Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold (1025)

A fine Edwardian 14K yellow gold stickpin featuring an reverse-carved Essex crystal head depicting the blue and white striped burgee of the Larchmont Yacht Club. The crystal is well-carved, with bright coloring and no signs of water damage or separation. The crystal is finished with a mother-of-pearl background. The Larchmont Yacht Club dates from 1880 and remains one of America’s most exclusive yachting clubs. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: head, 1/2" diameter; overall length, 2-21/32”. Weight: 2.0 grams.

This delightful Victorian Art Nouveau pendant and pin features a four-leaf clover nestled inside a crescent moon, both set with seed pearls. The clover is centered with a .2-carat old European cut diamond. The combination of a flower and a crescent in Victorian jewelry was intended to convey the sentiment "honeymoon" and they were often a gift from a groom to his new bride. The four-leaf clover, of course, conveyed good luck. The reverse retains the original folding bail and a pin that's hidden from view, so the piece can be worn in multiple ways. The clasp is marked "10K."

• America, ca. 1900
• Excellent condition; all original
• Dimensions: 1" diameter (excluding bail)
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .2 carat
• 4.1 grams.

A nice Victorian 18K gold locket, the front cover featuring a lioness shown in profile. She is enhanced with a bright emerald eye and grasps an old mine cut diamond in her mouth. The back is engraved with a period three-letter monogram. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Dimensions: 1" diameter
• Condition: excellent; sharp detail on the lion; two pinpoint dings on the back cover
• Weight: 8.7 grams
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .05 carat

A delightful Chinese antique carved agate pendant enhanced with its original knotted silk cord and Type A (untreated) green jadeite bead, finished with a 14K yellow gold bail. The carving represents a male elder seated atop a fish and holding a pair of plums over his shoulder. The carving makes nice use of the agate's natural coloring to represent the fish and fruit. In Chinese symbology, the fish is a sign of wealth and abundance, and the plum is a sign for longevity. The jadeite bead is semi-translucent, with moderate mottling and medium grain. This pendant was salvaged from ca 1900 Chinese necklace that was far too worn to repair. In both the original necklace and in this pendant, the carving is designed to hang upside down so that it appears right-side-up when the wearer holds the pendant and raises it up in her own hand.

Origin: China, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, very light wear along edges consistent with age. Dimensions: 7/8" wide; 1-11/16" long from top of bail.

NOTE: Other pieces created from the original antique necklace include Items #1344595, 1350547, and 1350538.

An antique green jadeite Pi pendant suspended on a knotted silk cord embroidered with seed pearls and strung with a jadeite bead, finished with a contemporary 14K yellow gold bail. In traditional Chinese belief, the Pi (sometimes spelled "Bi") represents the heavenly deities and the central hole allows souls to access Heaven. The Pi has medium-light green color with moderate mottling, medium grain and medium translucency. The jade bead is darker color and is more opaque. The pendant was salvaged from a ca. 1900 antique necklace that was far too worn to be saved in its entirety. The jade is Type A (no treatment).

Origin: China, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent; no cracks or chips; the cord, pearls and bead are original. Dimensions: Pi diameter, 1"; overall length, 2-3/16" from top of bail.

NOTE: Other pieces created from the original antique necklace include Items #1350547, #1344595, and #1350553.

A striking late Victorian 14K yellow gold crucifix set with sapphires, an old European cut diamond and seed pearls. The diamond is graded at I/SI2 and the sapphires are finely colored and show no indication of heat treatment. The gold surface is "bloomed" for a soft matte texture that enhances the gold color but is subdued enough for the religious purpose of the pendant. The bail is original and is stamped for Bippart, Griscom & Osborn, one of the finest Newark jewelers of the era.

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: 1-1/2" x 2-1/14" (excluding bail)
• Weight: 9.2 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, .80 carat; diamond, .23 carat

A very fine Imperial Austro-Hungarian bangle bracelet simply designed as an oval of twisted gold, but then set at the top with a trefoil of three cornflower blue sapphires surrounded by rose cut diamonds. The sapphires, .72, .58, and .52 carat, have microscopic stringer, sharp-edge milky bands, and snowflake inclusions typical of sapphires mined in Kashmir in the 1880s. The sapphires have excellent saturation, medium-dark tone, pure blue color without violet overtones, and a characteristic velvety appearance. The sapphires are surrounded and centered with eleven small rose cut diamonds. The bracelet is stamped with the Vienna hallmark used 1872-1922. The removable safety chain makes the bangle easy to take on and off.

