Catalog (2407)

Very nice Victorian 18K yellow gold stick pin in the form of a coiled snake. The head is set with an old European cut green tourmaline. The engraved detailing is very nice. The snake motif in Victorian jewelry, often used to represent eternal love, became popular after Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria a snake ring as her betrothal gift. Hallmarked with the French "tete de cheval" and an unidentified maker's mark.

Origin: France, circa 1850. Condition: all original, the pinstem has the usual bends that are not visible when being worn. Size: 2-15/32” overall length; snake, 1/2” x 1/2”. Weight: 1.5 grams.

A very nice pair of 19th century wooden Russian Easter eggs handpainted with traditional motifs. One egg is brightly painted with a maiden wearing peasant clothing and the traditional kokoshnik headdress. The reverse side is painted with the letters “XB” for Khristos Voskrese (“Christ Is Risen”). The other egg is painted with a scene of a peasant woman walking through a birch forest toward her log hut. This egg, too, is painted with “XB”. The eggs are strung on very old, possibly original, satin ribbon. The wood appears to be mahogany.

The tradition of giving eggs to loved ones at Easter was popular throughout Russian society. The common classes gave decorated wooden eggs, while the Tsars favored their loved ones with the creations of Faberge.

Origin: Russia, mid- to late-19th century. Condition: excellent, all original paint. Size: 2” long & 1-3/4” long.

An unusually nice silverplated studs box, the top decorated with repousse chrysanthemums. The only clue to the box’s purpose of holding a gentleman’s shirt studs and cufflinks is the figural stud finial on the top. The bottom is marked for the Middletown Plate Co. This is a much more decorative example than most.

Origin: America, 1876-99. Condition: excellent, hardly any wear to the plating. Size; 2-5/8” diameter; 1-3/4” tall.

Elegant Napoleon III circle brooch enclosing a delicate sprig of flowers set with 19 small rose-cut diamonds. The floral motif is worked in silver as was the practice in 19th century diamond jewelry. The white color of the metal was thought to show diamonds to their better advantage. The edges of the circle are beautifully pierced with a double gallery. The back retains the original extended pinstem and c-clasp, and back is marked with 19th century French hallmarks for 18K gold.

Origin: France, circa 1860. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1” diameter. Weight: 4.75 grams.

Lovely vintage 14K yellow gold pin in the form of a stylized starfish. The center is set with a 6.5mm pearl surrounded by blue sapphires. The pearl has a nice rosy hue that complements the gold setting, and the sapphires are of fine quality with bright color. The back of the pin is marked with the maker's mark "GW" and "14K".

Origin: America, circa 1950s. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-13/16" diameter. Weight: 10.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .75 carat.

Outstanding late Art Nouveau Continental silver cufflinks with a wonderful design of a gold spider sitting in her niello web. The workmanship and design is quite original and accomplished. The backs are marked with unidentified Continental (possibly German) marks, including the jeweler’s mark “HF”.

Origin: Europe, circa 1900. Condition: excellent, all original, no enamel damage. Size: 27/32” x 15/32”. Weight: 5.5 grams.

Elegant 14K yellow gold and pearl brooch in a modern bouquet design. The four pearl "flowers" are set atop golden stems that are tied with a swirling gold ribbon. Each pearl is 5.5 mm and has the wonderful white body color with silvery overtones characteristic if Mikimoto pearls. The nacre is thick and the skins are very smooth. The back is marked with Mikimoto's hallmark and "K14".

Origin: Japan, circa 1970. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-5/8" x 1-1/8". Weight: 6.0 grams.

Elegant pair of screwback earrings, each featuring three outstanding 6-mm pearls clusted around small white zircons. The pearls are of exceptional quality--quite similar to Mikimoto. The body color is a bright white with silvery overtones. The skins are smooth and the lustre is very nice. The white zircons have the appearance of diamonds and were often used as diamond substitutes in the first half of the 20th century. The backs are marked "14K".

Origin: America, circa 1920. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 3/4" x 3/4". Weight: 6.5 grams.

A wonderful set of six Victorian silverplate napkin rings. The outsides are decorated with two cherubs grasping baroque reserves framed with swirls of acanthus leaves, pendant bellflowers and other ornate decorative devices. The insides are brightly gilt. It is very unusual to find a complete matching set of Victorian napkin rings.

