Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1615)

A gorgeous early Victorian demi-parure consisting of a brooch and pair of earrings. Concave round white chalcedony discs are encircled in 18K yellow gold settings accented with black enamel. The center of each chalcedony disc is set with a delicately carved coral flower reminiscent of a pansy, which is, in turn, set with a natural half-pearl in a star-shaped gold mounting. The strong color contrast is very attractive. The earrings, especially, show the translucent quality of the chalcedony to great effect. The brooch retains the original extended pinstem and c-clasp, and the earrings retain their original wires and c-clasps. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

Ca. 1840. Condition: excellent, all original, no damage. Size: brooch, 1-5/16” diameter; earrings, 13/16” diameter, 1-3/8” long to top of earwire.

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

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 very fine 18K gold brooch/pendant in the form of a mythological basilisk (cockatrice) pierced through with a jeweled sword. This example is entirely handmade and finished with expertly chased scales and feathers. The quality of workmanship is superb. The wings are formed separately and arranged in a manner that gives the piece great dimensionality. The outer wing is set with a round ruby of very fine color and clarity and the eye is set with a tiny cabochon ruby. The hilt of sword is set with seed pearls with a natural oval pearl at the tip. The gold surfaces have a slightly matte Russian finish. The back retains the original clasp, large watch hook and pendant loop. Many would call this creature a griffin, but with its body of a serpent and with head and wings of a bird, it is more properly considered a basilisk or cockatrice. Such creatures were popular in the late Victorian era. There is a possibility that the back is marked with a script signature, but it is far too difficult to be certain. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: probably America, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, all original. Dimensions: 40 x 40 mm (1-1/2 x 1-1/2 in). Weight: 13.2 gr. Approximate Total Ruby Weight: .15 ct.

A fabulous ring converted from an antique French 18K gold stick. The fleur-de-lis is beautifully embossed with lots of detail. A delicate row of three natural seed pearls accents the design. The 18K gold crown is mounted on a 14K gold band.

The fleur-de-lis ("lily") was the traditional symbol of French royalty.

Size: 6-1/2 (can easily be sized up or down). Dimensions: crown, 1/2" x 11/16". Weight: 1.9 gr.

An interesting 10K Victorian pin in the form of a mythological creature coiled around a flame-like pillar. The creature appears to be an Ophis, a winged serpent from Greek mythology said to guard the myrrh fields of ancient Arabia. The monster grasps a seed pearl in it's jaws. The surfaces have a semi-matte bloomed finish. Tested and guaranteed 10K.

• Origin: America, ca. 1890
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-3/8" x 1-3/16"
• Weight: 2.6 grams

A nice pair of mid-Victorian earrings worked in chocolate brown lava set with pearls in 14K yellow gold. The earrings are designed as two acorns flanking an elongated amphora form surmounted by a lady’s head. The girandole arrangement (three elements suspended from a single element at the top) is relatively rare among lava earrings. Archaeological Revival lava jewelry from Pompeii was a very prized souvenir of a wealthy visitor’s Grand Tour through Italy due to the ongoing excavations there that accelerated in the late 1860s. The small pearls are natural and have excellent color and luster. Tested and guaranteed 15K gold.

• Italy & England, ca 1870
• Condition: excellent, no chips
• Dimensions: 3/4” wide; 1-15/16” long
• Weight: 5.8 grams

A gorgeous 18K yellow gold circle brooch surrounding a spray of diamond flowers tied with a golden ribbon. The brooch dates to the reign of Emperor Napoleon III. One flower is centered with a .39-carat rose cut diamond and the other two are set with .17-carat old mine-cut diamonds. The remaining 31 diamonds in the brooch are a mix of rose-cuts, old mine-cuts and single-cuts. The stones are of particularly good quality for the period, with bright color and excellent clarity. The piece has considerably more sparkle than most French pieces of the era. The ribbon at the base is realistically engraved. The sides of the brooch have a very nicely-worked saw-pierced gallery. The back retains the original extended pinstem and c-clasp, stamped with the "tete d'aigle" mark for 18K.

