Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1615)

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 delicate early Art Deco gold chain worked in 14K white gold filigree. Each of the baton-shaped links is centered with a short length of ropetwist to create the filigree appearance. Marked “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1925
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 25-5/8” long
• Weight: 3.6 grams

A lovely 14K gold pendant designed as a young woman's face captured in a crescent moon. She wears a large brimmed bucket hat with trailing ribbons in the style of the early 20s. In Victorian jewelry symbology, the crescent moon was a reminder of the moon goddess Selene (AKA Luna) and was often used to signal female empowerment. The reverse is marked "14K."

• America, ca. 1920
• Excellent condition; converted from an antique stickpin
• Dimensions: 7/8" x 7/8" excluding bail
• 2.7 grams

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

The wonderful gold medal won by James Ephraim Narraway at the 1929 tournament of the Correspondence Chess League of America (CCLA). The medal features a black and white enameled chessboard surrounded by a laurel wreath and surmounted by a crown. The back is engraved “C.C.L.A. 1929 Leaderhip ‘A’ 1st Prize Won By J. E Narraway.” The medal was likely originally attached to a neck ribbon, but would be really nice worn today as a pendant or on a chunky charm bracelet. Tested and guaranteed 10K gold.
Narraway was a three-time Canadian champion and a North American champion. In correspondence chess, each player mailed his next move to his opponent via mail. The first known game of correspondence chess was played between the Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros I and the Calip of Baghdad, Harun al-Rashi in the late 9th century. Even with the advent of postal service, a game organized by Narraway in 1891 lasted for more than three years. Though he lived to age 90, the 1929 game in 1929 was to be Narraway’s last gold medal win, at the age of 72.

• Origin: America, 1929

Condition: excellent, no enamel damage

Dimensions: 1-1/4” diameter (excluding bail and jump ring)

Weight: 16.4 grams.

A handsome pair of 14K gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces set with dark green jasper plaques. The gold has a soft “bloom” sometimes seen on jewels from the late 19th century. The jasper plaques are deeply colored, appearing nearly black except in bright light when the green comes through. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Origin: America, ca 1930
• Dimensions: faces, 19/32” x 9/16”
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Weight: 11.8 grams

Fabulous Art Deco 18K yellow gold box, the lid decorated with opaque red and black champlevé enamels depicting a roulette wheel. A black enamel linear pattern and fan motifs at the corners complete the very Deco design. The can be used to hold either cash or mother of pearl gambling counters. For those who are curious, the case perfectly fits $2,500 in $100 bills folded in half. The superb workmanship shows, not only in the enameling, but in the solid construction techniques such as attaching the lid with a full piano hinge for extra security. The inner lip and thumbpiece are hallmarked with the “tete d’aigle” mark in a hexagonal reserve used on French enameled 18K gold. There is also an unidentified goldsmith’s mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent, no monogram, no enamel damage, a pinpoint ding on the bottom side of the case. Size: 3-7/16” x 2-13/16” x 3/8”. Weight: 142.5 grams (4.582 troy ounces).

A magnificent pair of Art Deco 18K white gold earrings set with diamonds and Burma rubies. The oval brilliant cut rubies have pure, vivid red color and good clarity. The do not show indication of heat or other enhancement. The rubies are surrounded by a border of round diamonds intersected by a double band of diamonds on either side of the ruby. These hang freely from a surmount fashioned by a trilliant cut diamond suspending round diamonds set into a triangular plaque echoing the shape of the trilliants. The mountings have a double gallery and the backs surrounding the ruby drops are engraved in a geometric pattern. The .21-ct trilliants are graded as E color, SI1 clarity and the smaller diamonds are G-H color, SI1-I1 clarity. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

NOTE: We are presenting the matching ring (Item #1306951).

Ca. 1925. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: length, 1-3/8"; maximum width, 1/2". Weight: 4.5 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, 2.5 cts; diamond, 1.74 cts.

A lovely two-sided 18K gold and crystal photo locket by Parisian jeweler Charles Garnier. This style of locket became popular in the latter half of the 19th century and was revived from time to time up through the Edwardian era. NOTE: The pale green interior is used only for photographic purposes. The lockets were worn with a photograph showing from each side or with a single photograph on the front and a memento of some sort (a lock of hair or a pressed flower) on the back. The crystals are held in place with a gold border decorated in the bound-reed motif in the Louis XVI style. The bail is stamped with the maker’s mark for Garnier.