• Origin: Vienna, Austria-Hungary, ca 1885
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1/8” wide at back; 5/8” wide at front; interior circumference, 6-1/2
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, 1.83 carats; diamond, .10 carat
• Weight: 14.9 grams

A very nice late Victorian hinged bangle bracelet worked in a pierced scrolling design. The front features a row of three square cabochon rhodolite garnets set diagonally. The rhodolites have a lovely purplish hue that distinguishes them from their more common all reddish-brown garnet cousins. The bangle is fairly wide, but the piercing gives it an elegant lightness. The clasp is marked “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 7/16” wide; inner circumference, 7-1/4”
• Approximate Total Rhodolite Garnet Weight: 3.3 carats
• Weight: 23.8 grams

A pretty Victorian stick pin, the head in the form of an enameled pansy centering a 1-point old mine-cut diamond. The petals are detailed in shades of white, lavender and black. The coloring is applied in a way that makes the petals look ruffled. In the Victorian language of flowers, the pansy represented remembrance. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, there are some enamel imperfections at the edges of the petals that are original to the making. Size: head, 1/4" x 1/4"; overall length, 2-1/2”. Weight: 1.5 grams.

A very fine, beautiful Art Nouveau gold brooch featuring a row of three kittens sitting on a diamond-studded platform. The kittens are finely cast with excellent attention to detail. The cat at the far right appears to be licking his neighbor while the one of the opposite end seems completely aloof from the proceedings. The bar supporting the cats is topped with silver in the traditional style of French Art Nouveau jewelry and is set with antique cushion-cut diamonds of very nice quality. Interlaced gold volutes are suspended below the diamond platform. The back retains the original pinstem and c-clasp, both marked with “tete d’aigle” stamps for 18K gold. The clasp also bears an illegible maker’s mark. The back is also stamped with a serial number, “6044”, indicating it was sold by an exclusive jeweler. While dogs are a relatively common theme in 19th century jewelry, domestic cats are much less so.

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-1/2” x 1-1/2”. Weight: 16.7 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .675 carat.

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.

An outstanding Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold locket, the front cover decorated in with an ornate pond scene incorporating rippling water, waterlilies and cattails under the watchful eye of the “man in the moon” and seed pearl stars. The scene is very original and is beautifully worked. The back cover has a period three-letter monogram “GEG”. The interior retains both original frames and one of the glass covers. Marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no dings. Size: 1-1/16” diameter (excluding bail). Weight: 7.9 grams.

A magnificent French Art Nouveau 18K gold and diamond slide locket, the front cover featuring a a fierce griffin clutching an old European cut diamond in its mouth. The beast is beautifully chased and engraved with a lot of detail in the feathers and fur. The griffin is presented against an ornately pierced Renaissance style background that would allow small peaks to show through of any portrait or photo enclosed in the locket. In Greek mythology, griffins were the guardians of the most treasured and priceless possessions, and its role on the front of a locket mimics that idea. The diamond is of equally high quality, graded as G color, VVS1 clarity. The bail has partially obscured French hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail; a few small pinpoint dings on the back cover; no monogram. Dimensions: 1-1/16" diam (excluding bail). Weight: 14.6 gr. Approximate Diamond Weight: .24 ct.

