Catalog (2449)

Phenomenally impressive late Edwardian bar pin featuring 54 diamonds set in 18K white gold. The diamonds are cut in rose-cut (smallest stones) and old-European and brilliant cuts (larger stones). The color and clarity is outstanding. The larger stones are estimated at VVS1 clarity and G color. The larger stones are .45, .38, and .38 carats. The medium-sized stones are all between .11 and .18 carats. The total weight is 2.16 carats. The setting is quite simple, pointing toward Art Deco design. The brooch retains its original pinstem trombone catch. The back is marked "750" and has a unidentified jeweler's mark "M".

Origin: Europe, circa 1920. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 4" long, 3/8" wide. Weight: 11.0 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: 2.16 carats.

Very nice Victorian 18K yellow gold stick pin in the form of a coiled snake. The head is set with an old European cut sapphire. 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: 2-1/2” overall length; snake, 9/16” x 9/16”. Weight: 1.5 grams.

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.

Excellent pair of Victorian 18K yellow gold drop earrings with Mediterranean coral beads. The earrings are quite heavy and are very well constructed with closed backs that make them attractive from behind, as well. The coral has the nice, even coloring of fine Mediterranean coral from the coast of Italy. The original earwires have been replaced with screwbacks, but because of the way the earrings are constructed, there were no alterations to the earrings themselves. They could easily be re-converted to wires. The gold has a slightly rosy color that complements the coral nicely. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

Origin: America, circa 1860. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-3/8” x 11/16”. Weight: 8.5 grams.

Exquisite pair of Second Empire (Napoleon III) French 18K yellow gold earrings in the girandole style. The surmounts, each set with a single slightly flattened coral bead, suspend gold central elements, which suspend a fringe of coral, pearl and onyx beads. The earrings are marked with French 18K hallmarks.

Origin: Paris, circa 1850. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-7/32" long. Weight: 6.0 grams.

Very nice set of eight sterling silver cocktail picks with rooster finials brightly decorated in translucent basse-taille enamels. The engraved decoration underneath the enamel lends realistic feathery details to the roosters. The exposed areas of silver are gilt. The backs are marked "925S Norway Sterling."

Origin: Norway, ca 1950. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage. Size: 3-13/16" long. Weight: 29.5 grams.

Very pretty vintage floral pin in 14K yellow gold set with a cluster of six pearls. The setting looks somewhat like a poinsettia blossom. The Florentine finish and pierced veining add a nice bit of detail to the setting. The pearls, ranging from 4.5 to 5.0 millimeters, have ivory body color with very rosé overtones. The nacre is thick and very lustrous. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-5/8” diameter. Weight: 14.5 grams.

Beautiful 29.75” strand of pearls by Mikimoto. The 6.0-6.5mm pearls are joined with a 14K yellow gold clasp set with a 3.3mm pearl. The strand comprises 113 pearls having medium cream-rose body color with Mikimoto’s classic rosé overtones. The nacre is thick and the luster is very fine. The quality is appraised at fine AA, indicating that they just border on the elusive AAA quality. The clasp is marked with Mikimoto’s hallmark. The strand is presented in its original white satin folio marked "Mikimoto Fifth Avenue".

Origin: Japan, ca. 1980. Condition: excellent, securely strung; the satin folio has a champagne stain in the interior. Size: 29.75”, 6.0-6.5mm.

Accompanied by a June 2005 Bailey, Banks & Biddle written appraisal for $6,500.

Superb and very rare copper bowl in the form of three bound leaves by acclaimed silversmith Alfredo Sciarrotta. Most of Sciarrotta’s work was in sterling silver, but he did make a limited line of copper and brass wares early in his career. The designer’s work is instantly recognizable from the quality of workmanship, the heaviness of the material, and of course the naturalistic shapes accented with delicately curling edges and engraved veining. The copper dishes have more realistic appearance than the works in silver, with more detail along the edges of the leaves and in the veining. The dish is raised on three brass ball feet.

Sciarrotta was smuggled out of Italy into the US during World War II to work on submarine technology. Afterwards he settled in Newport, RI and created a small line of hand-made sterling silver hollowware. These were retailed in his own shop and eventually by a few select stores including Shreve Crump & Low, Gorham, Bailey Banks & Biddle, and Cartier. This copper example has the earlier and less common hallmark that Sciarrotta used only at his own studio. Sciarrotta’s designs are in several museum collections including the Smithsonian.

