Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1603)

This lovely enameled pansy, originally a screwback earring, has been converted to a colorful ring with the addition of sterling silver shank. The pansy is enameled in bright shades of purple and yellow. The enamel has a slight iridescent effect and is translucent so the engraved silver shines through for added texture. In the Victorian language of flowers, the pansy generally conveyed the meaning, “Think of me.” Purple and yellow pansies more specifically meant, “Forget me not.” The back is marked “Sterling.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1930.
• Condition: excellent; no enamel damage.
• Dimensions: 3/4 x 3/4".
• Finger Size: 6 1/4.
• Weight: 3.8 grams.

An attractive 18K gold and green chalcedony band. The carved chalcedony band is enclosed by gold on each side and is adorned with a gold crossband at the front. The ring is stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

• Origin: France, ca 1970
• Condition: very good, minor wear to the back side of the gold band
• Finger Size: 6-1/4
• Width: 3/16”
• Weight: 2.1 grams

An elegant pair of vintage sterling silver and rosewood inlaid cufflinks by an unknown Taxco maker. The geometric positive and negative space design and is finely executed. The backs are marked “Mexico 925” and have the maker’s registry number “TS-15.”

,
• Origin: Taxco, Mexico, circa 1980.
• Dimensions: 29/32” x 5/8” (23 x 16 mm).
• Weight: 14.8 grams.
• Condition: excellent.

A nice late Victorian silver watch chain with striped niello decoration on alternating links. The chain is finished at one end with a dog clip and at the other with a bamboo-shaped t-bar. The chain is stamped with the Swiss mark for 875 silver used 1882-1934.

• Origin: Switzerland, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, niello intact
• Length: 17-1/2”
• Weight: 21.0 grams

A fascinating pair of Irish sterling silver cufflinks, the faces formed from flattened spheres of carved rock crystal set in a silver band. The faces are joined with solid connectors to ball backs. The mountings are indistinctly marked with Irish hallmarks and also have a maker’s mark “RK”.

Origin: Ireland, 1971. Condition: excellent. Size: 15/16” diameter.

A fine pair of modernist silver cufflinks by master Danish designer Niels Erik From. The large concave round faces are each set with a round amber cabochon in a dark reddish-orange color approaching that of cherry amber. The cabochons are set at the edges to create a very modern, assymetrical look. From moved away from traditional Scandinavian design in the 1960’s with very bold, angular designs such as this. The connectors are marked “Sterling/Denmark/N.E. From/925S”.

Origin: Nakskov, Denmark, ca. 1965. Condition: excellent, polished. Size: 7/8” diameter. Weight: 11.5 grams.

Fabulous bracelet composed completely of violet-colored glass flowers and green leaves strung on an amber glass chain. This is one of the best pieces of early glass jewelry we've encountered. The delicacy and detail of the modeling is outstanding, as are the colors. The bracelet retains its original brass c-clasp.

Origin: probably Czechoslovakia, circa 1920. Condition: all original, all pieces intact, two flowers have minute flakes. Size: 7-1/2" long.

Swiss Silver Niello & Gilt Silver Watch Chain An excellent late Victorian silver watch chain with striped niello decoration on the double bar links, alternating with silver gilt curb links. The chain is finished at one end with a dog clip and at the other with a large niello bolt. The chain is stamped with the Swiss mark for 800 silver used 1882-1934.

• Origin: Switzerland, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, niello intact
• Length: 16-1/4”
• Weight: 15.2 grams

Very nice 14 karat yellow and rose gold brooch in the Retro Modern style, set with a single deeply lustrous 4.5mm pearl. The circle is rose gold, and the leaves are a slightly green-tinted yellow gold. The interplay of gold colors is a signature of period Retro Modern jewelry. The back is marked by the jeweller, A. J. Hedges & Co.

Origin: Newark, NJ, circa 1935. Condition: virutally mint, all original. Size: 1-11/16" x 1-1/8".

