Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1615)

A very handsome pair of Victorian cufflinks, the faces fashioned from carved bloodstone discs centered with gold fox’s heads. The bloodstone, carved with a concave surface, is finely colored in a strong green with noticeable red flecks. The fox heads are beautifully detailed. The faces are connected with chains to decorative torpedo backs. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: very good, each bloodstone disc has a small rim nick visible under magnification, but not visible during normal wear. Size: 9/16” diameter. Weight: 6.8 grams.

A beautiful pair of Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold cufflinks designed by Louis Armand Rault. The design features a maiden with large flowers in her hair. The edges of the faces are irregularly cut to conform to the outlines of the design. The faces are connected with chains to backs decorated in a strapwork motif. Louis Rault worked primarily for Boucheron and was widely considered the finest gold and silver chaser of his time. He largely set the foundation for Boucheron's gold medal victory at the 1900 Exposition Universelle. Each face is signed with Rault's monogram and each cufflink is stamped with French 18K gold marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: front face, 5/8" diameter. Weight: 6.5 grams.

A fine Victorian 14K gold fob locket, the front cover worked in a deeply three dimensional design of a rose gold owl perched on a green gold branch. The eyes are set with garnet cabochons. The back cover has an engraved shield design that was never monogrammed. The hinged bail is engraved in a complimentary design. The interior of the locket retains its original frame and glass insert.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: 7/8" x 1-3/8" (not including jump ring). Weight: 13.7 grams.

A fine French Victorian 18K gold and shaded enamel pin featuring an image of Raphael's "Madonna della Seggiola". The enamel scene of Mary, Jesus and John the Baptist is beautifully executed with great attention to detail. The gold background is stippled for added texture and a little sparkle. The reverse retains the original pinstem and clasp, both marked with French 18K stamps. There is also a partially visible maker's mark. This piece could easily be converted to a pendant with the addition of a bail at the top.

• Origin: France, ca. 1860
• Condition: excellent; no enamel damage
• Dimensions: 1-1/8" diameter
• Weight: 4.75 grams

A fine 18K yellow gold locket, the front cover chased with an ornate scrolling pattern centering a large fleur-de-lis, itself set with an old European diamond. The diamond is well-cut and is graded as J color, SI1 clarity. The back cover has a period monogram "F to J". The interior retains both of the original frame inserts. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 7/8" diameter. Weight: 5.1 grams. Approximate Diamond Weight: .15 carat.

A lovely double-sided 18K yellow gold crystal “porte-photo” (photo carrier), the gold rim elegantly decorated with a bound reed design in the Louis XVI style. The crystal covers are faceted in a star design on both sides. The locket 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, a pressed flower or other memento. They could also be used to display a “public” photo on one side and a more “private” image on the other. They are usually round or oval; a hexagonal example is rather uncommon. These lovely little pieces have become increasingly difficult to find. The porte-photo is fully stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks to crystal. Size: 1-3/32” diameter (excluding bale).

A very fine 18K gold watch pin depicting a mythological griffin grasping a pearl in its mouth. The back-swept wings are bordered with rose cut diamonds set in silver. The detailing for the feathers and scales is superb, and even the reverse is realistically engraved. The design is deeply three-dimensional. Mythological subjects were particularly popular in at the beginning of the Art Nouveau period. The reverse is stamped with an 18K hallmark. The back also retains the original watch hook, clasp and pinstem. A bail could easily be added for wear as a pendant.

• Origin: Europe, ca 1880
• Condition: excellent; all original
• Dimensions: 1-1/4" diameter
• Weight: 17.5 grams

A classic Victorian 14K yellow gold fob seal, the surfaces ornately decorated in a repousse pattern of flowers and foliage. Fobs in this design are more typically English than American. It is very generously sized to make an impression when being worn. The citrine plaque is engraved with the monogram “WKV”, so we’ll just assume that was for William K Vanderbilt (LOL!) The ring is marked “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1840
• Dimensions: 1” x 7/8” x 1-1/2” (excluding ring)
• Weight: 19.5 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

A superb 19th century French figural fob seal worked in silver and 18K gold. The gorgeously detailed wolf's head is worked in silver with gold accents such as the collar and the long tongue that hangs from one side of the very toothy jaws. The eyes are set with small rubies. The carnelian seal has never been engraved. Tested and guaranteed silver and 18K.

Origin: France, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, a very small flake on one corner of the carnelian, jump ring is a later addition. Dimensions: 7/8" x 7/8" x 1-5/16" (excluding jump ring). Weight: 21.7 grams.