Origin: America, ca. 1948. Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms, excellent patina. Size: 9-7/8” diameter; 3-1/8” tall. Weight: 565.0 grams.

Handsome Victorian 10K yellow gold ring in the form of two lion’s claws grasping a large old European cut garnet. The detail in the setting is excellent and the gold has a slightly rosy tint that contrasts nicely with the red stone. The garnet has a lively red color and excellent clarity. The inside of the shank has a pair of monograms. Tested and guaranteed 10K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: very good, sharp detail, slight wear to two prongs, but the stone is secure. Ring Size: 9-3/4. Approximate Gemstone Weight: 1.22 carats.

A handsome dress set comprising a pair of cufflinks and three shirt studs. The 14K yellow gold faces have geometric decoration and feature bead-set round brilliant-cut diamonds. The diamonds are estimated at SI2 clarity and J-K color. Those in the studs are approximately 1/4 carat each, and those in the cufflinks are approximately 1/8 carat each. The studs have a spring mechanism and the cufflinks have toggle backs. Each piece is marked “14K.”

Origin: America, ca. 1980. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: cufflinks, 5/8” x 17/32”; studs, 5/16” x 5/16”. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: 1.0 carat. Weight: 16.0 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 fine pair of Victorian 18K yellow gold tassel earrings. The foxtail chains are suspended from bell-shaped surmounts with bands of engraved decoration and applied flowers worked in rose and green gold. Each foxtail chain ends in a small gold sphere. The earrings have an elegant look, without being too heavy for comfortable wear. The surmounts are marked with French “tete d’aigle” hallmarks for 18K gold.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, wires are replacements. Size: 1-3/8” long. Weight: 5.5 grams.

Superb Mikimoto brooch in the shape of a harp. The harp’s sounding board is set with a row of ten fine AA pearls graduating from 3.3 to 5.8 millimeters, and the strings are studded with round brilliant-cut diamonds. The neck and column, both worked in gold, are beautifully detailed. The pearls are of exceptional quality with light cream body color and rosé overtones. The luster is very bright and the pearls are well matched. The diamonds are SI1/2 clarity and G/H color. Mikimto figural brooches are very rare, and this example is nearly certainly a custom-made piece. The back is marked with Mikimoto’s hallmark and “750” for 18K gold. The brooch is accompanied by a March 2006 written appraisal from the Mikimoto specialist at Bailey, Banks & Biddle for $3,250.

Origin: Japan, ca. 1990. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-1/32” x 1-5/32”. Weight: 11.8 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .12 carat.

A stunning pair of late Victorian earrings in 18K yellow gold with diamonds, coral and onyx. The coral bead surmounts are punctuated with small collet-set diamonds and suspend gold buttercup settings, the tips accented with black enamel and holding oval cushion-cut diamonds, further suspending an enameled gold belt pave-set with rose-cut diamonds and flanked by a trio of red coral teardrops topped with small onyx beads. Everything about these earrings is of the very best quality. The diamonds are bright and well-cut, the gold settings are inventive, and the coral has the wonderful reddish hue of coral from the Italian coast near Naples. The earrings have threaded posts. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Size: 2-1/4” long. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .54 carat. Weight: 11.0 grams.

Classic pair of double-sided Edwardian cufflinks in 14K yellow gold. The octagonal faces are engraved with concentric circles and bordered with a notched border. The faces are joined by bar connectors. The backs are marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 17/32” diameter. Weight: 5.0 grams.

A beautiful powder jar of colorless crystal cased in rose crystal, cameo cut and then etched. The delicate pattern of wild roses stands out in rose against the frosty etched background. The design is beautifully worked. The bottom has a large concaved polished pontil. Several examples of this coloring and technique, although in different floral patterns, appears in Curtis’ exhaustive book, “Baccarat”.

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Size: 3-5/16” diameter; 2-1/4” tall.

An elegant Retro Moderne 14K yellow gold brooch in a stylized bow form, the center set with a large emerald-cut citrine of medium honey color, and the loops sprinkled with round brilliant-cut rubies. Some Retro pieces can be overly heavy, but this pin has a pleasant lightness despite its large size. The gemstones are of fine quality. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 3” x 1”. Weight: 15.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .5 carat; citrine, 10.4 carats.