Catalog: Estate Jewelry (157)

Coral has been used in jewelry for thousands of years. It has been called Sea Garden because of its resemblance to a plant. Coral is used as protection from negativity and evil, and to dispel feelings of inner weakness. This pin is 14k gold and holds a coral branch. It is Victorian in age and has maker's mark, BML. The pin is 2" X 1/2". Circa 1860.

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...

This charming pin is the embodiment of Victorian design. A very stylized butterfly perches on a row of 'gold' ball-shaped dangles. The butterfly is centered with a colorless brilliant, and flanked by small ruby pastes at each side. As was common at the time in the Victorian era, a matching stickpin acts as a safety feature as well as being pretty. The pin is a generous 1 1/2" and is gold filled. There is a maker's mark PC Co. Circa 1880

This Art Nouveau stickpin is both simple and simply attractive. It dates from about 1900. The artful knot of 14 k gold holds a small pearl. The pin is ~3" long, and it comes with a clutch to prevent accidental stabbings. ☺

A bit of history for your lapel During the Victorian era, every young gentleman had to make his Grand Tour, picking up souvenirs along the way. Lava cameos (actually made from a very fine-textured limestone) made into jewelry were highly sought after. We can visualize this as a gift from a young man to a blushing Victorian maiden! This Victorian lava cameo is mounted in a 14 k gold stickpin. The cameo and mounting are 3/8" in height; overall length of the pin is 2 5/8"...

Good things come in small packages. This charming pin is small but beautiful. It is made of 800 silver, enameled on both front and back, and centered with a square-cut peridot. The pin is 3/4" in diameter. Enamel is slightly worn on the front, but is in better condition on the back. There is a small chip in the stone...

This charming 14 k gold pin is an homage to a moment in American history. The Daughters of Liberty was formed ~1766, shortly after the Sons of Liberty. This group of brave women boycotted British products and made use of traditional women's skills such as weaving and spinning, to support the cause of liberty. The pin bears an enameled flag, initials, the number five, and the date 1860. It is 1 X 1/1/2" in size.

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...

This is a lovely Victorian pin has a coral branch supporting three dangles with coral beads and a small coral branch. The dangles give movement and liveliness when pin is worn. The whiplash design of the mounting suggests that the design has a strong early Art Nouveau influence. The pin is gold-filled and it is circa 1885.

The lady in this lovely bar pin is the quintessential Art Nouveau lady with abundant swirling tresses streaming away from her face. The 14 k gold pin has the typical construction of the period: solid back, old style round hinge, and classic C clasp. It is marked for 14 k gold and signed with the little collar button mark used by Krementz. The pin is 1 3/4" X 3/8". The Krementz company of Newark New Jersey was founded in 1866...

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Victorian tastes and habits dominated, with subdued colors, mourning jewelry, and general strictness. The Arts & Crafts Movement reacted to this and gathered strength from a number of world events. Jewelry designers and crafters found inspiration in the Far East and the Victorian interest in mechanization gave them new techniques...

Here is a shield-shaped sorority pin (9/16 x 1/2”), with 16 tiny seed pearls set around the perimeter, and 3 colored stones. The 2 upper stones are emerald green, the bottom one is sapphire blue. They are too tiny for us to identify with certainty. The shield is crossed by a band of white enamel bisecting a background of black enamel. On the band are the Greek letters Kappa Phi, and in gold on one side is a candle stick and on the other is a flower...

These beautiful sterling silver cufflinks are marked for Unger Bros and sterling. The flower-patterned ovals are linked by chain and are the epitome of Art Nouveau. One oval, darn it, is a plain replacement. Each oval is 7/8" x 3/4". Circa 1910.

This charming watch pin is a lovely example of Art Nouveau design. A central amethyst is flanked by seed pearls, all set in 14 k gold. The pin is 3/4 X 3/4" and carries the maker's mark L B A. Circa 1900.

An antique pin with a modern vibe. This charming Arts & Crafts is made of sterling silver that has been enameled in artfully shaded blue to chartreuse to look like the wings of a stylized moth. A mother-of-pearl oval centers the body, and there is a small faceted green 'stone' (possibly glass) at the head. The pin is 1 ½ by 3/4 inches in size, not including the small spherical dropper which is enameled in a rich blue. The pin is circa 1900.

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 is an absolutely gorgeous diamond cocktail ring from the 1960s-70s. Its delicate beauty is eye-catching without being a blatant grab for attention...

A fierce, mythical creature, generally held to be fiercely territorial, is ready to claim his territory on your lapel and guard it--and you! In an era when much jewelry was tiny, this pin has a real presence. The gryphon clings to a golden shield and is sure to be an attention getter! The pin is marked FIX, which is a French process of heavy gold plate or gold fill. Overall size is 1 1/2" X 1 1/2"...