The knot motif in Victorian jewelry signifies the unending bonds of love, so there could be no more fitting design for this exquisitely-made 18K yellow gold hair locket/brooch. The gold surface is ornately chased to suggest the texture of rope. A large cabochon amethyst enhanced with a star-set pearl centers the jewel. The brooch is finished with a pair of foxtail tassels. The back of the brooch has a glass-covered compartment with its original hair memorial. The brooch could easily be converted for wear as a pendant with the addition of two bails at the top. Tested and guaranteed 18K. Presented in the original fitted case.

• Origin:probably England, ca 1840.
• Condition: excellent; all original.
• Dimensions: 1-1/2 x 2-3/4".
• Weight: 17.8 grams.
• Approximate Total Amethyst Weight: 13.34 carats.

An elegant antique jewelry case covered in rich lipstick-red red velvet finished with satin trim and passementerie trim. The interior is covered in matching tufted silk. The interior of the lid is gilt-stamped “Horlogerie Bijouterie Brilloit Blaye [France].” The box was probably originally meant for a small pocket watch or a medallion. Records indicate the shop was located at 2, cours de La Fontaine as of 1889.

• Origin: France, ca. 1889.
• Condition: excellent; bright color; only the most minimal of wear at the corners.
• Dimensions: 2-1/8” x 2-1/8” x 1-3/8”.

A very good pair of Victorian 14K yellow gold cufflinks, each face in the form of an owl's head complete with bright ruby eyes. The gold is finely detailed and the rubies are natural and of high quality. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Size: 1/2" x 1/2". Weight: 6.7 grams.

A handsome pair of 18K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks from the era of Napoleon III. The navette-shaped faces are simply decorated with interlaced swirls. The faces are joined by chains. The cufflinks are stamped with French "tete de cheval" hallmarks for 18K.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 3/4" x 5/16". Weight: 6.0 gr.

A magnificent late Georgian multi-colored 18-22K gold bracelet comprising ten heavily detailed plaques. Each primary plaque, in the form of scallop shells in a cruciform arrangement with a large multi-tiered rosette at the center set with an old mine cut diamond. Each primary plaque is set at the corners with antique cushion cut Colombian emeralds. The secondary plaques have floral and acorn decoration and smaller rosettes centering old mine cut diamonds. The gold is very subtly colored, with the rosettes being just a shade pinker than the surrounding gold. The smaller rosettes are enhanced underneath the petals with small floral sprays worked in green and rose gold. The surface decoration is simply exquisite. The diamonds are J color, SI1 clarity and have very good brilliance. The emeralds have intense pure green coloring and fine clarity. The bracelet is entirely original, including the box clasp. Testing indicates that the gold content is somewhere between 18K and 22K.

Origin: probably England, ca. 1835. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 1-1/8" wide; 7-1/4" long. Weight: 62.8 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, 1.75 cts; emerald, 1.24 cts.

A Georgian 15K gold gentleman's ring set with a hematite intaglio with a rare image from Greek/Roman mythology. We see the buff god Apollo in his horse-drawn chariot being led by Eros ("Cupid"), the god of love. This scene depicts the beginning of the tale of the water nymph Daphne.

Best know as god of the sun, Apollo was also the patron god of archers. One day, he mocked Cupid for the small size of the latter's bow and arrows. In revenge, Cupid shot Apollo with a golden-tipped arrow that would make Apollo fall in first with the first female he saw. Cupid shot Daphne with a lead-tipped arrow that would fill her with disdain for the first male she saw. Knowing she was nearby, Cupid taunted Apollo then flew toward Daphne's location with Apollo giving chase. The sun god immediately fell in love with Daphne and gave chase until the water nymph begged her father to save her, which he did by transforming her into a laurel tree. Apollo made the laurel tree his symbol, and as a last act of love for Daphne, used his powers of youth to transform the tree into an evergreen with eternally green leaves.

• Origin: England, ca. 1800
• Condition: excellent; all original
• Dimensions: intaglio, 1" x 3/4"
• Finger Size: 7-3/4
• Weight:15.6 grams

A lovely Georgian mourning pin worked in 9K yellow gold, the center crystal-covered compartment bordered in faceted jet. Lighter-colored hair is somewhat less common that dark hair, and it contrasts particularly nicely with the black border. The reverse is engraved "Wm Dumelow/ob. 16 Mar/1811 At 42." Tested and guaranteed 9K.

Origin: England, 1811. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 1" x 9/16". Weight: 3.3 grams.

An extremely rare pair of 18th century silver double-faced cufflinks set with old European cut colorless paste gemstones. The crystals are held in place in traditional cut-down settings typical of the period and the faces are joined with the quatrefoil connector almost always seen on this type of cufflink. The backs of the crystals are foiled in silver to provider a brighter appearance. Cufflinks such as these are usually broken up into two pairs of earrings, so it is quite uncommon to find a pair in original condition.

Origin: England, ca. 1780. Condition: excellent, original patina. Size: 17/32” diameter.