Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold (1002)

A pretty 18Kyellow gold pin in the shape of a salamander from the reign of Emperor Napoleon III. Animal brooches were very popular in the mid-19th century, and reptiles were especially favored. The salamander has a long history in France, and was the personal symbol of King François whose rule began in the late 15th century. This example is beautifully engraved with delicate scales, claws, and eyes. The back is set with a line of alternating seed pearls and Persian turquoise cabochons. The head is set with a larger turquoise. The original clasp is marked with the “tête de cheval” hallmark used only outside Paris between 1838 and 1919.

Origin: France, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-7/16” long. Weight: 3.5 grams.

A fine Victorian 14K gold mesh and onyx cameo bracelet. The center cameo depicts a classical youth flanked by four maidens, all in Greek or Roman attire. The cameos are nicely carved with good detail. The clasp is concealed by the male cameo. A heavy gold mesh makes up the remainder of the bracelet. The gold has a slight rose tint that contrasts nicely with the black and white of the cameos. The tongue of the clasp is stamped "14K."

• Origin: America, ca. 1890.
• Dimensions: 7 5/8" long; 13/16" wide.
• Weight: 34.5 grams.
• Condition: excellent; no damage to cameos; all original except the safety chain added at a later date (easily removed).

An unusual and very fine Victorian 14K yellow gold hinged bangle bracelet. The front is decorated with cutwork in a wheat pattern enhanced with ropetwist borders in the Etruscan Revival style. The cutwork panel is worked in yellow gold while the bracelet’s outer borders are in a slightly rosier shade. The back panel is plain. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1880. Condition: all ropetwist intact; no damage to front panel; typical small dings on back panel. Dimensions: 7/8” wide; 6-1/4” interior circumference. Weight: 39.8 grams.

An elegant yellow gold ring featuring a rare blue-to-violet color-change sapphire surrounded by seed pearls, converted from an antique stick pin. The sapphire has extremely fine clarity and excellent cut, but the best part is the marked change of color depending on lighting conditions. The stone appears a vibrant violet shade in incandescent light and royal blue in daylight. The sapphire and pearls are elegantly backed with a hand-pierced gallery. The setting is 15K (marked), and the ring shank is 18K.

Origin: the original stick pin was English, ca. 1870. Dimensions: crown, 3/8" diameter. Finger Size: 6-1/2. Approximate Sapphire Weight: .47 ct. Weight: 2.3 gr.

A very nice Victorian 15K yellow gold ring featuring three beautifully colored spessartite garnets separated by rows of seed pearls. These garnets are not the typical murky reddish stones, but brighter orangey-red with nice fire. The gold surfaces are elegantly engraved in a floral motif that goes all the way around the shank. The ring was expertly sized at some point, keeping the hallmarks intact, and with matching engraving. Fully hallmarked for Birmingham, 1868.

Origin: England, 1868. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: crown 5/16” wide, tapering to 3/32” at the back of the shank. Finger Size: 7-1/2. Weight: 2.0 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.6 cts.

A phenomenal Victorian 18K yellow gold brooch in the Etruscan Revival taste. The brooch features a large azurite-malachite cabochon weighing more than 60 carats. The natural fissures, and blue and green color mottling is striking, especially against the richness of the gold. The setting is one of the best Etruscan frames we’ve seen, befitting a minerological specimen that would have been considered extravagantly exotic (probably originating in Afghanistan). The stone is set in a collet surrounded with a border of beaded rosettes flanked on either side with delicate twisted wire. The frame is decorated at compass points with shell motifs outlined with twisted wirework. Cyma scrolls and graduated beading fill the space between the shells. The surface of the gold has the slightly matte bloomed finish that lends the appearance of antiquity to the better Etruscan pieces. The back of the brooch retains the original c-clasp and extended pinstem. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

Origin: America or England, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, the border has two of the tiny rosettes and a tiny portion of one cyma scroll missing, but these are noticeable only upon very close inspection. Size: 2” x 1-11/16”. Weight: 19.75 grams.

A fine Victorian 18K yellow gold fancy link long chain necklace. The 45” chain has ornate scrolling plaques separated by smaller simple links. The fancy links are further highlighted with beaded decoration. The generous length allows the chain to be worn doubled or tripled. In fact, the chain has an ingenious clasp that holds the necklace at just the right staggered length (21” and 25”)when doubled. The chain can be worn doubled, or at full length by releasing one of the clasps. Necklaces of this style are distinctly French and were popular from the Second Empire through the beginning of the 20th century. This example is stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks and an illegible master goldsmith’s mark.

• Origin: France, ca. 1880.
• Condition: excellent; all original.
• Length: 45”.
• Weight: 34.6 grams.

An extraordinarily fine Renaissance Revival 14K gold ball fob, suspended from its original chain. The orb is beautifully decorated with foliate engraving in the English style crisscrossed with bands of small natural pearls. The upper half of the orb is set with three blue sapphires in pinched floret mountings. The chain, fashioned as a series of florets, is alternately set with antique cushion cut sapphires and rubies flanked at compass points by natural seed pearls. The chain terminates with its original swivel hook. The rubies and sapphires have good color and show no evidence of heat treatment. The pearls have very luster. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: sphere, 15mm diameter; chain & fob overall length, 117mm. Weight: 11.9 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .10 ct; sapphire, .18 ct.

An early Victorian 14K yellow gold locket enhanced with a pretty design of painted enamel roses and taille d'epargne tracery. The exposed gold surfaces are further decorated with engraving. The back cover has a style of engine-turned engraving usually found only in the late Georgian or very early Victorian periods. The interior retains both of the original glass covers and gold frames.

