Catalog (174)

Here is a lovely antique ring in unmarked but tested 18kt rose gold. The center stone is a ruby cut in an old style, but in really excellent condition. (It’s possible that it’s a replacement stone.) It is surrounded by 8 rose cut and more randomly-cut diamonds which are definitely original, and which might be foiled, but in any case are in a closed-back setting. Typically for the period, a couple of them are chipped or have feathers (inclusions). The ring is a size 8-1/4, and could be sized...

This charming ring was made from 10kt (marked and tested) yellow gold, with a marquise or navette-shaped ruby flanked by two tiny accent diamonds. (Ruby is the birthstone for July, and is a symbol of devotion, love, and immortality – so lovely!) It also has a maker’s mark, which is either “QI” or “OJ”. The 2 diamonds are set in white metal – it’s not possible to tell whether it is silver or platinum. It’s size six and could be re-sized. The photos are part of the description; p...

If this gorgeous ring fit me, I'd be keeping it. (Of course it could be resized. Hmmm. ☺) The design is surprisingly modern but it is genuinely pre 1900. Two faceted rubies are set off by three seed pearls, with each gem surrounded by a square bezel. It has English hallmarks for Chester [England], 1865-6, and 15 carat gold, as well as a maker's mark of BHJ. The ring is a size 7.

This sweet, quintessentially Victorian, pin consists of a navette-shaped border of rose gold surrounding an oval of yellow gold, which highlights a flower and two leaves of rose gold. Longer than usual, it tests as 10k, and is signed “A.J.C”. Measuring 1-3/4” x 3/8”, it weighs 3.2g. In overall good condition, but it could use a little cleaning up. This pin came out of an important household in Newport, RI as a gift to the family of my consignor. Circa 1890. The photos are part of the de...

This fascinating ring consists of strands of rose gold tied in a knot, and studded with gold spheres. One sphere is missing, which makes it interestingly asymmetrical. The decorated area measures 5/8 x 1/2” and the shank measures 3/16”. The ring has a maker’s mark (“J.M”), the anchor for Birmingham, the date mark for 1903-4, “9”, and “375”, however it tests as 10k (That is not unusual). It’s approximately size 7 (it could be sized), and weighs 5.2g. In places the gold looks y...

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 interesting beetle stick pin harkens back to the Egyptian revivals (early 1800s, and then again in the 1920s). Perfect for your lapel, the beetle is in very good condition (the pin is slightly bent, as is usual with gold stick pins), and is set in unmarked but tested 14k rose gold. The beetle itself is 9/16” x 7/16” at the widest points, and is held firmly in place by 4 prongs. The whole thing is 2-3/4” long. The Victorians loved to use organic things in their jewelry, and this partic...

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” ...

Amethyst? No. Glass. Gold? No. Gold fill. Do those facts mean this lavalier is any less lovely? No! This charming lavalier is both antique and eye-catching. The stone is amethyst-colored glass and the metal is gold-fill. The lavalier is not marked, but the 20" gold-filled chain bears the maker's mark for Bates & Bacon. The lavalier is 1 1/8 X 3/4", not including the fresh-water pearl dropper. Circa 1900.

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 lovely sky-blue enameled pendant tests as silver, probably sterling. It has two shades of light blue enamel on the front, highlighted by flourishes in silver. The dropper is also enameled in shaded hues of blue. The enamel continues on the back in sky blue – such wonderful attention to detail! Excluding the bale, it is 1-1/2” long by just under ¾” across. There are two tiny areas of enamel damage on the back, and a few areas that could use some cleaning, but basically it is in excell...

This sterling silver buckle features translucent (plique a jour) enamel in a floral motif. These sash buckles with plique are quite unusual. The enamel is red, green, and two shades of blue. It is signed with a “JK” above another “JK” in a box. There are marks for London, 1886, and a duty mark. Measuring 3-1/8” x 2-1/4", it weighs 32.7g or 1.16 oz. It is in very good condition. (The plique has a few hairlines and some bubbles, which is normal for this type of enamel.) The red and blue ...

This plique a jour pendant is centered with an oval white opal and accented with eight colorless brilliants. The dropper is a fresh water pearl. The translucent enamel is an unusual and lovely blue in color. Plique a jour, that unusual, difficult, and beautiful technique, dates from the 15th century. It was used by Cellini, then revived in the late 1800s in France. The metal frame in this lovely piece is 900 silver, suggesting that the piece is most likely German or Austrian in origin. Circa ...

This maple leave pin consists of plique a jour enamel in a sterling silver setting. This lovely pin is highlighted with paste accent stones along the main leaf veins. The green plique is a very nice rich color. The pin seems to be missing one leaf, however, someone filled in the space with a pretty drop made of green agate, so the loss is hardly noticeable. It is centered by a faux pearl. The enamel itself is in good shape, with only a few hairline cracks - normal in all but the very best pieces...

This English jewel reflects the aesthetics of fin de siècle France and Russia, with its pink topazes and demantoid garnets. The fairly large oval topazes are surrounded by swirls of seed-pearl-set gold, and set off by 4 bright green demantoid garnets, two of which are set into the fine chains which connect the top section to the bottom; of the other two, the top one is a modified pear shape, the other is oval. The jewel measures 2” long by 1-1/8” across at the widest point, and weighs 5.4g....

This graceful pin is from the Edwardian/Art Nouveau era. The round peridot is framed by an oval of seed pearls, between delicate arabesques of gold set with more seed pearls, for a total of 30 (2 are replacements). Stamped 14k on the back, with an illegible maker’s mark, it measures 1-½” x 7/16" and weighs 2.0g. The peridot is slightly scratched, and the safety is a little loose and fussy, but in overall very good antique condition and with a nice patina. Circa 1910. Brought to Europe by th...

This lovely garland or festoon necklace is from the Edwardian end of the Art Nouveau movement. It is pictured in Vivienne Becker’s excellent book “Art Nouveau Jewelry” on page 185. She describes it as having “festoons of gold chain in the Edwardian manner, set with peridots, and decorated with shaded satin enamel, c. 1900.” It is unmarked, but tests as 14k gold. It is centered by an oval peridot, has an accent diamond and several small pearls, also a dropper ending with another oval pe...

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...