Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold (1010)

A handsome Victorian gentleman's ring in a substantial 14K gold setting. The ring features a masculine brown smoky quartz with flashes of goldish-orange brilliance. The setting is enhanced with ornate strapwork against a stippled background. The setting holds the stone well above the finger and the overall look is very weighty. The interior of the shank is stamped "14k."

• Origin: America, ca. 1900.
• Condition: excellent; sharp detail.
• Finger Size: 10-1/4.
• Dimensions: 3/4" wide at crown, tapering to 3/16" wide at back of shank.
• Weight: 13.8 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 9.44 carats.

Pretty late Victorian pink and white shell cameo set in a 10K yellow gold frame with floral engraving. The back of the setting has both the original pinstem and the original folding bale, so that the piece can be worn as either a brooch or pendant.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, except a fracture near the left edge (perhaps a flaw in the shell itself). Size: 1" x 7/8".

A heavy 14K gold curb link watch chain, finished with a movable t-bar, a dog clip, and a spring ring. The chain would be perfect to match up with one or more other heavy watch chains to create a unique layered look with multiple charms. Marked 14K.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 12-3/4" long
• Weight: 37.9 grams

A lovely and very unusual late Victorian circle brooch in 14K yellow gold, enhanced with pearl- and emerald-set flowers and enameled leaves. Each flower is represented by a cluster of six seed pearls centering a small old mind cut emerald. The flowers are set between pairs of leaves delicately enameled in translucent shades of green and yellow. One side of the pin is decorated only with a line of pearls, a nice assymetrical touch. The back retains the original extended pinstem, c-clasp and watch hook. Marked “14”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, all original. Size: 1” diameter. Weight: 3.5 grams.

A delightful Victorian 14K yellow gold stickpin in the form of a smoking monkey. The face is beautifully detailed and he grasps a small pearl at the edge of his mouth to represent a cigarette. The surface is highlighted with a slightly rust-colored bloomed finish. The back is stamped with the mark for Wordley, Allsopp & Bliss.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: head, 1/2" x 1/2"; overall length, 2-1/2". Weight: 1.9 gr.

A nice Victorian 18K gold locket, the front cover featuring a lioness shown in profile. She is enhanced with a bright emerald eye and grasps an old mine cut diamond in her mouth. The back is engraved with a period three-letter monogram. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Dimensions: 1" diameter
• Condition: excellent; sharp detail on the lion; two pinpoint dings on the back cover
• Weight: 8.7 grams
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .05 carat

A very nice 14K yellow gold man's ring set with a rectangular carnelian plaque with canted corners. The gold surfaces are entirely covered with an hand-engraved foliate design. The gemstones in rings of this type were sometimes engraved with the owner's coat of arms, but this example has never been engraved. The stone's color and the overall impressive size of the ring make this a particularly nice example. The interior is marked 585.

Ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp details. Dimensions: 3/4" wide at crown, tapering to 1/4" at the back of the shank. Finger Size: 9. Weight: 17.4 gr.

A lovely Victorian pendant/pin in a snowflake pattern. The 14K yellow mounting is set with seed pearls and sapphires around the central old mine cut diamond. The design is very elegant and delicate. The back retains the original pinstem/clasp and pendant loop. Marked 14K.

NOTE: The pendant is shown with an optional 16" 14K chain.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900.
• Condition: one pearl deficient; all original.
• Dimensions: 1" diameter.
• Weight: 3.2 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, .18 carat; diamond, .03 carat.

An elegant bracelet composed of open links ornately decorated in a pattern of acanthus leaves alternating with blue sapphire oval cabochons. The sapphires do not show indication of heat treatment. Each link is slightly curved, so the bracelet lies nicely on the wrist. The clasp is masterfully constructed to be invisible once closed. Like most Portuguese gold jewelry of the era, it’s quite heavy for its size. The bracelet is stamped with 19.2K gold marks used in the city of Oporto, 1887-1937.

• Origin: Portugal, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent
• Dimeions: 1/2" wide; 7-3/4” long
• Weight: 23.2 grams
• Approximate Total Sapphire Weight: 3.36 carats

A lovely 14K gold Edwardian long chain set at regular intervals with round brilliant cut amethysts in collet settings. The necklace is completed with a dog clip clasp. The chain can be worn at is full 52-1/2” length, our doubled and worn at 26-1/4”. The amethysts have excellent color and brilliance. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 52-1/2” long
• Weight: 16.4 grams
• Approximate Total Amethyst Weight: 5.6 carats

A very fine Imperial Austro-Hungarian bangle bracelet simply designed as an oval of twisted gold, but then set at the top with a trefoil of three cornflower blue sapphires surrounded by rose cut diamonds. The sapphires, .72, .58, and .52 carat, have microscopic stringer, sharp-edge milky bands, and snowflake inclusions typical of sapphires mined in Kashmir in the 1880s. The sapphires have excellent saturation, medium-dark tone, pure blue color without violet overtones, and a characteristic velvety appearance. The sapphires are surrounded and centered with eleven small rose cut diamonds. The bracelet is stamped with the Vienna hallmark used 1872-1922. The removable safety chain makes the bangle easy to take on and off.

• Origin: Vienna, Austria-Hungary, ca 1885
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1/8” wide at back; 5/8” wide at front; interior circumference, 6-1/2
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, 1.83 carats; diamond, .10 carat
• Weight: 14.9 grams

A very fine 14K rose gold brooch mounted with a Scottish Terrier carved from banded agate. The dog's head is beautifully rendered, using the stone's natural banded coloring to represent the dark colored muzzle and ears that contrast with the brighter carnelian of the fur. The eyes are represented by small round cut demantoid garnets set in a manner that nearly completely hides the gold collets holding the stones. The workmanship of the carving is first-rate. The setting is rather simple an does not detract from the beauty of the hardstone carving.

