Catalog (2433)

Lovely bar pin in lapiday-cut banded agate. The strong malachite green color is very unusual and striking. The mountings are gold filled. The back retains the original "C" clasp and tube hinge.

Origin: Scotland, mid 19th century. Condition: small flakes on the back sides of three corners (only faintly visible from the front when inspected closely). Size: 2-1/4" long.

A heavy 14K gold curb link watch chain, finished with a movable t-bar, a dog clip, and a spring ring. The chain would be perfect to match up with one or more other heavy watch chains to create a unique layered look with multiple charms. Marked 14K.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 12-3/4" long
• Weight: 37.9 grams

An extremely fine Victorian tiger claw bracelet mounted in 20K gold filigree. Tiger claws were popular souvenirs of visits to India, especially after Queen Victoria took the title “Empress of India” in 1876. They were sometimes set into jewelry in England or America, but also in India. This bracelet is mounted in the traditional Indian style of ornate filigree work. The claws are finely matched in terms of color and size and are in excellent condition. Tiger claw bracelets are difficult to find, especially at this quality level. The clasp is stamped with an unidentified maker’s mark. Tested and guaranteed 20K.

Origin: India, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 1-1/8” wide; 7-1/4” long. Weight: 29.6 gr.

NOTE: This item cannot be shipped outside the United States or to the state of California.

A wonderful late Victorian tea caddy in the form of a miniature William IV style double-pedestal sideboard with a scallop shell backsplash. The lid lifts to reveal three small compartments for storing caddy spoons and other implements. The two outer compartments have removable pegs that allow the fronts of each of the pedestals to be removed, revealing two drawers for the storage of tea. The center area between the pedestals would have been used to store a crystal mixing bowl. The front of each pedestal has tombstone inlays in bird’s-eye maple, while the sides are decorated with a diamond pattern of rosewood and maple. The hinged top is edged with holly or sycamore stringing. Figural tea caddies and miniature furnishings are quite rare and desirable.

Origin: England, ca. 1870. Condition: some warping to the hinged lid, a 2-1/2” x 1/2" area of missing veneer on the front edge of the right pedestal (not very visible because the mahogany veneer is set over the mahogany carcass), the scalloped backsplash has split and has been secured with old nails, the teeth of the brass lock are missing. Size: 14-7/8” wide; 11-1/4” high; 6” deep.

Attractive and unusual Victorian inlaid wood stereographgraphoscope. When the lid is raised and a stereograph is inserted in the holder, the viewer looks through the magnifying portal for a realistic three dimensional view.

Origin: probably English, ca. 1850. Condition: very good, although there is some chipping of the veneer along the edges. Size: 5.25" x 3.25" x 1".

A spectacularly fine, museum-quality Victorian figural watch fob worked in 18K yellow gold and platinum depicting Aesop's fable "The Fox and the Grapes." The seal shows the fox's head, jaws agape, straining to reach a juicy cluster of grapes that are just barely out of reach. Every tiny detail of the fox's fur, teeth, tongue is beautifully worked, as are the leaves and distinct individual berries making up each cluster of grapes. The leather strap is enhanced with three additional grape elements.

The seal surface is worked in platinum engraved through to the underlying gold. The crest is that of the Scottish clan Irwin (variously spelled Irvine, Irving, etc.) with the first two words of the family motto, "Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens."

The Albert swivel clasp is stamped with a French goldsmith's mark, but it's likely that fob is English and the swivel clasp is an addition from the 1920s. The metals are tested and guaranteed as 18K gold and platinum.

Origin: probably England, ca. 1875. Condition: excellent, all original with the likely exception of the swivel clasp. Dimensions: fob length, 1-5/8"; overall length (including Albert clasp), 5-3/4". Weight: 48.9 gr.

A marvelous and very rare Victorian patchbox, the body carved from a single piece of ivory and the cut crystal lid enclosing a cameo incrustation (“sulphide”) depicting a pansy. A ribbon tied around the flower’s stem reads “a moi”. This is a clever play on words. The French word for pansy is “pensé”, which is very nearly the same word used to mean “thought”. So, when combined with the words on the ribbon, the sulphide expresses the sentiment “Thoughts of me”. This is one of the most interesting pieces we’ve seen using the sentimental Victorian language of flowers. The gilt silver fittings are stamped with Portuguese hallmarks, but the sulphide lid is most definitely French—almost certainly by Baccarat.

Origin: France and Portugal, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, a very small line in the ivory at the side, superb patina. Size: 2-1/4” diameter.

PLEASE NOTE: This item cannot be shipped outside the United States.