Origin: probably American, circa 1890. Condition: all original, no monograms, normal wear the the plating on the insides and outsides. Size: 1-5/8" wide; 1-7/8" diameter.

Very nice Victorian sterling silver doubled-faced cufflinks decorated with Classical medallions in the Shiebler style. The medallions depict are Greek in style and depict and adult man and a youth in profile. The backgrounds are stippled and the edges are beveled and irregularly shaped to suggest antiquity. The backs are marked "Sterling".

Origin: America, circa 1880. Condition: excellent, very sharp detail. Size: approximately 7/8" diameter. Weight: 12.5 grams.

Lovely sterling silver brooch worked in soft white guilloche enamel and featuring a painted enamel bouquet of blue gentians. The workmanship is very fine. The back is marked "S925S" and retains the original c-clasp which indicates an early date.

Origin: Scandinavia, probably Denmark, circa 1920. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-5/8" diameter. Weight: 14.5 grams.

Lovely vintage signed Mikimoto brooch in sterling silver set with eight pearls, ranging from 5 to 6mm. The pearls are of very fine quality with white body color and a silvery overtone. The lustre is excellent, as should be expected of Mikimoto. The brooch is designed in a way that permits it to be worn either horizontally or vertically. The back is marked with Mikimoto's hallmark.

Origin: Japan, latter half 20th century. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-15/16" x 1-1/8". Weight: 8.0 grams.

Very nice Gorham sterling silver pin cushion/sewing box. The arched rim of the pierced silver holder has a slightly Gothic appearance. The silk velvet top lifts off to reveal an opening for storing thread, buttons, etc. The interior is lined with the original lime green silk. The bottom is stamped with Gorham's older hallmark.

Origin: America, circa 1900. Condition: silver is excellent, the velvet covering shows the normal considerable wear. Size: 4-3/8" x 3-1/4" x 2-1/4" tall.

Very fine Art Deco vase decorated along the top and bottom with green-cut-to-clear floral friezes in Baccarat's "Frise Verte" pattern. The decorative bands have strong, angular lines that complement the straight sides of panel cutting of the vase itself. The bottom has a polished pontil. This pattern appears in Baccarat's catalogue of 1916.

Origin: France, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 7-5/8” tall; 3” diameter.

A wonderful set of 16 tiles illustrating scenes from the story of Don Quixote. The tiles have incised lines separating the colored glazes. Each tile has a rich blue border.

Origin: Spain, circa 1900. Condition: most have small nicks along the edges; two have larger flakes on the edges or corners; no cracks. Size: 2-5/8" x 2-5/8" x 9/16".

Engraved print and facsimile autograph of Tsar Alexander II, Emperor of All the Russias. The plate was engraved after the original painting by noted American artist Alonzo Chappel. Chappel is mostly known for his paintings of great Americans such as Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, and the subject of a Russian Czar is unusual. He produced the paintings specifically for Johnson, Wilson & Co. Publishers who used them in books dedicated to history, politics and world affairs. Some of his artwork was used for postage stamps, as well. Below the image is marked “Painted By Alonzo Chappel/Entered according to act of Congress A.D. 1871 by Johnson Fry & Co. in the clerk’s office of the district court of the southern district of N.Y.” Below the autograph is “Emperor Alexander 2nd of Russia/Likeness from an authentic photograph furnished by authority/Johnson, Wilson & Co. Publishers, New York”.

Origin: America, circa 1871. Condition: excellent, untrimmed, no fading or foxing. Size: image, 5-7/16” x 7-7/16”, paper, 8-1/2” x 10-3/4”.

Elegant signed Mikimoto brooch of 14K yellow gold with pearls. The pearls, ranging from 5 to 5.5mm are of the quality that only Mikimoto can produce. The body color is a bright white with silver overtones. The lustre is exceptional. The design is a sort of abstract flower basket design. The back is marked with Mikimoto's shell hallmark.

Origin: Japan, circa 1950s. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-3/8" x 1-1/4". Weight: 7.0 grams.

A unusually fine example of a scrambled weight by the New England Glass Company. The weight includes latticinio twists and millefiore canes. The set-up includes a complex red, white and blue cane (visible through the concave bottom of the weight) formed of a heart silhouette surrounded by stars. The canes are tightly packed for a very nice appearance. The glass is quite clear.

Origin: America, circa 1870. Condition: very good, a few small surface nicks on the crown, no cracks. Size: 2-5/8” diameter; 1-7/8” high.