A stunning early Victorian snake necklace in 18K gold. The body is worked in a graduated series of scaled links terminating in an ornate emerald- and garnet-set head suspending an emerald-set foliate drop. The construction of the snake’s body is very flexible and feels silky like a true snake. The ornate head with repoussé and chased decoration is more fanciful and resembles a Chinese dragon. The eyes are set with bright garnet cabochons and the head features a row of collet-set emerald cut emeralds. The stones have fine bluish green coloring. The head suspends a drop in the form of leafy twigs set with additional emeralds. A box clasp is cleverly hidden in the head for a seamless appearance when being worn. Following Prince Albert’s proposal to Queen Victoria with a snake ring in 1839, a snake grasping its own tail came to represent the seamlessness or eternity of love and became wildly popular in jewelry. The necklace is presented in its original burgundy velvet, silk and leather fitted case. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

• Origin: England, ca 1840
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: overall length, 19-1/4”; length when clasped, 16-1/2”; drop length, 1-1/4”
• Weight: 32.5 grams
• Approximate Total Emerald Weight: 3.77 carats

A lovely 14K yellow gold Art Nouveau bracelet comprising a series of round floral plaques, each hinged separately for comfort. The center five plaques are set with a round brilliant cut ruby at the middle of each blossom. The rubies have a strong purplish-red color that contrasts nicely with the yellow gold. Each plaque is pierced around the flower petals for added delicacy. The concealed clasp is marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 7-1/2” long; 1/2” wide. Weight: 12.8 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, 1.02 cts.

An exquisite Art Nouveau pendant/brooch in 18K gold with diamonds, pearls, and enamel. A lily pad, enameled in translucent shades of green, yellow, and rose centers the brooch, and is surrounded by whiplash curves of 95 round diamonds. A large diamond-set lily blossom appears at the top of the frame. All the diamond areas are set in silver-topped gold, as was the custom in French jewels of the period. The design is accented with pearls, including a pearl drop at the bottom. The piece has a brooch attachment, but also has a pair of small bails so it can be worn as a pendant. The brooch fitting, where the original French hallmarks would have been, has been replaced. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

• Origin: France, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, brooch fitting replaced, no enamel damage
• Dimensions: 1-7/16” x 2-3/16” (36 x 55 mm)
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: 1.9 carats

A superb pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring old European cut diamonds in buttercup settings surrounding oval mixed-cut rubies. The diamonds are separated with radiating lines of black taille d'epargne enamel. The rubies have a classic slightly purplish-red color with good intensity and eye-clean clarity. All rubies fluouresce in natural sunlight to some degree, and these rubies have a particularly strong reaction in bright sunlight, turning an intense red. The microscopic inclusions in the rubies indicate that they are unheated, and the probable source is Burma. The diamonds are F/VVS2. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1890
• Condition: no damage to stones or enamel; replaced wires
• Dimensions: 11/16" diameter; 1" long from top of wire
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .50 carat; diamond, .60 carat
• Weight: 5.8 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.

A stunning 18K yellow gold festoon necklace featuring dozens of ornately intertwined swags and drops studded with small natural pearls and Mediterranean coral beads. The necklace is finished with an Etruscan style box clasp of the sort associated with Luigi Pallotti e Fratelli, one of the most exclusive jewelers in late 19th century Venice. This particular style of festoon necklace is particularly associated with his work. Pallotti exhibited successfully at the World' Colombian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. The clasp is stamped with Venetian gold marks.

Origin: Italy, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: overall length, 14-1/2"; length of center drop, 2-1/2". Weight: 22.8 grams.

An elegant Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold locket depicting the head of a lion in 3/4 profile on the cover. His eyes are set with round faceted rubies (natural and untreated) and he grasps a 5-pt old European cut diamond in his jaws. The flowing mane is just visible behind the head and blends into the swirling border that completes the design. The plain back cover was never engraved.

• America, ca 1890
• Very good condition; a few small pinpoints on the back cover
• 1-1/8" diameter
• 6.5 grams
• Approximate Gemstone Weight: diamond, .05 carat; ruby, .05 carat

An 18K yellow gold medallion pendant or charm depicting Emperor Napoleon I. The design pictures Bonaparte as a young man, but the source appears to be Nicolas-Toussaint Charlet's portrait created in 1821, the year of the former Emperor's death. This image is largely credited with creating the myth of Napoleon that lasted throughout the 19th century. The medallion has superb, sharp detail shown in high relief. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• France, late 19th century
• 1 1/16" diameter (excluding bail and jump ring)
• 12.6 grams

An elegant Art Nouveau bracelet comprising foliate shaped links set with round amethysts alternating with fleur-de-lis shaped links. The amethysts have the deep violet coloring typical of the best quality Siberian material. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