Origin: France, ca. 1855. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-1/4" diameter. Weight: 9.5 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: 1.97 carats.

A lovely late Victorian 14K yellow gold locket, the front decorated with a coiled snake with a diamond-set head. The serpent’s head and tail are twisted together forming a circle that, in Victorian symbology, represented the eternal nature of love. The snake’s body is very nicely detailed and the 5-point old mine cut diamond has bright color and good clarity. The locket’s smooth surfaces have a slightly matte “Russian” finish that contrasts nicely with the details of the snake. The interior of the locket retains both original frames and glass covers. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, a few pinpoints on the back side, no monogram. Size: 1” diameter. Weight: 5.9 grams.

An outstanding Victorian Arts & Crafts long chain fashioned from a series of oval cut colored gemstones in graduating sizes, each bezel-set in 14K yellow gold and joined to one another with very delicate handmade gold links. The selection of stones includes amethyst, citrine, topaz, aquamarine, almandine garnet, hessonite grosularite garnet, pink tourmaline, green tourmaline, and smoky quartz. The chain is an amazing 78 inches (6-1/2 feet) long and can be worn draped around the neck at various lengths. Long chains without clasps and are difficult to wear around the wrist, but this example can be wound about ten times around the wrist for wear as a stunning bracelet. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent; all original. Dimensions: 78 inches long. Weight: 31.1 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 94.6 cts.

A nice 14K yellow gold locket, the front cover decorated with an ornate scene of two hunting hounds sniffing through tall grass for their prey. A picket fence can be seen in the background and then a sky lightly engraved with clouds and a sun or moon represented by a star-set old mine cut diamond. The back of the locket has a nice 3-letter monogram (“MAC”) original to the period. The interior retains its original frame inserts. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: 1-1/16” diameter, excluding bail. Weight: 6.5 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .05 carat.

An extremely fine Victorian tiger claw bracelet mounted in 20K gold filigree. 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, but also in India. This bracelet is mounted in the traditional Indian style of ornate filigree work. The claws are finely matched in terms of color and size and are in excellent condition. Tiger claw bracelets are difficult to find, especially at this quality level. The clasp is stamped with an unidentified maker’s mark. Tested and guaranteed 20K.

Origin: India, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 1-1/8” wide; 7-1/4” long. Weight: 29.6 gr.

NOTE: This item cannot be shipped outside the United States or to the state of California.

A heavy, outstanding pair of Victorian figural cufflinks in the form of acorns and oak branches, all worked in 14K yellow gold. The larger front faces are fashioned as highly detailed acorns, while the backs are branches. The quality of engraving is excellent and really brings out the subtlest textural details. In the Victorian "language of flowers", the acorn symbolized life and immortality while the oak tree and its branches represented strength and virility. The faces are joined by their original chain connectors. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: acorns, 27/32" x 15/32". Weight: 11.7 grams.

A handsome pair of Victorian 14K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the square faces highlighted with a hammered texture and star-set with very good quality antique cushion-cut diamonds, sapphires and rubies. One pair is diamond and ruby and the other is diamond and sapphire. The stones show no indications of heat treatment. The ruby and sapphire are most likely from Burma and Ceylon, respectively. The use of red, white and blue stones was particularly popular around the time of the American Centennial celebration in 1876. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1876. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1/2” x 1/2”. Weight: 6.7 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .15 ct; ruby, .05 ct; sapphire, .05 ct.

A pretty late Victorian 10K gold locket, the front decorated with a colorful champleve and painted enamel image of a thistle blossom. In Victorian flower language, the thistle represented the sentiment "meddling is unwelcome." One can imagine a rebellious young woman using it to hide the image of a suitor of whom her parents don't quite approve! And of course, the thistle is the emblem of Scotland. The cover opens by pressing on the bail, a mechanism we've never seen before. The interior is stamped 10Ct.

• Origin: probably England, ca. 1890.
• Dimensions: 13/16" (20 mm) diameter.
• Condition: a small area of missing enamel at the tip of one leaf and a tiny flake at the corner of the thistle blossom (neither are immediately noticeable); a few dimples on the back.
• Weight: 4.1 grams.