Faberge was a leading creator of hardstone carvings, and used carvings created in his own workshops as the shops of others. In Paris, Cartier was determined to compete with Faberge and also produced hardstone carvings. The Cartier versions, however, tended to be a little less realistic and rarely relied on the natural color variations of the stone material. The coloring technique strongly suggests that this carving is the product of a Russian workshop contemporary with Faberge, and possibly that of the master himself.

There appears to be a rubbed-out hallmark on the back side. This is occasionally seen in Russian pieces that had their marks obliterated shortly after the Revolution as their owners tried to smuggle jewels out of the country. Tested and guaranteed to be 56 zlotniks (slightly purer than 14K).

Origin: Russia, ca. 1905. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-9/16" x 1-1/16". Weight: 15.3 grams. Approximate Total Demantoid Weight: .1 ct.

An elegant late Victorian or early Edwardian 14K yellow gold long chain with opal double-cabochon stations at regular intervals. The stations are carefully arranged so that the opals are alternately spaced whether the necklace is worn at full-length or doubled. The clasp can also be used to suspend a pendant. The opals are good quality with even play-of-color, mostly in the blue/green range with occasional bursts of orange/red. The clasp is marked "14K."

• Origin: America, ca. 1900.
• Condition: excellent; one opal has minor crazing to the back surface.
• Length, 52-1/2" plus the pendant clasp as a single strand; 27" as a double strand; opals, 8mm diameter.
• Weight: 16.8 grams.

A beautifully-carved hardstone cameo depicting Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. She can be identified from the shape of the diadem she wears in her hair. The image is quite similar to American "Morgan" silver dollars from the late 19th century. The color contrast of the stone is quite remarkable. The carnelian cameo is set into an intricate gold setting in the Etruscan Revival taste. The back has both a brooch fitting and a hidden bail for wear as a pendant. The back is stamped "14K" and also has the maker's mark for Perley Bros.

NOTE: The piece is shown with a 16" 14K gold chain that is available for an additional $125.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900.
• Condition: excellent; no cameo damage.
• Dimensions: 1-11/16" x 1-3/16".
• Weight: 6.8 grams. Fabulous late Victorian hardstone cameo brooch. The carnelian cameo represents "Liberty" and is very similar to the Liberty head that appeared on "Morgan" silver dollars and quarters of the period. The 14K mounting is floridly decorated with millegraining, applied beads and rosettes, and rope twist borders. The reverse retains its original pinstem and modified c-clasp. The reverse is marked 14K and is signed for the maker, Perley Bros. of New York. Origin: America, 1870s. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-11/16" x 1-1/4".

An extremely rare and very fine Imperial Russian gold and diamond anchor brooch by Viktor (Victor) Aarne. The anchor is surmounted with the Imperial Russian crown and the cypher of Czar Nicholas II is superimposed over the stem of the anchor. The brooch is set throughout with old mine and rose cut diamonds. The diamonds are set in silver over gold, as was typical of Russian jewels of the period. The quality of piercing and millgraining indicate hand fabrication. Certain portions of the design, notably the crossbar of the anchor, the horizontal element of the cyrillic letter "N" and the numerals representing "II" are worked only in yellow gold as a contrast to the surrounding surfaces. THe principal diamonds average J color and SI1 clarity. A jewel of this quality, bearing the Imperial cypher, would certainly have been given as a gift by the Imperial family. The pinstem is marked for 56 zlotniks (14K) and bears the workmaster's mark used by Johann Viktor ( Johan Victor) Aarne during his St. Petersburg period, 1891-1904.

Origin: Russia, 1891-1904. Dimensions: 52 x 27 mm (2-1/16" x 1-1/16"). Approximate Total Diamond Weight: 1.84 cts.

A striking late Victorian 14K yellow gold crucifix set with sapphires, an old European cut diamond and seed pearls. The diamond is graded at I/SI2 and the sapphires are finely colored and show no indication of heat treatment. The gold surface is "bloomed" for a soft matte texture that enhances the gold color but is subdued enough for the religious purpose of the pendant. The bail is original and is stamped for Bippart, Griscom & Osborn, one of the finest Newark jewelers of the era.

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: 1-1/2" x 2-1/14" (excluding bail)
• Weight: 9.2 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, .80 carat; diamond, .23 carat

An elegant Art Nouveau bracelet, the fancy links comprising ornately twisted knots and set alternately with old mine cut diamonds and round cut sapphires. The diamonds are set in platinum collets while the sapphires are in yellow gold. The diamonds are H color, I1 and I2 clarity; the sapphires are vivid blue. The clasp is stamped with a maker’s serial number indicating a quality house, and the clasp tongue is stamped with French 18K gold marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, normal wear to tops surfaces of gemstones (not visible without 10x magnification)
• Dimensions: length, 6-1/2”; width, 1/2"
• Weight: 23.4 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .68 carat; sapphire, .84 carat

A delightfully whimsical late Victorian 18K yellow gold stick pin depicting a circus elephant balancing atop a pearl ball. The elephant is very nicely detailed. The pin stem is stamped with French 18K gold marks and with an illegible maker's mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: head, 13/32" x 7/16". Weight: 2.9 gr.