• Origin: America, ca 1895
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 7-1/2” long
• Weight: 19.4 grams
• Approximate Total Amethyst Weight: 5.22 carats

A stunning Art Nouveau 18K gold brooch featuring an enameled and engraved portrait of Pallas Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, horses and olives. Her beautifully engraved helmet is adorned with a small rose cut diamond. Her armor and the embroidery along the edges of her gown are also engraved. The quality of the painted enamel facial details and the background champleve enamel in royal blue is gorgeous. The edges of the medallion are enhanced with natural pearls. The back retains the original pinstem and c-clasp, both stamped with French 18K marks. A folding bail could easily be added to the piece can be worn as a pendant.

• Origin: France, ca 1890.
• Condition: excellent; all original; no enamel damage.
• Dimensions: 1-3/32" diameter.
• Weight: 8.4 grams.

A elegant brooch worked in 18K yellow gold filigree centering a round brilliant-cut amethyst surrounded by natural seed pearls. The amethyst’s collet is enhanced with millegraining, as is the remainder of the filigree work. The edge is finished with a border of wirework rosettes. The quality of workmanship is superb. Filigree of this delicacy is usually only seen in platinum. The amethyst is moderately pale with a slightly pinkish tint. The back of the pin is marked “18Kt”, and there is an indistinct mark on the original c-clasp. The brooch could easily be converted for wear as a pendant.

• Origin: England, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: 1-1/8” x 1-1/8” on the diagonal; 7/8" x 7/8" on the square
• Weight: 4.7 grams
• Approximate Amethyst Weight: .68 carat.

A lovely Victorian tortoise shell pique pendant in a heart shape. The puffed surface is worked with gold and silver inlay in an ornate floral pattern within a scalloped inlaid border. The pattern of two flowers joined together by a ribbon, and of course, the overall heart shape suggest that the pendant would have been given as a love token. The tortoise has very nice markings and translucency when held to the light.

Origin: America or England, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, no inlay loss, no chipping or cracking, (the line visible in the last image is a surface scratch only--not a crack). Size: 1-1/16” x 1-3/16”.

A wonderful Victorian/Art Nouveau pendant and brooch in the form of a mythological griffin grasping a diamond in its jaws. The creature’s open-winged pose is somewhat unusual for this type of jewel, as they tend to be more curled up in a more circular position. The pose, however, makes for wear as a dramatic pendant hanging from the pendant loops on each wing. The back also has a removable fitting so it can also be worn as a brooch. And finally, there is a watch hook at the bottom that could suspend a watch or a dangling gemstone. The griffin is worked with in great detail and even the back is enhanced with engraved feathers and scales. The old mine cut diamond has good color and VS1 clarity. The pin stem is stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1890
• Dimensions: 2-3/4” x 1-3/8”
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail
• Weight: 18.1 grams
• Approximate Diamond Weight: .33 carat

A fine early French Art Nouveau orchid brooch, the flower petals carved from banded agate around old mine cut diamond stamens, all set atop an elegant gold stem set with rose cut diamonds. The flower is a single piece of agate, finished with a matte surface to suggest the texture of a real flower petals. The carver left streaks of a darker colored agate on the back to create the delicately-colored veining that shows through the petals. The petal at lower left is turned back on itself to enhance the realistic effect. The reverse is stamped with a "tete de Mercure" hallmark indicating 18K gold that was intended to be sold abroad. There is also an illegible master goldsmith's mark.

• Origin: France, ca. 1880
• Condition: excellent; all original; a few tiny fleabites on one petal visible only with 10X magnification
• Dimensions: 2-5/8" x 1-1/4"Weight: 10.25 grams
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .85 carat.

A fine Art Nouveau medallist brooch depicting Demeter (Ceres), goddess of the harvest, in 18K gold by Louis Rault. She is shown in profile with several of her attributes a tiara of wheat and poppies and a scythe. The wears a rose-cut diamond earring, a diamond toga clasp, and a third in her tiara. Louis Armand Rault was a lead designer for Boucheron 1868-75 and this is one of his signature designs. The brooch is stamped with French 18K gold marks and also with an illegible maker's mark. The front is also marked with Rault's monogram. The brooch could easily be converted to a pendant with the addition of a folding bail.

