Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Silver (48)

A wonderfully heavy vintage silver bracelet by Hermès. The bracelet has a triangular profile that stands well out from the surface of the wrist and a masterfully constructed so that it is flexible, but appears rigid when being worn. The inside edges of each link are parcel gilt, so the bracelet sometimes shows the slightest gold hue. This is probably the heaviest Hermès bracelet we have seen. The bracelet is presented in its original vintage fitted Hermès gray box. The bracelet is fully hallmarked with French first standard (950/1000 pure) silver marks and Hermès maker’s mark indicating it was made in the company’s own ateliers instead of being farmed out to other makers as was sometimes the case. The clasp is also signed “Hermès.”

• Origin: France, ca. 1960
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 11/16” wide; 3/8” high; 8-1/4” long
• Weight: 148.0 grams.

A nice extra-wide Victorian silver cuff bracelet engraved in an ornate Persian-inspired design. The bracelet is hinged, and the back side is unengraved. The width of the bracelet lends a very imposing look. Tested and guaranteed sterling silver.

• Origin: America, ca. 1875
• Condition: excellent, only two pinpoint dings on the back side
• Dimensions: 6-1/4” circumference, 1-7/16” wide
• Weight: 31.9 grams

An excellent late Victorian silver baton link watch chain, the batons decorated with niello in a striped pattern echoed in the striped niello of the dog clip and large bolt clasp. The silver batons are joined by shorter gilt silver double baton links. The chain is stamped “800” and with the Swiss silver hallmark used prior to 1934.

• Origin: Switzerland, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, all niello intact except wear to the niello on the dog clip
• Length: 17-1/8”
• Weight: 10.8 grams

A delightful late Victorian or Edwardian pendant in the form of a poodle jumping through a hoop. The wonderfully detailed poodle is cast in sterling silver and the hoop is 14K gold. The dog is fully three-dimensional, and the eyes are set with small pyrope garnets. The pendant is marked “14K Sterling.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1910
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-9/16” x 3/8” x 1-1/4”
Weight: 11.2 grams

An excellent late Victorian silver baton link watch chain, the batons decorated with niello in a checkboard pattern. The batons are joined by gilt silver curb links. Even the dog clip and bolt clasps are enhanced with striped niello. The chain is stamped “800.”

• Origin: Switzerland, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, all niello intact
• Length: 16-1/2”
• Weight: 10.4 grams

A superb American silver locket and chain necklace from the Victorian era. The book chain is enhanced with three rows of lapidary-cut silver balls. The locket’s cover is decorated with an engraved scene of an egret, bamboo, reeds and a fan in the Japonaise style popular during the Aesthetic period. The interior retains the original frames on either side. The chain can be worn without the locket as a 17” necklace or, with the drop chain in place at the back, as a 19-1/4” necklace. American chains of this style are far more uncommon than English chains. Tested and guaranteed silver.

• Origin: America, ca. 1885
• Condition: chain is excellent; locket has one pinpoint ding to the front and several to the back
• Dimensions: necklace, 17” to 19-1/4”; locket, 1-3/8” x 1-3/4” (excluding bail)
• Weight: 95.3 grams

A French silver watch chain with a button hook on one end and a locking swivel on the other. The beauty of this chain is its absolute simplicity. It would look great paired with additional silver chains of various styles to create a longer necklace. Paired correctly, the button hook would make a superb hook for a locket or charms. The chain is stamped with a boar’s head hallmark for 800/1000 silver purity.

• Origin: France, ca. 1880
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: 11-5/8” long
• Weight: 16.9 grams

A nice silver pendant depicting the solar system and the attributes of the sign Scorpio—a scorpion a depiction of the god Mars representing the planet that rules those born into Scorpio. The pendant is signed “AC” and is stamped with French silver hallmarks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1970
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 15/16” x 1-3/8”
• Weight: 8.6 grams

An interesting silver pendant depicting the solar system and the attributes of the sign Leo—a lion and a depiction of the sun representing the heavenly body that rules those born into Leo. The pendant is signed “AC” and is stamped with French silver hallmarks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1970
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 3/4” x 1-1/4”
• Weight: 5.2 grams

A very fine and rare Georgian locket in the “giardinetti” style featuring an oval rock crystal compartment bordered in gold completely surrounded by silver leaves and flowers set with 117 rose cut diamonds in closed-back settings typical of the period. The matching bail is in the form of a countess’ coronet. This piece is a very rare survival from the Georgian period. Tested and guaranteed silver and 18K. The bail is stamped with illegible hallmarks.

