Catalog (174)

This interesting pin is in the shape of a lyre (a precursor of the harp – Orpheus played the lyre). The coppery rose gold is engraved, with black enamel highlights, and dedicated to “GAO From G.V.” It measures 1-1/16” x 13/16” and weighs 3.6g, with the original old pin stem assembly. Unmarked, the brooch tests as 14k, and the pin stem tests as at least 10k. It is in excellent condition. The photos are part of the description; please examine them carefully. NOTE: rose gold can be hard t...

This beautiful unsigned ring has been attributed to Bernard Instone, one of the well-known Arts & Crafts era jewelers, who frequently didn’t sign his pieces. He often used leaves-as-prongs for setting stones, and as was often the way in the A&C movement, he didn’t use costly stones nor gold, so he could keep his prices affordable. This ring is made from sterling silver and set with a blue-green “Swiss lapis” (dyed quartz) which measures approximately 3/4” x 9/16”. It is about size 5...

The Edwardian fashion for white metal and pale colors is perfectly represented in this lovely bar pin. The white gold is marked and tests 9 k. The pin is 2" long, and is centered with a ½" diamond-shaped, faceted amethyst of lovely color. It dates from the early 20th century.

This very Victorian pin is gold fill set with two rose-cut red pastes and one cabochon ‘turquoise’. The pin is 1 ¼" wide with a central ball element that is 3/8" in diameter. Applied circles of wire rope ornament a vertical, rectangular bar. A hollow ball dangles from two chains; another chain connects the pin to the stickpin. This device preceded the safety catch to prevent loss of the pin. The C hinge and double C catch are replacements. The pin bears a Maker's mark OB, which ...

This petite yet striking charm or pendant is perfect for a necklace or bracelet. Measuring 15/16” including the bale, by 3/8”, he is holding a nice old mine cut diamond of approximately 5 points in his mouth. 18kt yellow gold, with no marks. In excellent condition, and circa 1900. The photos are part of the description; please examine them carefully. Thanks! We do lay-away. Shipping, handling & insurance within the USA included.

This lovely pendant is beautiful, antique, European, and signed by a famous but mysterious maker--can it get any better? The Art Nouveau movement revolutionized art and design in the late 1890s and early 1900s across continents. In Germany, the style was called Jugend Stil—Young Style, and many of the better known jewelry makers congregated in Pforzheim. The company of Meyle and Mayer was well known Jugenstil, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco jewelry, but today it is almost impossible to learn mu...

This is a classic “cigar band” ring from around the turn of the last century, and moving into the Edwardian era, often called a “gypsy” ring, made from richly-colored 18kt yellow gold. The center stone is a diamond, the outer two stones are rubies. It has decorative scroll work on the shoulders. The hallmarks are for Chester, England, 1903, and there is an illegible maker’s mark. It weighs 4.0g, and is approximately size 5. The shank is a little off round, and it’s possible that it w...

This necklace has all of the wow factor you expect from French jewelry. It is 18k gold (of course) open-work, with two palmate elements on each side. They join in a filigree-like round element that suspends a fifth, larger palmate element. The elaborate chain consists of marquise-shaped filigree links. The French eagle mark, indicating both French origin and 18 k gold, is on the clasp. The necklace is a generous 17 1/2" long. Circa 1890-1900. For all its dainty appearance, the 18k gold giv...

This pair of double “Sunrise” or “Sunset” cuff links is marked WHITE GOLD FRONT BELAIS 14K; TALON GRIP TRADEMARK. They are octagonal, measuring 5/8” x 7/16”, with rigid connectors that are hinged at one end. The Belais Brothers were among the first to develop a formula for white gold (patented 1917). Many feel they were the premier workers in white gold of their era, and their pieces are collectible. These show some wear to the gold, with a bit of red metal, perhaps copper, showing t...

A sassy dragon curled around a large amethyst-colored brilliant (yes, it’s glass) hides the hook that turns this into a watch pin. He has a dark red cabochon eye (probably also glass) and a colorless brilliant in his mouth. The pin is unmarked and is 1” by ¾” in size. The metal is vermeil (gold over silver). A round hinge and eared clasp suggest an age of late 1800s or early 1900s, but the exact age is unknown.

This strikingly beautiful pin is an interesting mixture of the Art Nouveau and Victorian styles. The Victorians loved to use real insects in jewelry. This particular type was a favorite.The Nouveau jewelers loved naturalistic motifs, but generally didn’t incorporate organic substances – yet the design of the framework is very Nouveau. Marked “14k”, the pale gold setting contrasts nicely with the deep green of the beetle. The pin stem assembly is original. The clasp has a nice safety leve...

This graceful festoon or garland necklace features seed pearls set in 10kt yellow gold, with pearls included in the draping chains, and a pearl dangle. Perfect for a bride, bridesmaid, or really anyone wishing for an elegant necklace for any occasion! The whole thing measures 14-5/8” (we have gold necklace extenders if needed). The decorated section measures 1-1/4” x 3/4” including the dangle. It is in very good antique condition. One seed pearl is missing, but it’s really hard to tell -...

This pretty pin combines the styles of Art Nouveau and Edwardian jewelry. We are attributing it to Whiteside & Blank, although it’s unsigned (not unusual for the time), since it’s remarkably similar to another piece by them. The pin consists of a gold framework enameled in very pale green – almost white - in a formal Edwardian key pattern. In the middle is a sprig of gold leaves with a pearl berry; the stem twines around the framework. An interesting juxtaposition of the formal and the org...

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 locket features a lovely Egyptian girl or woman – or perhaps a goddess! - in profile, wearing a headdress (from which a few locks of hair have escaped – so charming!), and hoop earrings. She is nestled within a crescent moon (symbolic of the female principal, intuition, and new beginnings). Inside it has both photo rings, but no celluloid. Unusually large, it measures 1-5/8”, and weighs .77 ounce. It is made of gold over silver, and there is a very faint “sterling” stamp on the in...

This beautiful pendant is straight out of the Arts & Crafts movement; it’s very much in the style of Horner, but it’s unsigned. It is enameled in an intense blue with areas of a much lighter blue. The dropper shades from a pale green through a lighter blue into an intense blue, echoing the color of the main part of the pendant. The back is marked “sterling silver”, and the dropper is marked “silver”. It measures 1-3/8 x 1-3/16, and is on a modern 18” sterling chain. In very good co...

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 Victorian pin is a gorgeous Egyptian Revival design executed in plique a jour (translucent) enamel framed in gilded silver. The design is a noble vulture holding feathers with lotus blossoms in his (or her) talons. The vulture’s wings are detailed in both opaque and translucent enamels; the tops of the wings are opaque enamel in yellowish green, and the feathers are detailed in yellow-green plique a jour shading to burnt orange. The body of the vulture is a matching yellowish-green ‘sto...