Catalog (325)

Designed by Karin Pedersen for JemAx of Denmark, this sterling silver vermeil and white enamel brooch is such a great example of Scandinavian minimalist / modernist design from the 1960s and 1970s. I love the pearlescence of the white here and the way its translucence brings out the guilloche motifs in the silver underneath. White is a gorgeous color in Scandinavian enamelwork and it pairs perfectly with darker, more subdued hue time and loving use has bestowed to the vermeil finish. Measuring 2...

Sweet, romantic, a little treasure to adorn your button-down shirt or even a light scarf, this period Art Nouveau sterling silver and enamel bar pin was crafted in London, England in the opening years of the previous century. Silky, off-white magnolia flowers with just a touch of orange/yellow where the petals meet the stem and shimmering green leaves against a pearlescent background take center stage here. In almost perfect condition and such a treat on a rainy day like today it measures 2” ...

It has been a while since I offered jewelry from Peru and this is the first in a series I will be presenting in the next few weeks. Very reminiscent of the style of Graziella Laffi, the so-called “Spralting of Peru”, the figural combination brooch / pendant at hand is adorned with polychrome enamel, hand-chased details and oxidation. The colors are vibrant and the workmanship of very high quality,. Yet what I like the most is that sense of imminent motion, so intense one can almost see the b...

An intriguing contributor to Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance, Taller Taxco is a workshop that, as far as my experience goes, created jewelry that were solely based on Salvador Teran's designs. High quality, attention to detail and generous weight distinguish their work from other, "lesser known" modernist talleres yet to this day, a relationship between them and Teran has not been firmly established. Whichever the case might be, the curved lozenge earrings presented here, based on Salvador o...

Maestro Ocampo's work I have come to appreciate over the years for its good craftsmanship and attention to finishing yet it's been a long time since I offered a piece by him. Quite often his jewelry is inspired by the creations of the bigger talleres and if I am not mistaken, the bracelet at hand is based on a Los Castillo design. The technique employed is also something the Los Castillo tried their hand at. This is not a straight forward "mixed metals" bracelet in which alternating links made o...

"Like mother like daughter" (and why not? father and son as well) is what came to mind when I saw this sweet Mexican silver and turquoise "baby" cuff bracelet. Beautifully stamped with ornamentation in the Native American / Southwestern style and centered by a rich blue turquoise stone with warm dark brown matrix the cuff is, of course, also ideal for those of us out there with very small wrists. Over the years of my love-affair with vintage Mexican jewelry, I have come upon "baby size" cuffs bu...

Very evocative of the Arts and Crafts style but most probably made in the 1940s, this elegant sterling silver ring is adorned with a pearlescent purple moonglow lucite “stone”. This type of luxurious plastic was very popular in the 1940s and extensively used in the world of costume jewelry so I think it’s an exciting surprise to find a sterling ring set with it. Please note the detail in the layers of leaves that form the shoulders, the tiny lozenges and linear designs enhancing the bezel....

Ideal for Mother's Day (yes, there is still time to bring it home) this antique Victorian brooch is perfect to show your love and affection year round as well - whether to somebody else or yourself is up to you to decide! Wrought in the aesthetic style its decorative elements develop on different plains thus adding architectural interest and a dramatic depth of field. Tender roses in full bloom and leaves, some raised, some flat, textured with stippling and hand-etched details hold center stage ...

If I saw this piece from far away, I would think it's a poison ring - that's how impressive in size and lift its gallery is. Yet not to worry, there is no hidden compartment here and you won't be tempted to become a modern-day Lucrezia Borgia! Beauty and commanding presence, though, yes! There is a lot of that in the sodalite's dark blue depths with their cloudy grey swirls and that river of black cutting across right through the cab's middle. And even though a ring offers a relatively small are...

Made in one of the countries of mainland South-east Asia which were, at the time, under French colonial control, this silver repousse brooch bespeaks the level of craftsmanship local silversmiths had attained and their attention to composition and design execution. Hand-crafted during the first decades of the 20th c., I believe, the brooch is characteristic of the style and techniques that flourished in that area of the world. Minutely etched repoussage with crisp delineation in the scene's diff...

A puzzling piece - though it is signed “Birks”, the hallmark does not look like the Canadian company’s commonly encountered marks - this vintage sterling vermeil pin is a small work of art. Slender and elegant, the flower it represents consists of a textured silver stem while its leaves and bloom are made of molded jadeite glass. The glass is supple and glistens thanks to the glaze that was applied over it and the brooch has that romantic, nature-loving air of 1940s jewelry. Its findings a...

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. Quite often antique hollow bangles make it to us scarred with the experiences of a long life but the example at hand is unscathed, its beauty glowing with the patina of time and ...

Quite impressive in size and richly decorated with stampwork this vintage sterling silver and turquoise brooch is signed by Navajo silversmith Willie Shaw. I was always attracted to the magical blues and greens of turquoise and I find the so-called "spiderweb" stones irresistible. This particular one, with its big area of all-black, makes the juxtaposition of the two colors even more dramatic. The brooch measures 3 1/2" long and its width varies between 1 1/4" and 5/8". It weighs 23.7 grams an...

I always loved "reindeer moss" jewelry and I expected, when I would finally get one, that it would hail from Finland. Little did I know that it would actually come from the other end of the world. But here it is, magically exotic, reminiscent of ancient forests, with trees dripping in the cool mist, their floors soft with fallen leaves and pine needles. There is something very serene about this ring, something that creates the feeling of brushing against Nature's ancient shoulder as one embarks ...

Silver lipstick cases / holders from Italy are not a rare occurrence yet how often do you come upon a signed Peruzzi example? As difficult to find as it is beautiful, this one has it all - the signature, the warm patina, the delicate floral etched decoration and tiny little sparkling red rhinestones at the center of each dainty flower. Even the tab that holds the pop-up mirror is shaped like a multi-petaled bloom. A collector's dream-come-true the case measures 2/3" wide and deep by 2 3/8" tall....

Three old jade medallions carved in the shape of a butterfly and lotus flowers and set in silver adorn this beautiful Chinese brooch. Definitely an early 20th c. piece as attested to by the clasp's pin that protrudes beyond the sterling frame, this is a delightfully airy pin, its delicate lightness enhanced by the subtle colors in the stones and the winged creature it represents. If you love classy, elegant jewelry, this brooch is for you. It measures 2 5/8" long by 1" wide and weighs 15.2 grams...

Made in 1978, this vintage English sterling silver ring epitomizes the timeless appeal of Wedgwood jasper "cameo" rings. Wedgwood jasperware cut across genre divides and come in several colors but this darker blue (along with black) is my favorite of all. Hailing from Greece, I appreciate the Greek Revival figural applique as well as the sweet serenity the image of mother-and-child imparts. Currently a sz 6.75 US (resizable by your jeweler but you might lose part of the hallmarks)the ring has a ...

Signed by Graziella Laffi, the often referred-to as "Spratling of Peru" this bird brooch can also be found with blue enamel adorning its eye. Executed in all-silver in our case, with hand-etched and stippled details, I like to think of it as a pelican or even a seagull, maybe because she has used the same motif in necklace and bracelet form as well but combined with fish-shaped stations. Measuring 1 5/8" long by 1 1/4" tall the brooch weighs 8.7 grams and is signed with maker's name as shown a...