Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1605)

A lovely 18K yellow gold, diamond, and ruby love pendant (“medaille d’amour”) with a rebus spelling out “Plus qu’hier, moins que demain” (“More than yesterday, less than tomorrow”), a line from the love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of “Cyrano de Bergerac”) in 1889. In 1907, the Lyonnais jewelry Alphonse Augis created a love token based on the poem. His designs changed over time and this piece is a classic example from the 1960s. The heart-shaped medallion is surrounded by a border of smaller hearts alternating with prong-set synthetic rubies. The front is signed A.A. and the pendant is stamped with French 18K marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1965
• Condition: very good
• Dimensions: 7/8” x 7/8” (excluding bail and jump ring)
• Weight: 4.7 grams

An outstanding Venetian Etruscan Revival 18K yellow gold fob charm in the form of a crown. The bottom of the charm is set with a 9-carat oval brilliant amethyst of nice color. The sides of the charm are set with small round glass gemstones imitating small amethysts. The upper scrolls of the crown enclose a round cultured pearl. The gold surfaces are heavily decorated with rosettes and wirework. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: Italy, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Size: 1” x 1-1/4” x 1-3/8”. Weight: 15.7 grams. Approximate Gemstone Weight: 9.04 cts.

An elegant square locket worked in 14K yellow gold. The locket is simply decorated with an engraved laurel leaf border. The cover is set with four rubies surrounding a demantoid garnet. The bail is placed at a corner, so the locket hangs in a diamond shape. The interior retains the original frame insert. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Origin: America, ca 1910
• Condition: very good, a few pinpoint dings to back cover, never monogrammed
• Dimensions: 1” corner to corner
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .14 carat; demantoid, .08 carat
• Weight: 4.1 grams

A lovely Chinese carved green jade pendant in the form of a melon with a crane, leaf and integral bail ring. The jade has good translucency, light mottling, and nicely saturated color.

The crane, appearing along the upper left side of the melon's front, frequently represents longevity; the coins prosperity; and the melon itself has a number of meanings including fertility and plenty.

The pendant was originally one of several carvings incorporated into a very good 1920s Chinese necklace. Material of that age pre-dates polymer treatments and gemological testing reveals no indication of color enhancement, thus the jade is Type A.

Origin: China, ca. 1915. Condition: very good, no cracks, a 1/8" loss along the bottom edge of the tendril below the crane (could be repolished). Dimensions: 3/4" x 1-1/2".

NOTE: Other items created from the same antique necklace include Items #1350553, #1350538, and #1350547.

A handsome pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks in the "etrier" style originally popularized by Cartier. The design was meant to suggest a horsebit. When worn, only the circles are visible. The circles are finished with a twisted rope design. Most cufflinks of this style were made by French jewelers, and it is unusual to find an American pair in 14K gold. Stamped with an unidentified maker's mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: faces, 5/8" diameter. Weight: 10.9 gr.

A delightful pair of Art Nouveau daisy stud earrings, the petals formed from Mississippi River pearls arranged around a textured gold disc representing the flower's seed head. The freshwater pearls have attractive luster that contrasts nicely with the brightness of the gold. Tested and guaranteed 14K. These earrings would look particularly nice worn with a very similar pearl daisy pendant (Item #1402839) in our collection.

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Condition: exellent; converted from the original screwbacks
• Dimensions: 1/2" diameter
• Weight: 2.2 grams

An elegant 18k yellow gold ring featuring an oval brilliant cut aquamarine accented at compass points with folds of gold nestling small round brilliant diamonds. The aquamarine has medium light pure blue color and eye-clean clarity. The cut is very good with excellent brilliance. The interior of the shank is stamped “18K.”

• America, circa 1960.
• Dimensions: crown, 3/4 x 11/16” (20 x 17 mm).
• Weight: 6.2 grams.
• Finger Size: 7 1/4.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: aquamarine, 7.21 carats; diamond, .05 carat.
• Condition: excellent.

A heavy pair of 14K gold cufflinks, the faces decorated with a sort of shield-shaped device against a stippled background. The influence of the Art Nouveau aesthetic can be seen in the assymetrical design of the shields. The semi-matte finish of the stippling contrasts nicely with the more polished shield. The backs marked "14K" and have Kirby's hallmark.

• Origin: America, ca. 1890
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 11/16" x 1/2"
• Weight: 9.8 grams

An outstanding Egyptian Revival 20K gold pendant necklace in the form of a uraeus, representing the Eye of Ra, set with a coral and turquoise cabochons and coral beads. The wings are highlighted with ropetwist and milgrained details. A pair of cobras flank the coral cabochon. The Eye of Ra personified the goddess Wadjet, who watched over childbirth and served as the protector of children. This piece was originally a brooch, but with the addition of an 14K gold chain, is now an elegant, colorful necklace. The wings are tested and guaranteed 20K, and the chain is marked 14K.

• Origin: America, ca. 1925.
• Dimensions: wings, 1 3/8" x 1 3/8; overall length, 19 1/4".
• Weight: 5.1 grams.
• Condition: very good, a small area of porosity on the head of the cobra to the right visible with a loupe.