An extraordinarily fine antique 18K yellow gold ring by Tiffany & Co. set with a mixed cushion cut Burmese blue sapphire surrounded by old mine cut diamonds. All the gems are of the finest quality. The sapphire has been certified by the American Gemological Laboratories (see the following paragraph). The diamonds, ranging in size from approximately .22 carat to .29 carat each, are estimated at G/H color and SI to VVS2 clarity. The sapphire is set in a prong setting, while the diamonds are set in a shared-prong setting that creates a filigree appearance around the back of the crown. The shoulders of the shank are lightly decorated with beaded engraving.

Nearly all sapphires marketed in the last 150 years have been heated to improve the color. This is considered a standard practice. Other treatments, such as filling in fractures, altering the color family, etc., though considered bad practice, are nonetheless quite common. Fine Burmese stones from the Mogok region that have not been treated in any way are exceedingly rare and only show up in upscale jewels from makers such as Tiffany and Cartier. This particular stone, with its bright coloring and beautiful cut, is nothing short of stunning.

The AGL Brief (dated April 2008) indicates that the sapphire is natural; displays specific properties and characteristics associated with stones from Burma; measures 7.39 x 6.69 x 5.82 mm; weighs 2.49 carats; is cut in mixed cushion, has blue color, and shows no heat or additional treatments. The brief further indicates that unheated sapphires are scarce. The original brief will accompany the ring.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, all original, interior of shank has a period monogram. Finger Size: 4-1/4 (The ring can be sized up and we would recommend that the work be performed by Tiffany). Weight: 6.0 grams. Gemstone Weight: diamond (estimated by measurement), 2.25 carats; sapphire (by actual weight), 2.49 carats.

An exceptional pair of Victorian carved ivory and 9K yellow gold earrings. The earrings are fashioned as exquisitely detailed cherubs, each suspending three elongated drops. The drops are arranged in the typical girandole style with the central piece hanging lower than the outer elements. The cherubs are fully three-dimensional and the feathered carving on the backs is as fine as that on the front. The ivory has a very nice patina. The style and exceptional quality of carving indicates the ivories were likely carved in Italy, whereas the use of 9K gold suggests they were mounted as jewelry in England. Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter can be seen wearing an ivory cherub brooch quite similar to these in one of her portraits. The girandole style emerged in French jewelry in the early 1700s and remained popular throughout the century. The ornate style returned to popularity during the Rococo Revival around 1870. The wires are stamped with French import marks for 9K. Victorian ivory earrings of this quality are quite uncommon, and we were fortunate to acquire two exceptional pairs from the same source.

Origin: Italy/England, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, all original, no cracking. Size: length from top of wire, 2-3/4”; length from top of cherub, 2-1/8”; width, 1-1/16”.

NOTE: This item cannot be shipped outside the United States or to California.

A very fine and moving 18K gold and enamel locket in loving memory of Francis Mary, Viscountess Forbes who died on Christmas Day, 1877. She married the Viscount Forbes, 26 years her senior when she was just 21 years old. She was predeceased by her husband, and though she never became a Countess, their son inherited the title Earl of Granard. The locket was likely made for her granddaughter-in-law, Beatrice Mills Forbes, an American heiress who was Viscountess Forbes at the time of Francis Mary’s death. Lady Forbes led a rather fascinating life, as Queen Victoria’s confidante and one of her longest-serving Women of the Bedchamber (1837-1874). Even in her later years, she remained an Extra Woman and was called to Court for special occasions.

The front of the locket is beautifully worked with a black enameled cypher surmounted by an Earl’s coronet against a bloomed gold finish. The back is similarly decorated with an engraved cypher and coronet. The interior features an area for a portrait on one side, and a glass compartment enclosing a twisted lock of Francis Mary’s hair on the other. The frame surrounding the hair is engraved “Francis Mary Viscountess Forbes/Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth/b. 21st Oct. 1811/d. Christmas day 1877.”

• Origin: England, 1877
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, dings, etc.
• Dimensions: 1-3/8” x 1-5/8” (2-1/4” with bail)
• Weight: 26.2 grams.