Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold (1010)

An elegant Art Nouveau 18K gold, platinum and diamond pendant and brooch depicting a young woman with flowing flower-bedecked hair. She represents the Spring season, “Printemps.” Each of the flowers is centered a rose cut diamond and the maiden wears a necklace of rose cut diamonds, as well. The gold surface is bloomed for a slightly matte finish. The pendant/brooch is faintly heart-shaped and is finished along the edges with 54 rose cut diamonds set in platinum. The pinstem unscrews from the back, so the jewel can be worn as a pendant from the two pendant loops at the top corners. This design was commissioned in 1886 from the medallist Emile Séraphin Vernier by the esteemed house Fonsèque et Olive which was one of Paris’ most successful Art Nouveau jewelers.

• Origin: France, ca. 1890
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-1/16 x 1-1/8”
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .75 carat
• Weight: 8.9 grams

A lovely 18K yellow gold bracelet designed as floral plaques separated by bezel set blue sapphire cabochons. Each elegantly pierced gold plaque depicts a rose encircled by scrolls and flanked by additional flowers. The backs of the plaques are engraved in a matching motif. The high-domed cabochons have fine deep blue coloring and show no indications of heat treatment. The clasp is stamped with French 18K marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1890
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail
• Dimensions: 9/16” wide; 7-3/8” long
• Weight: 22.8 grams
• Approximate Total Sapphire Weight: 3.12 carats

An outstanding Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold locket, the front cover decorated in with an ornate pond scene incorporating rippling water, waterlilies and cattails under the watchful eye of the “man in the moon” and seed pearl stars. The scene is very original and is beautifully worked. The back cover has a period three-letter monogram “GEG”. The interior retains both original frames and one of the glass covers. Marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no dings. Size: 1-1/16” diameter (excluding bail). Weight: 7.9 grams.

A magnificent French Art Nouveau 18K gold and diamond slide locket, the front cover featuring a a fierce griffin clutching an old European cut diamond in its mouth. The beast is beautifully chased and engraved with a lot of detail in the feathers and fur. The griffin is presented against an ornately pierced Renaissance style background that would allow small peaks to show through of any portrait or photo enclosed in the locket. In Greek mythology, griffins were the guardians of the most treasured and priceless possessions, and its role on the front of a locket mimics that idea. The diamond is of equally high quality, graded as G color, VVS1 clarity. The bail has partially obscured French hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail; a few small pinpoint dings on the back cover; no monogram. Dimensions: 1-1/16" diam (excluding bail). Weight: 14.6 gr. Approximate Diamond Weight: .24 ct.

An elegant Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold locket depicting the head of a lion in 3/4 profile on the cover. His eyes are set with round faceted rubies (natural and untreated) and he grasps a 5-pt old European cut diamond in his jaws. The flowing mane is just visible behind the head and blends into the swirling border that completes the design. The plain back cover was never engraved.

• America, ca 1890
• Very good condition; a few small pinpoints on the back cover
• 1-1/8" diameter
• 6.5 grams
• Approximate Gemstone Weight: diamond, .05 carat; ruby, .05 carat

A elegant brooch worked in 18K yellow gold filigree centering a round brilliant-cut amethyst surrounded by natural seed pearls. The amethyst’s collet is enhanced with millegraining, as is the remainder of the filigree work. The edge is finished with a border of wirework rosettes. The quality of workmanship is superb. Filigree of this delicacy is usually only seen in platinum. The amethyst is moderately pale with a slightly pinkish tint. The back of the pin is marked “18Kt”, and there is an indistinct mark on the original c-clasp. The brooch could easily be converted for wear as a pendant.

• Origin: England, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: 1-1/8” x 1-1/8” on the diagonal; 7/8" x 7/8" on the square
• Weight: 4.7 grams
• Approximate Amethyst Weight: .68 carat.

A spectacularly fine, museum-quality Victorian figural watch fob worked in 18K yellow gold and platinum depicting Aesop's fable "The Fox and the Grapes." The seal shows the fox's head, jaws agape, straining to reach a juicy cluster of grapes that are just barely out of reach. Every tiny detail of the fox's fur, teeth, tongue is beautifully worked, as are the leaves and distinct individual berries making up each cluster of grapes. The leather strap is enhanced with three additional grape elements.

The seal surface is worked in platinum engraved through to the underlying gold. The crest is that of the Scottish clan Irwin (variously spelled Irvine, Irving, etc.) with the first two words of the family motto, "Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens."

The Albert swivel clasp is stamped with a French goldsmith's mark, but it's likely that fob is English and the swivel clasp is an addition from the 1920s. The metals are tested and guaranteed as 18K gold and platinum.

