Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1615)

A classic pair of French 18K yellow gold cufflinks in a variation of the "mors de filet" or "snaffle" design originally created for Hermès by Gaetan de Percin. Each of the flip-up ends is pierced in a diamond-cut design. De Percin's design was very popular and served as the basis for a number of closely related designs. These cufflinks are stamped with French 18K marks, an unidentified goldsmith’s mark and the notation for "breveté", indicating that the design was patented.

Origin: France, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: faces, 5/8 x 11/32". Weight: 12.7 gr.

An elegant pair of long 18K gold earrings enhanced with floral shaded enamel plaques. The gold surfaces are intricately engraved to add a bit of sparkle. The earrings have nice movement when being worn. Each is stamped with French 18K marks.

• Origin: France, ca 1840
• Dimensions: 2-9/16" long from top of earwire
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, replaced earwires
• Weight: 8.3 grams

A Georgian 15K gold gentleman's ring set with a hematite intaglio with a rare image from Greek/Roman mythology. We see the buff god Apollo in his horse-drawn chariot being led by Eros ("Cupid"), the god of love. This scene depicts the beginning of the tale of the water nymph Daphne.

Best know as god of the sun, Apollo was also the patron god of archers. One day, he mocked Cupid for the small size of the latter's bow and arrows. In revenge, Cupid shot Apollo with a golden-tipped arrow that would make Apollo fall in first with the first female he saw. Cupid shot Daphne with a lead-tipped arrow that would fill her with disdain for the first male she saw. Knowing she was nearby, Cupid taunted Apollo then flew toward Daphne's location with Apollo giving chase. The sun god immediately fell in love with Daphne and gave chase until the water nymph begged her father to save her, which he did by transforming her into a laurel tree. Apollo made the laurel tree his symbol, and as a last act of love for Daphne, used his powers of youth to transform the tree into an evergreen with eternally green leaves.

• Origin: England, ca. 1800
• Condition: excellent; all original
• Dimensions: intaglio, 1" x 3/4"
• Finger Size: 7-3/4
• Weight:15.6 grams

A fine Victorian 14K yellow gold watch fob pendant featuring a 23.5-carat oval brilliant cut amethyst nested in the coiled tail and wings of a ferocious dragon. The tail and wings are very nicely detailed with scales and feathers. The dragon's neck forms the bail from which the pendant would hang. The amethyst has very nice even coloring, eye-clean clarity and good cut. Jewels featuring mythological creatures became popular in Paris around 1870 and the craze then spread to England and America. Being worked in 14K gold (tested and guaranteed), this example is certainly American.

• America, ca. 1875
• Very good condition; sharp detail to gold work; minor wear abrasions to facet junctions (mostly along the keel at the back of the stone) on the amethyst consistent with age
• 1-3/16" x 1-1/4"
• 10.79 grams
• Approximate Amethyst Weight: 23.5 carats

A fine pair of 14K gold cufflinks set with high-domed amethyst cabochons by David-Andersen. The amethysts have deep, rich coloring and excellent clarity. David-Andersen is widely known for its enameled silver jewelry, but also made a very limited number of pieces in gold. Each cufflink is stamped “D-A 585”.

• Origin: Norway, ca. 1965
• Dimensions: faces, 1/2" diameter
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Weight: 11.7 grams
• Approximate Total Amethyst Weight: 21.42 carats

A large 18K yellow gold Sputnik pendant by H Stern. The dome is bezel-set with round amethysts, citrines, aquamarines, garnets, green tourmalines, and most unusually, a very rare blue indicolite tourmaline and an even rarer neon green tourmaline with paraiba-like coloring. The Sputnik design was created in the 1950s to showcase the variety of colored gemstones available from Stern's Brazilian ines. It later came to be called "Sputnik" for its resemblance to the spike Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Each piece has a different appearance depending on the specific colors of the stones and their arrangement. This pendant has very strong jewel tones. The back retains the original pinstem for wear as a brooch and the original folding bail for use as a pendant. The back is stamped with Stern's older hallmark.

• Origin: Brazil, ca 1955
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: 1-1/16" diameter
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 6.65 carats
• Weight: 6.6 grams

A handsome griffin with back-stretched wings, a lion’s head and a curling serpent’s tail grasps an old mine cut diamond in this 19th century French brooch and necklace slide. Interestingly, the creature’s tongue is licking the diamond. The eye is set with a small faceted ruby. The back retains the original pin stem and a hinged clasp so the griffin can be attached to a chain. The hinged clasp is marked “Déposé” meaning the griffin was a patented design. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold. A bail could easily be added for wear as a pendant.

• Origin: France, ca. 1880
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-1/2” x 3/4”
• Approximate Diamond Weight: .12 carat
• Weight: 4.7 grams

An Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold pin featuring a beautifully enameled morning glory enclosed in a gold whiplash frame. The flower petals and leaves have very fine enameling in translucent shades of rose, cream and green. The enamel has the iridescent finish more often seen in the best quality enameled pieces from Newark workshops. A small pearl peeks out the top of the morning glory. The gold frame is set with rows of rose cut diamonds. Since the morning glory opens and withers in a single day, some charts of Victorian flower language say the flower was used to represent "love in vain." The pinstem is stamped "18Ct".

Origin: England, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, all original. Dimensions: 1-1/4" x 1". Weight: 6.6 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .36 carat.

A gorgeous enameled pansy, worked in several shades of bluish-purple is featured in this pendant converted from a Victorian pin. The enamel has a soft velvety appearance and is accented at the center with a pearl. The conversion was accomplished with the addition of a hidden bail the back of the flower. Pansies are generally associated with remembrance, but in Victorian flower symbology, they also carried the sentiment, "Think of me." So whether you're in love or just feeling nostalgic, this pendant is perfect! Tested and guaranteed 14K.

