Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold: Art Nouveau (161)

A wonderful Victorian/Art Nouveau pendant and brooch in the form of a mythological griffin grasping a diamond in its jaws. The creature’s open-winged pose is somewhat unusual for this type of jewel, as they tend to be more curled up in a more circular position. The pose, however, makes for wear as a dramatic pendant hanging from the pendant loops on each wing. The back also has a removable fitting so it can also be worn as a brooch. And finally, there is a watch hook at the bottom that could suspend a watch or a dangling gemstone. The griffin is worked with in great detail and even the back is enhanced with engraved feathers and scales. The old mine cut diamond has good color and VS1 clarity. The pin stem is stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1890
• Dimensions: 2-3/4” x 1-3/8”
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail
• Weight: 18.1 grams
• Approximate Diamond Weight: .33 carat

A fine Art Nouveau medallist stickpin depicting Demter (“Ceres”), goddess of the harvest and the seasons, in 14K gold by Louis Rault. She is shown in profile with several of her attributes including a tiara of wheat and a scythe. Louis Armand Rault was a leading designer for Boucheron 1868-75 and this is one of his signature designs. His designs were sometimes licensed to other jewelers, hence this American 14K version. The stickpin is finished in a soft bloomed texture. The pinstem is stamped iwth Carter, Gough's 14K mark. The stickpin could easily be converted to a ring or pendant.

• Origin: America, ca 1880
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail
• Dimensions: head, 9/16” diameter, length, 2-1/2”
• Weight: 2.0 grams

A classic Art Nouveau brooch / pendant decorated with lush pale blue, medium blue, cream, and yellow matte enamels. The flower is centered with a round diamond. The pin is unmarked but is certainly by one of the Newark jewelers. The back retains the original pinstem and clasp. A bail could easily be added for wear as a pendant. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage
• Dimensions: 7/8” x 7/8”
• Weight: 4.3 grams
• Approximate Diamond Weight: .02 carat.

An elegant Art Nouveau 18K gold, platinum and diamond pendant and brooch depicting a young woman with flowing flower-bedecked hair. She represents the Spring season, “Printemps.” Each of the flowers is centered a rose cut diamond and the maiden wears a necklace of rose cut diamonds, as well. The gold surface is bloomed for a slightly matte finish. The pendant/brooch is faintly heart-shaped and is finished along the edges with 54 rose cut diamonds set in platinum. The pinstem unscrews from the back, so the jewel can be worn as a pendant from the two pendant loops at the top corners. This design was commissioned in 1886 from the medallist Emile Séraphin Vernier by the esteemed house Fonsèque et Olive which was one of Paris’ most successful Art Nouveau jewelers.

• Origin: France, ca. 1890
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-1/16 x 1-1/8”
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .75 carat
• Weight: 8.9 grams

A classic Art Nouveau brooch / pendant decorated with lush purple, cream, maroon, and yellow matte enamels. The flower is centered with a round brilliant cut diamond. Though this example is unmarked, it is likely by A. J. Hedges. Hedges’ enameled flowers stood out from the competition because they were generally heavier and displayed more sculptural detail. The diamond is graded H/SI2. The back retains the original pinstem, clasp, and folding pendant bail. The bail is stamped “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage
• Dimensions: 1-3/16” x 1-3/16”
• Weight: 11.6 grams
• Approximate Diamond Weight: .16 carat.

A very good French Art Nouveau 18K gold watch pin in the form of a mythological creature that appears to be a dragon with outspread feathered wings. The details are beautifully worked. The reverse is engraved to match the front. The creature grasps an antique cushion cut diamond in its jaws. The pin retains its original watch hook on the back. This piece could easily and inexpensively be transformed into a pendant with the additional of two pendant hooks at the wingtips. The back is marked with French 18K gold hallmarks, an illegible master goldsmith’s mark, and a design number indicating that the piece was made by a renowned maker of the period.

• Origin: France, ca. 1890
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail
• Dimensions: 1-1/4” x 1-1/8”
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .10 carat
• Weight: 12.7 grams

An elegant Art Nouveau bracelet worked in 18K gold, each link is the form of a pansy enclosed in a scrolling border. The Victorian floriography (the “language of flowers”), the pansy represented the sentiment “think of me.” Jewels with pansies were often given as a romantic gesture or by the parents of a young woman upon her marriage. The bracelet is stamped with 18K fineness marks and an unidentified goldsmith’s mark.

• Origin: France, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 7-7/8” long; 1/2" wide
• Weight: 16.4 grams

A nice Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold signet ring that appears never to have been engraved. The shoulders are enhanced with scrolling foliage leading up to the oval face. It’s very unusual to find a signet ring that was never engraved. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, very light wear to decorative elements at the shoulders
• Dimensions: face, 5/8” x 1/2"
• Finger Size: 8-1/2
• Weight: 9.3 grams

An elegant Art Nouveau bracelet comprising foliate shaped links set with round amethysts alternating with fleur-de-lis shaped links. The amethysts have the deep violet coloring typical of the best quality Siberian material. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

• Origin: America, ca 1895
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 7-1/2” long
• Weight: 19.4 grams
• Approximate Total Amethyst Weight: 5.22 carats

A very fine French Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold festoon necklace comprising three gold plaques exquisitely engraved in a pattern of roses and their foliage. The plaques are curved to create a "festoon" look, and are suspended from a gold chain set with natural seed pearls. The backs of the plaques are lightly engraved with a reverse image of the roses—a hidden luxury that speaks to the quality of the piece. Each plaque also includes stems with pronounced thorns, perhaps as a reminder of the selflessness of love. Victorian floriography adoped red roses to represent love from the myth of Aphrodite and Adonis. As she raced to the side of her fallen mortal lover, Aphrodite pricked her toe on the thorn of a white rose and her blood forever stained the flower red. The necklace is stamped with French 18K gold marks, and with an illegible maker's mark.