• Origin: France, ca. 1880.
• Condition: excellent; sharp detail; all original.
• Dimensions: 1" diameter.
• Weight: 7.4 grams.
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .03 carat.

A heavy French 18K gold and diamond pendant depicting a mythological griffin. The creature has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. His open jaws clasp an old mine cut diamond. The diamond has bright (G-ish) color and is VVS2 clarity. The griffin is depicted against a background of swirling foliage. The back is engraved to match the texture of the front. The griffin has two loops on the backs of the wingtips so it can be worn as a pendant. It originally also had a removable pin stem which is no longer present. The pendant is stamped with French 18K guarantee marks and a partial goldsmith’s mark.

• Origin: France, ca. 1890
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail, removable brooch mechanism absent
• Dimensions: 1-5/8” x 1-3/8”
• Weight: 11.6 grams
• Approximate Diamond Weight: .05 carat

An elegant pair of French Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold earrings designed in a openwork pattern of irises. The flowers and foliage are highlighted with delicate engraving. The gold surfaces are enhanced with the soft matte texture typical of French jewels of the period. The wires appear to be replacements and are stamped with French 18K marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 3/4" 3/4". Weight: 4.7 grams.

A lovely Art Nouveau pendant worked in gilt silver depicting a pair of hounds against a background of oak leaves and acorns. The quality of the casting and chasing is very nice. The reverse is marked "800".

• Origin: Europe, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-9/32" diameter
• WeightL 13.0 grams

A fine 18K yellow gold Victorian bracelet in the Etruscan Revival taste. The bracelet comprises ten 7-mm gold beads ornately decorated in twisted wire- and bead-work. Two 8.5-mm beads flank the clasp. The beads are joined by trace link chains, the larger beads being separated at a greater distance from the others. The placement of the hallmarks on the chain segments indicates this is the original design of the bracelet and that it has not been altered. French 18K hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent. Size: 7-1/2". Weight: 6.5 grams.

This substantial Victorian 14K gold chain can be worn alone as a statement piece or be used to suspend a heavy locket or pendant. Each link is reeded to add extra texture and shine. The links are open so the chain can be used to suspend a series of charms, if desired. The chain is completed with a spring ring clasp. The clasp is marked "14K" and the chain is tested and guaranteed 14K, as well.

• America, ca. 1880.
• Excellent condition.
• 22 3/4" long.
• 16.4 grams.

A Victorian 14K gold ring featuring an oval garnet cabochon surrounded by a laurel wreath border. The 10 x 7 mm garnet has very attractive coloring that contrasts nicely with the gold setting. Originally a stickpin, a 14K gold shank has been added.

• Origin: America, ca 1890
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: crown 9/16" x 7/16"
• Finger Size: 6-3/4
• Weight: 2.3 grams

An outstanding Victorian multi-colored 14K gold watch fob worked in yellow, green and rose gold with platinum. The fob is fashioned as a bouquet of flowers bound together with a scalloped border. The flowers are expertly enhanced with engraved details. The trace link chain alternates between rose gold, green gold and platinum. The swivel is original and is marked "14K."

• America, circa 1890
• Excellent condition; sharp detail
• charm, 5/8" diameter; 4-11/16" overall length
• 9.5 grams

A lovely double-sided 18K yellow gold and beveled crystal porte-photo (“photo carrier”), the gold rim simply decorated with a bound reed design in the Louis XVI style. It is cleverly constructed with a hidden screw mechanism that allows the gold frame to expand so the crystal covers can be removed for adding or changing the contents. Double-sided porte-photos were often used to display a photo on one side and a tiny lock of hair or a memento such as a pressed flower on the other. They could also be used to display a "public" photo on one side and a more "private" photo on the reverse. These lovely little pieces are becoming increasingly difficult to find. The porte-photo is fully stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent; very minor surface scratching on crystal consistent with age and a small roughness of the edge of the crystal (not visible when inside the frame). Size: 29/32” x 1-3/8” (excluding jump ring). Weight: 5.3 grams.