NOTE: We are offering a matching ring converted from the same Victorian pin. Item #1412578.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: converted from a brooch; a tiny nick to the purple at white enamel at the center for the flower behind the pearl visible upon close inspection
• Dimensions: 1 1/8" x 1 1/8"
• Weight: 6.1 grams.

A very rare 14K yellow gold and enamel pin in the form of an oyster shell complete with a small pearl. The enamel is beautifully worked in shades of greenish- and silvery-grey. The shell is depicted as slightly opened with pearl resting along the opened edge. The back of the pin is stamped with the 14K gold hallmark of Alberts & Son, Inc., one of the Newark jewelers.

Origin: America, ca. 1915. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, all original. Dimensions: 1-1/8 x 7/8 inches. Weight: 6.8 grams.

An elegant pair of classic Tiffany & Co. 18K yellow gold hoop earrings in a braided, twisted rope motif. The backs have posts with omega clips. The interior of each hoop is marked "Tiffany & Co. 1995 750".

Origin: America, 1995

Condition: excellent

Dimensions: 1" diameter, 1/4" width

Weight: 11.2 grams

A nice 18K gold Sputnik ring by H Stern, the dome bezel-set with nineteen round citrines, amethysts, pink and green tourmalines, garnets and aquamarines. This design was created in the 1950s to highlight the range of colored gemstones available from Stern's Brazilian mines. Each piece has a unique appearance depending on the particular selection and placement of the stones. The gems in this ring tend toward richer autumnal colors with a lot of garnet-red, gold and medium-dark green. Stamped with an early Stern mark and "750" for 18K gold.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: dome, 7/8" diameter. Finger Size: 6-1/2 to 6-3/4. Weight: 4.6 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 4.96 cts.

A nice 18K gold Sputnik ring by H Stern. The dome is bezel-set with nineteen round citrines, amethysts, pink and green tourmalines, peridots, aquamarines and garnets. This is the first time we've seen a blue tourmaline in a Sputnik ring. The design was created in the 1950s to highlight the range of colored gemstones available from Stern's Brazilian mines. It later came to be called "Sputnik" for its resemblance to the spike Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Each piece has a unique appearance depending on the specific colors of the stones and their arrangement. This ring has unusually saturated colors, particularly in the green tourmalines and garnets. The shank is stamped "18K".

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent. Finger Size: 7-1/2. Dimensions: dome, 7/8" diameter. Weight: 4.9 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 4.81 cts.

A superb pair of 14K yellow gold bean-back cufflinks by Carter, Gough & Co., the faces decorated with a representation of Sandro Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus.” The jeweler took a few liberties with Botticelli’s design by having the goddess walking atop roiling waves rather than standing in a scallop shell, and fully baring her breasts instead of modestly covering them with her own flowing hair. The bean backs are designed with a swirling pattern that mimics the waves of the front faces. The connectors are stamped with Carter, Gough’s 14K hallmark.

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Dimensions: faces, 13/16” x 1/2"
• Weight: 6.7 grams

An astonishing figural pendant necklace featuring a natural semi-baroque pearl in the shape of a pear, accented with platinum and 18K yellow gold leaves and a stem, all set with old European cut diamonds. The pearl has very fine orient, with all the colors of the rainbow skating over the creamy white surface. The diamonds are graded at an average of H/SI1. Converted from an Edwardian stickpin, the pear is now a gorgeous pendant hanging from a French 18K white gold chain.

NOTE: The pendant is also available without the chain for $1050.

• France, ca. 1910.
• Excellent condition; pendant converted from a stickpin.
• Pendant, 11/16" x 1/2"; overall necklace length, 16-3/8".
• 3.8 grams.
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .26 carat.

A very fine French Belle Epoque 18K yellow gold brooch set with diamonds, blue sapphires and demantoid garnets around a central sugarloaf cabochon 3.59-carat peridot. The demantoids exhibit the desirable horsetail inclusions characteristic of Russian stones. The combination of blue sapphires and the bright grassy green of the demantoids and peridot is very pleasing. All the smaller stones are old mine cuts. Six small rose-cut diamonds are collet-set in silver. The back retains the original c-clasp and extended pinstem which is fully stamped with French "tete d'aigle" hallmarks for 18K gold and with an illegible goldsmith's mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2" x 19/32". Weight: 6.8 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .15 carat; sapphire, .4 carat; demantoid, .46 carat; peridot, 3.59 carats.

A very rare pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the faces designed as fearsome lion-like gargoyles. Each snarling mouth grasps an old mine cut diamond, and the eyes are set with small emerald cabochons. The fur is pierced and detailed in a way that suggests the stone fretwork of Gothic cathedrals. The faces are joined by arch connectors to bean backs. The connectors are stamped with the mark for Schira Bros. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 1 x 9/16 inch. Weight: 8.6 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .16 carat.

An Edwardian 14K yellow and rose gold bracelet featuring three Essex crystals of flying ducks set between depicting cattails. The cattail leaves are worked in gold that is very slightly tinted green, and the brown part of the cattail is rose gold. Reverse-carved intaglios became popular in the Victorian era, especially to depict sporting and hunting themes. They remained popular through the early part of the 20th century. The crystal depict three different species, including a mallard. Each duck is shown flying over water. The carving and painting are nicely done. The back is marked “14K”.

• ORIGIN America, ca. 1920
• CONDITION very good, all original, the crystals have faint moisture marks around the edges (much less visible than in the photos)
• DIMENSIONS 7-5/8” long; 9/16” wide
• WEIGHT 20.5 grams