A wonderful Art Nouveau 14K gold ring in the form of two intertwined snakes surrounding an opal cabochon. The ornately coiled snakes are beautifully detailed. The opal has attractive play-of-color, with a preponderance of green and blue with sparks of red and orange. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

In the 19th century, snakes in jewelry symbolized eternal love. Jeweled snakes became particularly popular after Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria a snake ring for their betrothal, and remained popular throughout the century.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Dimensions: 3/8" wide tapering to 1/16"
• Condition: excellent
• Finger Size: 7
• Weight: 3.1 grams

An 18K yellow gold Sputnik charm or pendant by H Stern. The sphere is bezel-set with round amethysts, citrines, aquamarines, garnets, and green tourmalines. The Sputnik design was created in the 1950s to showcase the variety of colored gemstones available from Stern’s Brazilian mines. It later came to be called “Sputnik” for its resemblance to the spiky Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Each piece has a different appearance depending on the specific colors of the stones and their arrangement. This pendant has soft, mostly darker tones. Since it’s a complete sphere, this piece is technically a charm, but can be worn as a pendant. Charms are among the most difficult Sputnik forms to find. Marked 18K.

• Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955
• Condition: very good; one green tourmaline has a surface chip
• Dimensions: 7/8” diameter
• Weight: 5.0 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 4.96 carats

A heavy 18K yellow gold lantern-shaped fob charm decorated with ornate beading and twisted wirework in the Victorian Etruscan Revival style. The fob is further enhanced with vermicelli stippled engraving on the upper shoulders—an unusual treatment. The sides are set with navette-shaped carnelian cabochons in scalloped collet settings. The carnelians have nice caramel coloring and good translucency. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: Italy, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-1/2” long (excluding jump ring). Weight: 10.9 grams.

A sophisticated Edwardian ring featuring a rectangular cabochon of moss agate nestled in a 14K yellow gold filigree mounting. The quality of the piercing is superb. The moss agate is nicely transparent with intense deep green wisps that seem to float in the stone. Moss agate is a rather unusual gemstone selection for this style of setting, but the stone seems to have been a favorite of the designers at Larter, as we have seen several fine examples of its use in unexpected ways. The interior of the shank is stamped "14K" and has Larter's hallmark.

• Origin: America, ca. 1910
• Dimensions: 17/32" wide at crown, tapering to 1/16" at back of shank
• Finger Size: 6-1/4
• Condition: excellent; all original
• Weight: 3.9 grams.

A lovely 18K yellow gold, diamond and ruby love pendant (“medaille d’amour”) with a rebus spelling out “Plus qu’hier, moins que demain” (“More than yesterday less than tomorrow”), a line from a love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of “Cyrano de Bergerac”) in 1889. The word “plus” is symbolized by a plus sign set with rose cut diamond and the word “moins” is symbolized by a minus sign set with rectangular synthetic rubies.

In 1907, the Lyonnais jeweler Alphonse Augis created a love token based on the poem. This example, in a streamlined modern style with a hidden bail, is in one of the rarest versions. Fully marked with 18K gold marks, and Augis’ signature and maker’s mark.

• Origin: France, ca. 1970.
• Condition: excellent; the marks on the bottom edge of the pendant in the first and second photos are lighting reflections only.
• Dimensions: 3/4” x 3/4”.
• Weight: 4.4 gr.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .01 ct; ruby, .07 ct.

A fine 18K yellow gold Sputnik charm or pendant by H Stern. The sphere is bezel-set with 21 round citrines, amethysts, pink and green tourmalines, aquamarines, and garnets. This design was created in the 1950’s to highlight the range of colored gemstones available from Stern’s Brazilian mines. It came to be called “Sputnik” because of its resemblance to the spiky Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Each piece has a unique appearance depending on the particular selection and placement of the stones. This example is a little darker than most examples, with lots of deeply saturated greens and golds. The sputnik design was made in rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, brooches and charms. Charms are among the less common forms, and this example is large enough to be worn as a pendant. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955. Condition: very good, a 1/8” ding on one side between the gemstones. Dimensions: 1” diameter. Weight: 5.0 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 6.34 cts.

A very finely-made Victorian memorial ring worked in 18K yellow gold and plaited hair. The ring is designed as belt, ornately decorated with open navette- and trefoil-shaped reserves, each showing the loved one’s hair. The gold surfaces are nicely engraved, and the whole is finished off with an ornate buckle centered with a escutcheon engraved with the initials “MW”. In Victorian symbology, the belt represented not only eternal love, but also strength and protection. A ring such as this, tightly surrounding the finger, would be an ever-present reminder. Buckle rings, even those with hair panels, were not always for mourning, but rather sentimental pieces. Since the band is not engraved with a name or death date in the interior, it’s quite likely that this ring was intended as a romantic symbol. The interior of the band is stamped with 18K gold marks for Chester in the year 1883. Rings of this type are much more common in lower purity gold such as 9K or 12K.

• Origin: Chester, England, 1883.
• Dimensions: band, 8/32” wide; buckle, 10/32” wide.
• Finger Size: 9-1/2.
• Weight: 3.1 grams.
• Condition: excellent; sharp detail; hair is perfect.

A handsome pair of mid-century 18K yellow gold cufflinks, the faces collet-set with rectangular tablet-cut pyrope-almandite garnets. Garnets such as these are typically very dark, but these stones have superb clarity and a lively deep orangy-red color. The fine engraving on the gold surface beneath the garnets shows through and imparts just a bit of sparkle. The toggle backs are fully stamped with French 18K gold marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent. Size: 11/16” x 1/2”. Weight: 12.1 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 15.8 cts.

A large friendship token pendant or charm featuring a hand holding a gem-set bouquet. The design is presented against a stippled background outlined with an engraved border. The bouquet is set with a cabochon ruby, an emerald cut emerald and a brilliant cut sapphire. Jewelry featuring a hand and flower motif were usually given as tokens of affection or friendship in the Victorian era. The back is stamped “18K.”

• America, ca. 1900
• Excellent condition
• Dimensions: 1-1/8” diameter
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .08 carat; emerald, .05 carat; sapphire, .05 carat.
• Weight: 7.8 grams.