Lovely late Victorian enameled 14K yellow gold stickpin in the form of a four-leaf clover. Half of each petal is decorated in shaded enamel and the other halves are set with minute seed pearls. The stickpin has the twisted stem that generally indicates an early date. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, all original. Size: head, 7/16” x 7/16”; 2-15/32” overall length. Weight: 1.5 grams.

An excellent late Victorian silver baton link watch chain, the batons decorated with niello in a striped pattern echoed in the striped niello of the dog clip and large bolt clasp. The silver batons are joined by shorter gilt silver double baton links. The chain is stamped “800” and with the Swiss silver hallmark used prior to 1934.

• Origin: Switzerland, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, all niello intact except wear to the niello on the dog clip
• Length: 17-1/8”
• Weight: 10.8 grams

Handsome Napoleon III-era 18K gold brooch in the form of an eagle with spread wings. Eagle motifs were very popular in French jewelry of the 1860's and 70's. This example features a hook from which a lady could hang her gold watch. The eagle's beak holds a small ring that originally would have been attached to a tiny safety chain for the watch. This piece is decorated in the repousse manner, meaning that the design was created by working the gold from the back side rather than engraving the front. The detail is outstanding. The back retains the original pinstem and c-clasp. The back is stamped with the French "tete d'aigle" 18K gold hallmark and with the jeweler's mark (BF).

Origin: France, circa 1870. Condition: excellent, crisp detail. Size: 2-1/4" x 9/16" (excluding watch hook). Weight: 2.5 grams.

A nice extra-wide Victorian silver cuff bracelet engraved in an ornate Persian-inspired design. The bracelet is hinged, and the back side is unengraved. The width of the bracelet lends a very imposing look. Tested and guaranteed sterling silver.

• Origin: America, ca. 1875
• Condition: excellent, only two pinpoint dings on the back side
• Dimensions: 6-1/4” circumference, 1-7/16” wide
• Weight: 31.9 grams

A striking pair of David-Andersen sterling silver double-sided cufflinks, the faces decorated with guilloche enamel in a translucent deep red shade. The underlying engine-turned engraving is in a sunburst pattern. The hinged connectors are marked with appropriate sterling silver hallmarks and the maker’s mark used from 1925.

• Origin: Norway, ca. 1930.
• Face Dimensions: 31/32” x 15/16”.
• Weight: 11.6 grams.
• Condition: excellent; tiny age-appropriate surface wear visible under 10x magnification.

A great pair of Art Nouveau sterling silver bean-back cufflinks in the form of dogwood flowers. The faces are very nicely detailed. The backs of the faces and the connectors are marked “Sterling”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 13/16” x 9/16”. Weight: 7.5 grams.

Lovely vintage sterling silver brooch set with a cluster of eight Mikimoto-quality pearls. The pearls range from 6.0 to 7.5mm. They have very white body color with silvery overtones. The nacre is thick and very lustrous. Mikimoto supplied other jewelers with pearls and it is most likely that these are by Mikimoto. The openwork sterling silver setting in a stylized floral form is typical of the 1950s and the clasp is identical to those used by Mikimoto during the period. The back is marked “Silver’.

Origin: Japan, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-1/2” x 1-7/8”. Weight: 14.75 grams.

An attractive pair of mid-20th century cufflinks in 800 silver, the square faces set with faceted plaques of synthetic green spinel in a dark olive green color. The rich color of the gemstones contrasts nicely with the silver borders. Solid bridges connect to the toggle backs enhanced with line engraving. The bridges are marked “800” and have an unidentified maker’s mark.

Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 11/16” x 11/16”. Weight: 13.8 grams.

A handsome pair of Art Deco sterling silver cufflinks, the faces decorated with an applied vine and berry motif slightly reminiscent of Jensen's "Blossom" pattern. The faces are joined by solid connectors to the hinged backs that are simply decorated with scored parallel lines. The connectors are marked "930S/Sterling" and have the maker's mark "W. KR".

Origin: Scandinavia, probably Denmark or Norway, ca. 1940. Size: 23/32" x 17/32". Weight: 14.5 grams.