• Origin: France, ca 1895
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: necklace length, 16-3/4"; central plaque, 1-7/8" wide, 1-1/4" high
• Weight: 21.9 grams

An elegant heavy gold bracelet comprised of linked chains decorated with three-leaf clovers. In Victorian flower symbology, clover leaves, regardless of their number signified good luck, but they also held the meaning “think of me.” Kauffer was the primary jeweler of the Ecole de Nancy, France’s most important group of Art Nouveau artisans. He exhibited at the Louvre during his lifetime. Unlike the more florid Art Nouveau designs by Parisian jewelers, Kauffer’s designs tended to be more linear and graphic. The bracelet’s clasp is stamped with the 18K gold marks used outside Paris until 1919, with Kauffer’s maker’s mark, and also with Kauffer’s signature.

• Origin: France, ca 1910
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 7-1/2” long.
• Weight: 32.7 grams.

A finely crafted late Art Nouveau 18K gold ring in the form of a lion’s head clasping an old European cut diamond in its jaws. The engraving is very well done and displays great detail that extends halfway around the shank. The diamond is graded as H/VS1. The interior of the shank is engraved “P.R. 10 Avril 1924.” The ring is stamped with French 18K gold marks and with an unidentified master goldsmith’s mark.

• France, 1924
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 11/16” wide at front, tapering to 3/16” at back
• Finger Size: 10-12
• Weight: 13.0 grams
• Approximate Diamond Weight: .10 carat

A lovely Art Nouveau enameled 14K gold wreath pin by Krementz. The leafy wreath, worked in shaded green enamels is studded with tiny gold berries, four seed pearls and four small old European cut diamonds. The sparkle of the diamonds against the colored enamel is very nice. The back retains the original pinstem and c-clasp, marked with Krementz’ hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1900.

Size: 7/8” diameter.

Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .06 carat.

An impressive 42-carat citrine centers this elegant pendant. The 14K gold setting features stylized flowers and foliage on each side of the stone. The citrine has very good even brownish-orange color resembling a good topaz. Overall, the impression is “statement piece.” The original bail is stamped “585” for 14K.

• Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 1910
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-1/8” wide; 1-15/16” long including bail
• Approximate Citrine Weight: 42.02 carats
• Weight: 17.0 grams

A particularly nice Art Nouveau four-leaf clover honeymoon watch pin, the leaves beautifully enameled in shades of translucent green, yellow and rust. The 14K yellow gold crescent moon is set with a graduated row of pearls, while an old European cut diamond centers the clover. The back retains the original clasp and watch hook. In Victorian flower language, the clover symbolized "good luck." When flowers and crescents were used together, the symbolism was "honeymoon," and these were popular gifts given to new brides by either their grooms or close family. Since the meaning here is "good luck on your honeymoon," we'd have to assume that this particular pin was a gift from the bride's mother rather than from her groom. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage
• Dimensions: 1" x 1"
• Weight: 3.7 grams
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .025 ct

A lovely Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold honeymoon pin in the form of a crescent moon decorated with blue and white enamel forget-me-nots surrounding an enameled pansy set with a .025-ct round brilliant diamond. The pansy is the more uncommon type where the petals have elegantly-chased decoration. In Victorian flower language, both the pansy and the forget-me-not symbolized “think of me.” When flowers and crescents were used together, the symbolism was “honeymoon,” and these were popular gifts given to new brides by either their grooms or close family.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damange
• Dimensions: 7/8” x 11/16”
• Weight: 2.8 grams
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .025 carat

A lovely Art Nouveau pendant in 14K yellow gold by Bippart, Griscom & Osborn. The curving gold frame encloses a flower with petals made from baroque Mississippi River pearls centering a bezel-set round blue sapphire. Another freshwater pearl hangs from the bottom of the pendant. The gold surfaces have a softly bloomed texture. The bail is original and is marked by Bippart.

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: pendant, 2-1/2" x 5/8"; chain 15"
• Weight: 5.6 grams
• Approximate Sapphire Weight: .11 carat

An exquisite Art Nouveau pendant/brooch in 18K gold with diamonds, pearls, and enamel. A lily pad, enameled in translucent shades of green, yellow, and rose centers the brooch, and is surrounded by whiplash curves of 95 round diamonds. A large diamond-set lily blossom appears at the top of the frame. All the diamond areas are set in silver-topped gold, as was the custom in French jewels of the period. The design is accented with pearls, including a pearl drop at the bottom. The piece has a brooch attachment, but also has a pair of small bails so it can be worn as a pendant. The brooch fitting, where the original French hallmarks would have been, has been replaced. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

• Origin: France, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, brooch fitting replaced, no enamel damage
• Dimensions: 1-7/16” x 2-3/16” (36 x 55 mm)
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: 1.9 carats