• Origin: America, ca. 1840
• Condition: excellent; no enamel damage; a pinpoint ding to the back cover
• Dimensions: 1-1/16" x 1-1/2" (excluding jump ring)
• Weight: 8.2 grams

A stunning heavy 18K gold bracelet enhanced with ornate chased engraving and royal blue champlevé enamel. Each link of the bracelet is hinged for comfortable wear, but the appearance is that of a solid bangle. The arched links are superbly engraved in a floral/foliate pattern that appears to be either mistletoe or myrtle. In the Victorian flower language, mistletoe would have been used to convey the meaning “I surmount all obstacles in the pursuit of love” and myrtle, “Good luck in marriage”. The arched links are finished with enameled borders in a Greek key design. The vertical hinge bars a enhanced with enamel in a checkerboard pattern. The design is so detailed that even the tongue of the concealed clasp, invisible when being worn, is fully engraved. Stamped with a French 18K mark.

• Origin: France, ca. 1860
• Condition: excellent, three areas (1/4”, 1/8” and 1/16”) of enamel loss along the borders
• Dimensions: 15/16” wide; interior circumference 7-1/4”
• Weight: 50.0 grams

A fine Victorian shell cameo pendant/pin depicting Diana, goddess of the hunt, the moon and nature (Artemis in Green mythology). The setting is beautifully worked in the Etruscan taste with delicately formed bead, wire and rosette decoration. The carving makes nice use of the shell's coloring to add details to the goddess' gown. She holds three of her attributes—a bow, a quiver of arrows and a crescent moon tiara. Diana/Artemis, being a virgin goddess, was regarded as the protector of women, especially during childbirth. The cameo is indistinctly signed by the artist. The back retains the original pinstem and pendant hook. The clasp is a slightly later replacement in 10K. The pinstem is stamped for 12K gold and the setting is tested and guaranteed 12K.

• England, circa 1865
• Excellent condition; clasp replaced; no cracks to shell
• 2-5/32" x 1-3/4"
• 14.25 grams

An extraordinarily fine Victorian 14K yellow gold and enamel pocket watch chain in the Aesthetic style. The heavy chain comprises ribbed open links joined by doubly-interlocking textured open links. Near each end, the chain is set with a shell-motif bead accented with opaque black taille d’epargne enamel. The original t-bar is heavily decorated with acanthus leaves and geometric motifs typical of the Aesthetic era, all enhanced with enamel. At 15-1/4” long, the chain is just long enough to be worn about the neck as a short necklace or doubled twice at the wrist as a bracelet. And of course, it can still be used with a pocket watch and fob. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, all original, enamel intact. Size: 15-1/4” long. Weight: 27.0 gr.

A fine Victorian 18K yellow gold fancy link long chain necklace. The chain comprises alternating large and small oval links, each inset with an ornate scrolling pattern with millgrained accents. The design is reminiscent of the stone tracery separating the panels in a Gothic stained glass window. Necklaces of this style are distinctly French and were popular throughout the Second Empire and into the Belle Epoque. The necklace is stamped with French 18K marks and an illegible goldsmith’s mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 29-1/4" long. Weight: 27.1 gr.

A beautiful pair of tiger claw earrings mounted in 18K yellow gold filigree settings. 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, and sometimes in India. These earrings are mounted in the traditional Indian style of ornate filigree work. The claws hang freely from a filigree rosette surmount. The gold is tested and guaranteed to be at least 18K, and is probably closer to 20K.

Origin: India, ca. 1880. Condition: very good; the ear wires are replacements, but the rosettes are original; one claw has light surface flaking typical of natural claws on the back side. Size: 2-5/16” long from top of wires. Weight: 7.0 grams.

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

A wonderful Victorian 14K gold comet pin worked in the Etruscan Revival style. The pin is decorated with ornate granulated rosettes and ropetwist motifs surrounding a single square Persian turquoise cabochon set at the comet's nucleus. The gold surfaces are bloomed for a soft sheen. Tested and guaranteed 14K.The pin was likely produced to commemorate the appearance of Halley's Comet in 1835.

• Origin: America, ca. 1835.
• Dimensions: 2 1/8" long.
• Weight: 4.4 grams.
• Condition: excellent, all original, no dings or missing decorative elements.

Elegant Napoleon III circle brooch enclosing a delicate sprig of flowers set with 19 small rose-cut diamonds. The floral motif is worked in silver as was the practice in 19th century diamond jewelry. The white color of the metal was thought to show diamonds to their better advantage. The edges of the circle are beautifully pierced with a double gallery. The back retains the original extended pinstem and c-clasp, and back is marked with 19th century French hallmarks for 18K gold.

Origin: France, circa 1860. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1” diameter. Weight: 4.75 grams.

An impressively sized 14K gold locket ornately decorated in the Etruscan style with rosettes, shaped appliques, and rope twists. The center features a bouquet worked with rose gold foliage and platinum blossoms and buds. Exposed areas of gold have a soft bloomed finish. The back features an oval hinged locket opening. The locket retains the original matching bail. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

• Origin: America, ca 1860
• Condition: excellent, a few very minor dings on the back locket cover
• Dimensions: 1-3/8” x 2-5/8 long (including bail)
• Weight: 18.0 grams

An elegant pair of Victorian 18K yellow gold tassel earrings, the tops enhanced with applied green and rose gold flowers surrounding collet-set rubies. The foxtail chains terminate in small balls. The earrings have a lot of movement when being worn, and the small rubies add a subtle shot of color. Each is stamped with French 18K gold marks.

• France, ca. 1860.
• Condition: excellent; converted to earrings with the addition of 18K wires.
• Dimensions: 1-3/8" long from tops of wires.
• Weight: 7.2 grams.
• Approximate Total Ruby Weight: .10 carat.