• Origin: probably France, ca 1780
• Condition: excellent, a few minor scratches on the back crystal and a small nick to an interior edge of the front crystal
• Dimensions: 1-3/8” x 2-7/16” (including bail)
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .59 carat
• Weight: 14.2 grams

A lovely silver and gold necklace with pendant in the shape of two conjoined hearts, one with the word “Mizpah” and the other with the verse “The Lord watch between thee and me when we are absent one from another.” “Mizpah” stems from the Hebrew word for “watchtower,” and was used in jewelry to symbolize protection for loved ones during an extended absence. In an era of months-long travel and extended warfare, the Mizpah became a tangible reminder of being loved and protected from afar. The hears are further adorned with appliqued gold flowers and foliage. “Mizpah” is most frequently seen alone, without any verse or other sentimental decoration. Originally a brooch, the hearts now hang from an old silver chain. The reverse bears hallmarks for Chester, England and an unidentified maker’s mark “SB.”

• Origin: England, ca 1890 (the date mark is partially obscured, but appears to be 1891
• Condition: good, converted from a brooch, some dings on the heart engraved with the verse
• Dimensions: pendant, 7/8” x 1-3/8”; necklace length, 19-3/8”
• Weight: 9.6 grams

A large sterling silver locket from the Aesthetic Period, the cover decorated with an engraved Japonaiserie scene of a water bird landing among reeds. The bird is surrounded by a fan-shaped reserve. The ends of the locket are nicely enhanced with beading and a fancy border. The interior retains both original frames and glass enclosing either fabric. The back is unadorned. This locket is unmarked, indicating an American origin. American silver lockets from this era are far more uncommon than English versions.

• Origin: America, ca. 1860
• Condition: excellent, all original, no monogram or dings
• Dimensions: 1-3/8” x 1-5/8” (excluding bail)
• Weight: 18.2 grams

An attractive 800 silver and Baltic amber ring, the oval cabochon amber in a silver setting reminiscent of Jensen’s designs from the 1930s. The amber is natural has not been quench-crackled. The back of the shank is signed with an unidentified maker’s mark and has Polish hallmarks for 800 silver.

• ORIGIN Poland, ca. 1970
• CONDITION excellent; silver has been lightly cleaned to retain patina
• FINGER SIZE 7-1/4
• DIMENSIONS crown, 1” x 3/4"
• WEIGHT 7.0 grams

A delightfully feisty-looking cat is featured in the French Art Nouveau brooch. We’re particularly fond of his enormously long whiskers that stretch the full width of the pin. The pin is stamped with French silver marks and with an illegible maker’s mark.

NOTE: The pin could be worn as a pendant with the addition of a bail to the back.

• Origin: France, ca. 1905.
• Condition: excellent; all original.
• Dimensions: 1” diameter.
• Weight: 5.4 grams.

This lovely enameled pansy, originally a screwback earring, has been converted to a colorful ring with the addition of sterling silver shank. The pansy is enameled in bright shades of purple and yellow. The enamel has a slight iridescent effect and is translucent so the engraved silver shines through for added texture. In the Victorian language of flowers, the pansy generally conveyed the meaning, “Think of me.” Purple and yellow pansies more specifically meant, “Forget me not.” The back is marked “Sterling.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1930.
• Condition: excellent; no enamel damage.
• Dimensions: 3/4 x 3/4".
• Finger Size: 6 1/4.
• Weight: 3.8 grams.

An elegant Art Nouveau silver brooch depicting a maiden smelling a rose. She is surrounded in a bower of climbing roses and enclosed in a frame of whiplash curves typical of French Art Nouveau. The clasp is marked for silver and bears the maker's mark of Fernand Boursot, who opened shop in Paris in 1894. THe brooch could be converted to a pendant with the addition of a bail at the top or a pair of bails and a split chain at the upper corners.

• France, ca 1895.
• Excellent condition; sharp detail.
• 1" x 15/16".
• 5.1 grams.

An Edwardian gilt silver ("vermeil") locket enhanced with bright turquoise blue guilloche enamel. The starburst design of the champleve is enhanced with gilt accents in the enamel. The locket retains the original insert frames on both sides. Stamped with English hallmarks; the city mark is obscured, so we can't be certain of the exact date letter, but we believe it to be 1917.

• England, ca 1917
• Excellent condition; no enamel damage
• Dimensions: 1" diameter
• Weight: 13.0 grams

An elegant pendant worked in 18K yellow gold and sterling silver by DeBeers Award winning jewelry designer John Atencio. The pendant features a square cushion cut amethyst surrounded by pave-set round brilliant cut diamonds. The amethyst has strong purple coloring, and the use of concave facets creates are very lively brilliance in the stone stone. The diamonds are of good quality, averaging J color and SI clarity. The setting is finely detailed with niello accents. The bale is hinged so the pendant can be slipped over a thick chain, and is marked “SS 18K”. The back of the setting incorporates the jeweler’s initials “JA” as a signature. The approximate retail cost of this pendant is $830.

Origin: America, ca. 2000

Condition: excellent

Size: 1-3/16” x 11/16”

Weight: 12.5 grams

Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: amethyst, 2.81 carats; diamond, .28 carat.