Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1615)

An exceptionally fine Victorian 18K yellow gold and turquoise locket in the Etruscan Revival taste. The outside of the sphere is encrusted with ornate wirework decoration against a stippled background. Small Persian turquoise cabochons, some set in star-shaped mountings, add a touch of color. The clasp is cleverly hidden to be nearly invisible when the ball is closed. Indistinctly marked; tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: England or America, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 7/8" diameter (excluding bail). Weight: 11.2 grams.

A nice pair of sterling silver stirrup cufflinks, the ends set with black onyx sugarloaf cabochons. This style of cufflink was popularized by Cartier. The cufflinks bear Swiss import marks used until 1934 and are stamped "935", indicating that they have a slightly higher pure silver content than sterling silver.

Origin: Continental Europe, probably France, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: faces, 9/16" diameter. Weight: 8.7 gr.

A very handsome pair of double-faced late Victorian cufflinks by Newark jeweler Bippart, Griscomb & Osborn. The faces are worked in 14K yellow gold and are decorated with engine-turned engraving in several motifs. The front face on each cufflink is set with a high-domed cabochon blue sapphire. The back faces match the engraved decoration of the fronts. The connectors are hallmarked for Bippart, Griscomb and Osborn, one of the leading Newark jewelers at the turn of the century.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 9/16” diameter. Weight: 11.7 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.1 carats.

A very attractive and intensely-colored 18K yellow and white gold ring set with diamonds, rubies and a sapphire. The center stone, an oval mixed-cut blue sapphire, has outstanding, vividly saturated pure blue color and eye-clean clarity. The rubies are of similarly high quality. The two round brilliant-cut diamonds have H color and VS2 and SI1 clarity. The shank has a squared profile and two sizing beads, which can accommodate a range of finger sizes. The style of the ring would be appropriate for either a woman or man. The interior of the shank is marked “750” for 18K.

Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 2000. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: crown 3/8” x 3/4". Finger Size: using a mandrel, the ring measures a 6-1/2, but it fits my 8 finger perfectly; polishing out the sizing beads would increase the size a bit more. Weight: 11.1 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .39 ct; ruby, .30 ct; sapphire, .29 ct.

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.

An extremely heavy pair of 14K yellow gold double-faced cufflinks made by Louis Tamis & Sons and retailed by Tiffany & Co. The round faces are simply decorated with parallel ribbed surfaces. The faces are joined by solid hinged connectors. The cufflinks are very heavy and have a classic, masculine appeal. Tamis was one of New York’s most important goldsmiths and supplied goods to Tiffany, Cartier and Verdura among others. Each cufflink is marked “14K” and has Tamis’ maker’s mark and Tiffany’s retailer mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent. Size: 9/16” diameter. Weight: 21.6 grams.

A fine modernist 18K yellow gold ring by Burle Marx set with an intricately carved bi-color watermelon tourmaline in the "forma livre" (free form) style. Haroldo Burle Marx was particularly known for his use of large gemstones, often fashioned by carving or tumbling rather than faceting, a technique he invented in 1948. The colors of the tourmaline are nicely contrasting an dhighly saturated. The gold surfaces are decorated with the fine florentined engraving typical of Marx's pieces. The interior of the shank is signed "Burle Marx/18K" and "Ind Bras/GB/791".

Marx worked in his native Brazil, and his only international boutique was at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. He was chosen by the Brazilian government to create gifts for visiting heads of state and their wives, including Empress Nagako of Japan, Empress Farah Diba of Iran, Queen Margarethe of Denmark and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He was also a favorite jeweler of Natalie Wood and Merle Oberon. One of his most important commissions was a gem-encrusted cross made for Pope John Paul II.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1965. Condition: excellent, all original. Finger Size: 6-1/2. Dimensions: crown, 19 x 29 mm (11/16 x 1-1/8 in); shank tapers to 4 mm (5/32 in) at the back. Weight: 16.1 gr.

A superb pair of vintage, mid-century platinum earrings with green tourmalines and diamonds. The large rectangular step cut tourmalines contrast beautifully with the surrounding ribbons of diamonds and the whiteness of the platinum settings. The pairing of tourmalines and diamonds isn’t terribly common and gives these earrings a special appeal. The tourmalines, of outstanding quality, are graded as very slightly bluish green hue, with medium dark tone and strong saturation (vslbG 6/5); 60% brilliance (very good); excellent cut proportions; good finish; and Type I eye-clean clarity. The round brilliant and single cut diamonds are estimated at H color, VSI clarity. Marked for platinum.

Origin: America, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent, tourmalines have slight wear at facet junctions visible at 10x magnification. Weight: 12.1 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: tourmaline, 14.0 carats; diamond, .66 carat.

A very uncommon pair of 14K yellow gold stirrup-style flip-up cufflinks, with one face of each set with a golf-themed reverse-carved Essex crystal. The golfers depicted in each crystal are wearing old-fashioned golf clothing. These are the first Essex cufflinks we’ve encountered in the flip-up style. The connectors are stamped “14Kâ€. They are likely by Krementz or Larter.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent; no moisture damage or scratches to crystals. Dimensions: faces, 19/32†diameter. Weight: 11.5 gr.