Origin: France, 1924-28. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 1-1/16” diameter (excluding bail and jump ring).

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 classic Art Deco 18K white gold Russian braid chain necklace with opal cabochons and faceted onyx beads sandwiched together into egg-shaped stations along the length. The opals have nice play-of-color with a preponderance of blues and greens. Most station chain necklaces are quite long, but the shorter length of this example makes for a very wearable, delicate look. The clasp is stamped with French 18K marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1925
• Condition: very good, two opals have small flakes on the pointed end visible upon very close inspection
• Dimensions: chain length, 17-1/4”; stations, 3/16” diameter
• Weight: 2.8 grams

A nice pair of Art Deco 14K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces set with faceted disks of bloodstone. The bloodstone has nicely mottled red and blackish-green coloring attractively accented with a gold bars in the center of each face. The connectors are marked for 14K gold and bear the hallmark of Enos Richardson & Co.

Origin: America, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 15/32" diameter. Weight: 6.8 grams.

An extraordinarily fine Art Deco gentleman's ring in the Egyptian Revival style featuring a large cabochon of the finest Afghan-quality lapis lazuli. The setting is formed as a grouping of stylized lotus plants, complete with leaves, buds and full-blown blossoms forming the collets that hold the stone. The quality of the hand-engraving is superb. Ancient Egyptian decorative elements were very popular in European and American jewelry following the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1924. The gold has a bright yellow color, with hints of green that are appropriate for the vegetal nature of the design. The lapis is a seamless expanse of dark violet-blue. Solid blue lapis is far rarer and more desirable than stones with bits of gold-colored mica. At the time this ring was made, such stones could only be found in the mountains of Afghanistan. The stone is cut in an unusual high-domed rectangular shape. The interior of the shank is stamped "14K".

Origin: America, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: 25/32" wide at crown, tapering to 1/8" at the tack. Finger Size: 8-1/4 (can be sized without damage to the design). Weight: 13.3 gr.

A nice pair of oval-faced cufflinks worked in platinum over 18K gold, each face set with a 4-pt single-cut diamond and a 4-pt square step cut blue sapphire. The stones are set on the bias and are highlighted with raised platinum bars that are slightly polished to contrast with the matte finish of the surround platinum background. The faces are connected by chains to gold torpedo backs. Tested and guaranteed platinum and 18K.

Origin: probably continental Europe, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent, all original, one of the torpedo backs has a small ding on the side. Size: 5/8” x 15/32”. Weight: 4.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .08 carat; sapphire, .08 carat.

Fabulous bracelet composed completely of violet-colored glass flowers and green leaves strung on an amber glass chain. This is one of the best pieces of early glass jewelry we've encountered. The delicacy and detail of the modeling is outstanding, as are the colors. The bracelet retains its original brass c-clasp.

Origin: probably Czechoslovakia, circa 1920. Condition: all original, all pieces intact, two flowers have minute flakes. Size: 7-1/2" long.

An Art Deco pendant or charm displaying four playing cards each with the pip for an ace worked in black or red enamel. Four aces is an unbeatable hand in poker unless an opponent has a flush. The bottom edge of the charm is engraved “Réussité” (“Success”). The charm and the original jump ring are stamped with French 18K guarantee marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1930
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage
• Dimensions: 1/2" x 11/16” excluding jump ring
• Weight: 2.2 grams

A magnificent and generously-sized Essex crystal set in a 14K yellow gold brooch and pendant mounting. The reverse carved crystal depicts a marshland scene with a group of ducks taking flight from a fox that has invaded their nesting ground. The scene is painted in the most delicate shades that aptly fit the fineness of the carving. The brooch is backed with mother-of-pearl that provides a distinctive luminosity to the scene. The back has a brooch clasp as well as a folding bail so it can be worn as a pendant. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-11/16” diameter.

A superb pair of French Art Deco 18K gold and tourmaline cufflinks in the Egyptian Revival taste that was spurred by the discovery Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. Each face is simply set with a bluish-green tourmaline carved into the shape of an ancient Egyptian scarab. The faces are connected with chains to barbell backs. Each cufflink is fully stamped with French 18K gold marks and with an illegible master goldsmith mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 16 x 18 mm (5/8 x 23/32 in). Weight: 10.2 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 30.7 cts.