Catalog (174)

This pretty and detailed pin might depict St. Catherine (patroness of young maidens and female scholars – we like her!). There is a wheel in the background (possibly a “Catherine Wheel,” but it could also just be a ship's wheel or a spinning wheel), and a flower in the foreground. Her clothing looks very Renaissance-era to us. Marked “SILVER” on the C-clasp, with an illegible maker’s mark, the metal tests as sterling, and she’s a dainty 7/8” in diameter. 2.5g. In excellent condit...

This sweet pin is so very Art Nouveau! A lady’s face is surrounded by ribbons and flourishes, some set with seed pearls. It is gold filled, and measures 1-1/8” x 7/8”. Her nose and chin show some wear, and it has a patina consistent with age – this piece was very well loved! The pin stem assembly is mounted in an interesting fashion – please see photos. Circa 1900. The photos are part of the description; please examine them carefully. Thanks! Shipping, handling & insurance within the U...

Here is a petite pin which has a water lily or lotus motif, highlighted by a tiny seed pearl. (The lotus is a symbol of enlightenment and purity, especially to Buddhists.) It is unmarked but tests as 10kt gold. It measures 1-1/8”, and weighs in at 0.04 oz. It would look lovely on a lapel or blouse. Circa 1900. The photos are part of the description; please examine them carefully. Thanks! Shipping, handling & insurance within the USA included.

This serene lady is shown with lotuses or water lilies in her hair. (The lotus, a variety of water lily, has symbolized purity, enlightenment, and resurrection.) This lady is remarkably similar to a piece made by the Unger Bros., but marked only STERLING – and the stamp is reversed! We believe her to be a copy, but still made around 1900 – this seemed to have happened fairly frequently back in the “olden days.” She has the patina of age, a pin stem assembly which is correct for the turn ...

This elegant brush has repousse decorations depicting Art Nouveau lilies on the top, and fancy swirls on the handle. It measures 5-3/4” x 3". It is stamped Sterling, and there are other, illegible, marks. There is a little bit of damage to the silver at the top of the brush, which is exaggerated by the photos. The handle has an undecorated area on each side, ready to be monogrammed, should you want one. On one side this area has some small dings to it. On the other side the photos show camera...

This very Victorian grooming chatelaine is from the 1800s. It has a Chinese fish motif at the top, and dangling from that are 3 implements: a tweezers, one for cleaning nails, and an ear-cleaning device. (We saw a similar chatelaine on eBay, and the ear-cleaning implement was advertised as a device for opium users, but we don’t think so! However, as non-opium users, we could be wrong ….) It is unmarked but tests positive for silver, and with a patina consistent with age. It is lacking a belt...

This pretty shaker is made from emerald-green glass with a gold-toned metal top. It is unmarked, but we were told by a glass specialist that it is from England, and circa 1900. It’s approximately 5” tall and 2-3/8” across the bottom. The top/lid has cut-outs in the shape of stars – really charming! It is in excellent condition. The photos are part of the description, so please examine them carefully. Thanks! We do lay-away. Shipping, handling & insurance within the USA included.

This colorful brooch depicts a red poppy in full bloom, with green leaves and buds. It was made by the well-known Bippart Griscomb & Osborn Company of Newark, New Jersey. It is also stamped for “14k”. Measuring 1” x 1-1/4”, it has the long pin stem often found on antique jewels. There is an interestingly-shaped freshwater pearl mounted at the top, and another dangling below. Poppies have symbolized peace, sleep (remember Dorothy crossing the poppy field in The Wizard of Oz?), and resurre...

Here is a coral garland (also referred to as “festoon” or “swag”) necklace, consisting of 8 coral cabuchons of graduated lengths and sizes. The three longest drops are on rigid bars. The coral is a lovely dark ox-blood red. Coral was believed to prevent bad luck, and to be an aid to meditation. The length is 15-1/4” (but it would be easy to get an extender if needed – we can help with that; just ask), and the decorated portion is 4-1/4” x 2-1/8” at the longest point. The chain be...