Origin: probably England, ca. 1875. Condition: excellent, all original with the likely exception of the swivel clasp. Dimensions: fob length, 1-5/8"; overall length (including Albert clasp), 5-3/4". Weight: 48.9 gr.

An exceptionally fine French 18K yellow gold ring in the form of a lion's head flanked by a pair of winged griffins that coil around the finger. The lion grasps a round blue sapphire it its jaws. The sapphire has rich coloring and is deeply saturated. The design is entirely hand-chased and pierced. The ring is signed, but is only partly legible "CU**R." It is also marked with the master goldsmith's stamp "AP" and with the French 18K mark. Mythological subjects such a griffins were very popular in French jewelry just before the onset of the Art Nouveau era, and this is very fine example.

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Finger Size: 9-1/2. Dimensions: 9/16" wide at front, tapering to 1/4" at back. Approximate Total Sapphire Weight: .36 ct. Weight 11.4 gr.

A very nice Victorian 18K yellow gold watch fob seal in the form of a seated hound dog. He (it's very obviously a male dog) is extremely well-detailed and is highlighted with a black enameled collar and cabochon ruby eyes. The carnelian seal was never engraved. This fob seal is a little larger than most and has an imposing presence. The fob is stamped with French 18K gold marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: 7/8" x 3/4" x 1-1/4" tall. Weight: 17.4 grams.

An elegant antique jewelry case covered in rich lipstick-red red velvet finished with satin trim and passementerie trim. The interior is covered in matching tufted silk. The interior of the lid is gilt-stamped “Horlogerie Bijouterie Brilloit Blaye [France].” The box was probably originally meant for a small pocket watch or a medallion. Records indicate the shop was located at 2, cours de La Fontaine as of 1889.

• Origin: France, ca. 1889.
• Condition: excellent; bright color; only the most minimal of wear at the corners.
• Dimensions: 2-1/8” x 2-1/8” x 1-3/8”.

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.

An elegant Victorian 18K gold pendant featuring an onyx plaque centered with a seed pearl. The gold setting is ornately worked in a rope twist motif and with bright-cut engraving. Three tiny seed pearls complete the design. The pendant is stamped with French 18K gold marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1870
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-7/32” x 5/8”
• Weight: 3.0 grams

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.

Excellent pair of Victorian 18K yellow gold drop earrings with Mediterranean coral beads. The earrings are quite heavy and are very well constructed with closed backs that make them attractive from behind, as well. The coral has the nice, even coloring of fine Mediterranean coral from the coast of Italy. The original earwires have been replaced with screwbacks, but because of the way the earrings are constructed, there were no alterations to the earrings themselves. They could easily be re-converted to wires. The gold has a slightly rosy color that complements the coral nicely. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

Origin: America, circa 1860. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-3/8” x 11/16”. Weight: 8.5 grams.

A lovely Victorian tortoise shell pique pendant in a heart shape. The puffed surface is worked with gold and silver inlay in an ornate floral pattern within a scalloped inlaid border. The pattern of two flowers joined together by a ribbon, and of course, the overall heart shape suggest that the pendant would have been given as a love token. The tortoise has very nice markings and translucency when held to the light.

Origin: America or England, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, no inlay loss, no chipping or cracking, (the line visible in the last image is a surface scratch only--not a crack). Size: 1-1/16” x 1-3/16”.

A classic Victorian 14K yellow gold fob seal, the surfaces ornately decorated in a repousse pattern of flowers and foliage. Fobs in this design are more typically English than American. It is very generously sized to make an impression when being worn. The citrine plaque is engraved with the monogram “WKV”, so we’ll just assume that was for William K Vanderbilt (LOL!) The ring is marked “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1840
• Dimensions: 1” x 7/8” x 1-1/2” (excluding ring)
• Weight: 19.5 grams

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.

Breathtaking French 18K gold, silver, diamond and pink tourmaline brooch from the reign of the Emperor Napoleon III. The brooch is formed as a naturalistic swirl of leaves, set throughout with rose-cut diamonds. The design features three large old mine-cut diamonds, each a bit larger than 1/2 carat. The center stone is prong-set while the outer stones are collet-set. The old European cut diamonds are scattered along an unusual knife-edge setting at the top of the brooch. The gold setting is topped with silver in the traditional style of 19th century French jewels. The brooch suspends a collet-set oval pink tourmaline cabochon topped with a collet-set old European-cut diamond. The diamonds used in the period, as would be expected of such a significant piece. The color is a very bright white and the clarity is quite good for the period. The tourmaline is a soft pink shade with just a tinge of violet. The brooch retains the original extended pinstema and c-clasp, both of which are stamped with French 18K marks and the mark of an unidentified jeweler (AH).

Origin: Paris, ca. 1855. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-5/8" x 1-19/32". Weight: 11.25 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, 2.6 carats; tourmaline, 1.5 carats.