A very fine Edo period Japanese mixed-metal brooch depicting a crane standing underneath flowering cherry trees alongside a rushing stream. The gold and silver details glisten against the coppery background. The back retains the original extended pinstem and c-clasp.

This type of work, sometimes mistakenly called “shakudo”, derives from the decorations used for samurai armor. After the demise of the samurai system in the 19th century, artisans who made mixed-metal decorations for armor turned to jewelry-making. These pieces became very popular in Europe and America when Japan was opened to trade.

Origin: Japan, ca. 1865. Size: 1” x 1-1/8”.

A wonderful Victorian 18K gold and jet watch chain that has been converted to a bracelet. The bracelet comprises variously-shaped baton and spherical beads. The original carved spherical watch fob and the crossbar dangle freely from the bracelet. The watch fob is carved in a stylized foliate pattern against a matte background. The spring ring is stamped "14K"; other elements are tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Era: ca. 1890
• Length: 7 3/8" (easily extended, if needed, with additional gold links).
• Condition: very good; one of the long beads has a 1/8" flake at one end and another long bead has a 1/16" flake at one end, but neither are easily visible without very close inspection.

A very nice lacquered papier-mache tabletop box, the cover with colorful Chinoiserie scene. The decoration depicts a noble lady and gentlemen being entertained by a troop of magicians in their garden. While two of the magicians look on, the third is juggling four balls. This is a very whimsical design that makes this box really special. The hinged lid has a lock (alas, the key is long gone). Lacquered boxes of this sort were popular in both England and France, and the quality of decoration would suggest a French origin.

Origin: France, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, a tight hairline at one back corner by the hinge. Size: 11” x 7” x 2-3/4”.

A very nice Victorian lacquered papier-mache folding corner shelf decorated with Chinese court scenes depicting a pair of noble ladies relaxing amidst their finery. The design is worked in gold and silver metallic inks and is accented with iron red and flesh-tone colors. Lacquered papier-mache with Chinese motifs were popular in both England and France, and the style of this example suggests and English origin. Ca. 1840. Condition: excellent, bright colors, all original. Size: 5” on each side; extends 5-1/2” from back corner.

A very nice folding corner shelf of lacquered papier-mache with metallic decoration of Chinese court scenes. One wall shows ladies riding in a rickshaw while the other shows ladies strolling in a court garden with their guardian. The scalloped edge of the shelf is decorated with a gilt edge.

Origin: England, ca. 1840. Condition: excellent, no cracks, bright coloring. Size: 5” wide; 7-3/8” tall.

An elegant late Victorian jewelry box in the Louis XVI style. The sides and lid are decorated with delicate raised birds and floral sprays against a stippled background. Engraved volutes at the corners accent the main decoration. The edges are decorated in a typical French bound reed design. The whole is raised on turned feet. The brass plating is beautifully patinated to a lustrous sheen.

Ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, virtually no wear, the interior fabric has been replcaed with felt and could easily be replaced with something nicer. Size: 5-1/2" x 3-1/2" x 3-1/2".

Colorful Victorian silver gilt double-sided cufflinks featuring beautifully patterned malachite cabochons. The gilt silver borders are finished in a classic laurel wreath design. The removable connectors are marked for 800 silver.

• Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 1880
• Condition: excellent, original gilding intact
• Dimensions: 5/8" wide

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.

A pretty Victorian mercury glass vase in tapered and ribbed columnar form with a foot. The body has a matte surface decorated with a pretty bouquet of blue and white flowers. The vase has a nice small size that is not easy to find.

Origin: Bohemia, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, a tiny area of oxidation near the base of the bouquet, no plug. Size: 6-1/8” tall.

A dainty Victorian pendant or bracelet charm designed as a spray of flowers against a woven background. The flowers are worked in rose and green gold, while the background is in yellow gold. A pendant of this size could easily be worn on a charm bracelet but would look even lovelier on a simple gold chain. Tested and guaranteed 12K gold.

• Origin: England, ca. 1850.
• Dimensions: 11/16” corner-to-corner.
• Weight: 2.1 grams.
• Condition: excellent; all original.

A delightful pair of cufflinks worked in 14K yellow, rose and green gold. Each cufflink depicts a woodland scene with an owl in a tree, a rabbit standing on his hind legs, various flowers and plants, and a moonlight starry sky. The combination of an owl along with a rabbit represents the concept of "night" and "day." These cufflinks were originally cuff buttons and were converted to cufflinks using the original parts. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent. Size: 13/16" diameter. Weight: 12.4 grams.