A beautifully-designed Victorian ball locket enhanced with rose-cut diamonds. The two strap-like decorative elements on either side of the locket lift away, allowing the sphere to be unfolded into a locket accommodating six photos. The sphere is bisected by a band of rose-cut diamonds enhanced with engraving on either side. The original bail is set with rose-cut diamonds. As is typical of French jewels of the period, the diamonds are set in silver over the gold. Ball lockets with multiple panels are extremely rare, and this example is of particularly fine quality. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: France, ca. 1870. Dimensions: 7/8” diameter (excluding bail). Weight: 15.0 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .33 ct.

Exquisite Victorian sticking fashioned from 12K yellow gold, the head in the shape of a horseshoe prong-set with a double row of graduated rose-cut diamonds and cabochon rubies. One of the rubies is an old mine-cut and another is a rectangular cushion-cut. In both cases, the stones appear to be original, as the setting fits them perfectly. Perhaps the jeweler was more interested in matching color than specific cuts. This was not an uncommon practice in the era. Tested and guaranteed 12K gold.

Origin: probably England, circa 1880. Condition: very good, with wear to some of the outer prongs. Size: head, 5/8” x 9/16”, overall length, 2-7/16”. Weight: 2.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .3 carat; ruby .5 carat.

A superb dress set, comprising a pair of cufflinks and three shirt studs, by Tiffany & Co. Each face is fashioned from a disc of abalone centering a old European cut diamond collet-set in platinum. The borders of the faces are worked in platinum enhanced with bright-cut engraving. The diamonds are G-H color, VS clarity. The abalone has deep luster with strong overtones of iridescent red, green and orange. Cufflinks made from abablone are much less common than those made from gray or white mother-of-pearl. The added sparkle from the engraved platinum contrasts nicely. The backs and findings are worked in 14K yellow gold, but only the platinum shows when being worn. The backs are marked “Tiffany & Co./14K” and “Plat. & Gold”.

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent. Size: cufflinks, 9/16” diameter; studs, 5/16” diameter. Weight: 13.3 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .32 ct.

An extremely desirable pair of of Edwardian 14K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks set with reverse-carved Essex crystals depicting American birds, retailed by Abercrombie & Fitch. The faces have beautifully rendered depictions of a ruffed grouse, a sandpiper, a standing mallard duck, and a mallard duck in flight. Each of the birds is brilliantly colored and set against a mother-of-pearl background. The connectors are marked "14K" and are signed "AF" for Abercrombie & Fitch.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 5/8" diameter. Weight: 11.1 gr.

A fine pair of 18K yellow gold cufflinks in the stirrup (“étrier”) style popularized by Cartier in the late Art Deco period. The cufflinks are formed as sharply arched band of open curb link chain. The hinged bar is hidden inside the cuff when the cufflinks are being worn. Each cufflink is fully hallmarked with French 18K marks and an unidentified master goldsmith’s mark.

Origin: Paris, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent. Size: 29/32” x 3/4”. Weight: 11.9 grams.

An outstanding pair of heavy French Art Deco 18K yellow and white gold cufflinks set with cabochon garnets. Each of the faces comprises a set of three gold discs—two yellow and one white—stacked and offset to one side. The upper discs are pierced by a bright cabochon garnet. The design has a severe, almost industrial modernist, look that was surely very unusual in its time. The backs are stamped with French 18K marks and the master goldsmith’s mark for Paul Marteau. Marteau established his Parisian workshop in 1919, but closed it the following year. Based on the design aesthetic and quality of workmanship in these cufflinks, he was quite accomplished. Unfortunately, there is no additional information available about him. The connectors open for ease in putting the cufflinks through the cuff.

Origin: France, 1919. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 5/8†diameter. Weight: 17.6 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: garnet, 2.08 cts.

An exceptionally fine Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold pin in the form of a pansy blossom highlighted with enamel. The enamel decoration is absolutely spectacular. Shades of translucent pink, chartreuse and maroon blend to create a very realistic, soft appearance. The flower is centered with an old European cut diamond of very fine quality, estimated at I color, VS clarity. The back retains the original pinstem, clasp and eyelet for a watch hanger. Though unsigned, the brooch was made by Whiteside & Blank, one of the finest Newark makers. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage. Size: 1-1/16” x 1-1/16”. Weight: 7.6 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .20 carat.

A superb and witty pair of 14K yellow and rose gold cufflinks in the shape of a cocktail glass. The bowl and foot are worked in yellow gold and the stem in pink gold. Looking inside the bowls, there's a little surprise--bright coral cherries with rose gold stems! These are possibly the most unique Deco figural cufflinks we have found. Each cufflink is stamped with a variation of the Carter, Gough & Howe hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: bowl, 9/16" diam; foot, 3/8" diam; 11/16" tall. Weight: 7.9 gr.

A handsome pair of modernist cufflinks worked as concave silver discs centering collet-set amber cabochons with applied beads to the setting. The amber has a beautiful honey color and an abundance of the highly-prized natural discoid inclusions called “sun spangles”. These are often created by enhancements, but the spangles in this amber are naturally occurring. The toggles are marked “830”.

Origin: Denmark, ca. 1950s. Condition: excellent, nice patina. Size: 13/16” diameter. Weight: 11.5 grams.