Here is a Washington- and Masonic-themed spoon which is marked STERLING F.A. WHELAN. Both sides of the bowl, the hilt, and the tip are gold washed. It has a lot of Masonic symbolism incorporated into the design. The dates on the spoon handle (1732-1799) are the birth and death dates for George Washington, who was a Mason. (He is also a main character in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton.” We are huge fans!) The spoon is approximately 100 years old. It measures 4-1/8", and weighs 10.9g. There ...

This wildly over-the-top Egyptian Revival inkwell has the goddess Hathor as the center piece. She was the goddess of dance, music, and fertility (how cool is that!). She is wearing big earrings, and her usual headdress. She seems to have a flower in her hair, and in front of her there is foliage tied by a ribbon with a bow (we can’t tell if it’s laurel or mistletoe). The ink pots (glass inserts are not present) have winged hearts on them, and are surmounted by crescent moons – symbolic of ...

This lovely lady is made from 14k gold (there is a partial mark, so we tested it to be sure). Her face is framed by a stylized shell motif, and she has flowers and a diamond in her upswept hair, as well as another diamond nestled in her décolletage. This watch pin or brooch is of hollow construction, and weighs 4.7g. It measures 1” x 1-1/4”. The pin stem assembly is original. Her face is a little worn in the high places, as is usual with older, well-loved pieces, and the back has darkened i...

This beautiful ring has decorative scroll work on the shank; the center decoration is a horizontal row of seed pearls, with a red stone above and one below. One stone is badly chipped, and both are abraded. One of them might be a doublet, but otherwise we don’t know what they are, because of the abrasions, so assume glass - but we could be wrong. It is stamped 10K, and is approximately size 8. It could be sized. Circa 1900. The photos are part of the description so please examine them careful...

This fabulous bracelet by Schaverien & Eastmead of Birmingham, England, is 7” long and 3/8” wide at the widest points. Each panel features enamel shading from dark green to pale green to magenta and back again. In between each panel is a round blister pearl. Each connecting link has a hard-to-read mark, probably a lion, also the marks for Birmingham, 1909, and “S&E”. The clasp has a safety chain. One enamel panel has a very small black spot, and one has a tiny chip in the enamel, barely ...

Here is an interesting portrait in silver, of a wind-swept young person clad in a cloak and hood. It’s very detailed and just lovely. We think it’s a boy (very unusual in jewelry), as the hair seems to be quite short under the hood. The hood itself looks like a cap made from a flower, as seen on fairies in Victorian children’s books. It measures 1-1/8” wide, is hollow, and is marked “STERLING TOP GERMAN SILVER BACK”. The sterling front is in very good condition. “German silver” ...

This pretty pin measures 7/8” across. Some of the leaves are enameled in shades of green, yellow and orange, alternating with leaves set with 3 seed pearls each. (The colors make it perfect for Spring or Fall!) It is centered by another seed pearl. The findings are original, with an interesting security clasp. The clasp has a maker’s mark: an arrow with a circle at the end, most likely for Robert Klitz, of New York. It doesn’t have a hallmark, but it tests for 14k gold. Circa 1900. The ph...

This beautifully detailed sash buckle was designed for Tiffany by the well-known and highly collectible George Shiebler. The marks are: “Tiffany & Co,” the winged S for Shiebler, “Sterling,” and “4758” (we’re not sure what that means). It is 3” x 2”, with a slight curve to it, and weighs 42.2g/1.49oz. Decorated with a floral motif, it’s a classic beauty. Geo. W. Shiebler & Co. was in business under that name from 1876 until almost 1915. The buckle came in a Tiffany fabric bag...

This is one of our very favorite pieces: a striking Jugendstil (Germany and Austria’s Arts & Crafts) pendant which is enameled in white and purple. It is made from 900 silver (a bit less fine than sterling), and centered by a lovely oval amethyst which is flanked above and below by tiny seed pearls. There is a pearl dangle (which we added, as the original was missing) below an arc of milgrained metal. It measures 1-1/2” x 7/8” and weighs 4.7g. In overall excellent condition; there is an ar...