this 1960s long chain is easy to wear and has a very contemporary look. It is unmarked, but tests as sterling and is very well constructed, with each link secured with solder. There is no clasp, just throw it on and go. When worn, the chain drops 19 ¼ inches long. Weight: 33.7 grams

Handmade, with an applied graceful, curled stem and jagged edges, this pin is a lovely piece of work by a studio jeweler. The pin tests as sterling silver and is unmarked. It is secured by a rollover clasp and dates anywhere from the 1970s to the 1990s. The pin measures 3 inches long by 1 3/4 inches wide. Weight: 8.5 grams

This studio piece features two engraved and oxidated textured designs on the main cuff, with an applied arching, overlapping band. Its distinctive, oblong shape is surprisingly comfortable and conforming to the shape of the wrist. It appears to have been hardly worn, and is nicely crafted. There is a machine-engraved maker’s signature, but it is very hard to read (possibly 'Carson'). It is also marked .925 for sterling. The cuff measures 1/4 inch wide; its internal circumference is 7 inches. Weight: 23.6 grams

These earrings are made of roughly cast concave oval discs. Each drop hangs from a rosette-shaped top and swings freely. Due to the casting process, there are slight differences in darkness among the pieces: The tops exhibit darker oxidation than the drops, and there is a slight difference in shade between the earrings in general. The surface has a brushed finish. The screw backs are marked S835, with an unidentified maker’s mark of what looks like I.Bh. They are probably Norwegian. Each earring measures a little over 2 1/4 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Weight: 10.9 grams

Formed in the shape of coral-like branches and set with what appears to be a gray pearl, this delicate sterling silver pin was made by Otto Robert Bade of New Hope, PA. Bade was a prominent designer for Francisco Rebajes, and purchased the company in 1958 from. Bade renamed the firm Orb, which ended production in 1971. The pin is marked ‘Orb’ on the reverse and is secured with a safety clasp. It measures 2 inches long by 1 1/4 inches wide.

This sterling bracelet features a sophisticated design influenced by the ancient Americas, composed of rectangular, scrolled links. They are securely connected by curled elements that have retained their shape. The bracelet shows hardly any wear and has a nice heft. The hook clasp is in good working condition and bears an Eagle 1 mark for sterling with a circular mark for Taxco and maker’s intials of MP. The bracelet measures 7 ½ inches long by ½ inch wide. Weight: 26 grams.

This comfortable 1960s bracelet is composed of chevron-shaped links that move naturally with the wrist. It bears the mark of New York jeweler Carl Ruopoli and sports an innovative disc clasp that is quite secure and easy to maneuver. The bracelet measures 7 ½ inches long by ½ inch wide. Weight: 21 grams

Of hollow construction and graduated thickness, with angular sides. The top surface of the bracelet has been machine-etched in a tight zig-zag pattern. The hinge has a good spring and the bracelet has retained its shape and sits nicely on the wrist. The inner circumference measures 7 inches; the bracelet opens to 1 ½ inches to slide over the hand. It is light and comfortable to wear, with a classic neat look. It has the Italian post-1968 mark for sterling. Weight: 15.6 grams

An unusual link bracelet composed of delicate openwork panels. The box clasp is secure and is engraved with script initials of FW. The back of one panel shows the Swedish silver mark, an unidentified maker’s or town mark and the mark for .835 silver. The clasp is secure and comes with an attached safety chain. The bracelet measures 8 inches long by 9/16 inches wide. Weight: 16.5 grams

This ornate sterling silver disk pin, by Norwegian maker Ivar T. Holth, is gilded and features an intricate wirework design. It is applied to a scalloped disk of white guilloched enamel and dates from the 1960s-1970s. It appears to have been hardly worn, with a light tarnishing of the gilt that can be addressed with a cloth cleaning. There is a secure rollover clasp on the back as well as the marks for Norway, Holth and sterling. It measures 1 ¾ inches in diameter, and has a nice heft at 22.2 grams. Please note that the white enamel is actually a much brighter white than shown in the photos.

Formed as a stylized starburst of forged wire with a central sterling silver bead, this pin is based on the Joseph Skinger design, but made and signed by Martin Lasak. The pin has a delicate look but is sturdily made. The back sports a secure rollover clasp, as well as a sterling mark. Lasak, of Bar Harbor, Maine, was trained by and worked for Joe Skinger during the 1960s in Skinger's Vermont studio, according to Joe's daughter Carol. The Skinger design is titled 'Snowflake.' The pin measures 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Weight: 3.1 grams

These unmarked Mexican earrings feature lacy wirework on a half-moon-shaped frame. They test strongly for silver and sit perpendicular to the ear. They date from the 1950s and are secured by kidney wires with hooks. They measure 1 3/8 inches long by ¾ inch wide. Weight: 7 grams total

This stunning bracelet is composed of an applied cast floral layer on a plain, hinged bangle bracelet, with a secure tongue-and-groove clasp and security chain. The tongue bears French import marks that guarantee a silver content of at least .800, and probably dates anywhere from the 1930s to the 1950s. The bangle measures about ½ inch wide with an internal circumference of just under 7 inches. Gross weight: 28.4 grams

This bracelet is made of six linked stylized flowers alternating with bars decorated with incised circular elements. The flower 'petals' are actually formed as coffee beans. The box clasp is secure, as are the connections between each flower. There is an Iguala/Mexico/925diamond-shaped mark on the back of the clasp with the unidentified maker’s initials, which look like EHP but may actually be EMB according to the third edition of Bille Hougart's book of Mexican maker's marks. The center beads of each coffee-bean element show some wear; there is a nice, soft patina of some 50 years. The bracelet measures nearly 8 inches long and 5/8 inch wide. Weight: 20 grams

VikingCraft was a line of jewelry produced by Albert Horwig, New York, to satisfy the demand for scandinavian-style jewelry during the 1940s and 1950s. This pin is well made, evoking movement with elongated, stylized leaves. It is marked on the back VikingCraft and sterling, and has a secure rollover clasp. It measures 3 1/4 inches long by 1 1/4 inches at its widest point. Weight: 24.8 grams

A nice quality pin with a graceful design, set with a dyed blue chalcedony. It is American, with a maker’s mark of conjoined JM for Joseph Masaniello, a New York jewelry artisan who worked during the 1940s and 1950s, and was a friend and contemporary of Carl Ruopoli. The pin is formed as stylized calla lilies and leaves, with vine-like curls. It’s a substantial piece and measures 2 3/4 inches long by 1 1/8 inches wide. Gross weight: 15.8 grams