Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold: Victorian (269)

Wonderful French 18K gold stickpin in the form of a dragon. The detail is incredible. Raised up on his hind legs, with his wings unfurled, the dragon is exhaling tongues of flame. His tail is curled around several times before circling completely around the body to form the circular outline of the stickpin's head. The texture of the feathery wings and scaly body is superb. The back is marked with French hallmarks for 18K gold and an unidentified maker's mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: head, 9/16" diameter; overall length, 3-1/16". Weight: 3.5 grams.

A fine 14K yellow gold griffin stickpin by Riker. The eye is set with a bright faceted ruby and the claw grasps an old European cut diamond. As with all Riker pieces, the gemstones are of excellent quality. This stick pin could be worn as is, or converted to a ring or necklace charm. The reverse is stamped with Riker's hallmark.

• America, circa 1880
• Head, 5/8" x 1/2"; overall length, 2-1/2"
• 1.8 grams
• Approximate diamond weight: .05 carat

A chic Victorian egg pendant of black onyx accented with 14K yellow gold Gothic-style strapwork set with natural seed pearls. The pearls, though small, have particularly nice luster. The simple decoration and strong color contrast makes this a very elegant piece to be worn as a single pendant or as a group of necklace charms. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1865. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 5/8" x 15/16".

A fine Victorian 14K gold stick pin in the form of a sword. The ornate hilt is bead-set with seed pearls and old European cut emeralds. The emeralds are of very fine quality, with excellent color. The back has a small bale that can be attached to a safety pin and chain, if desired. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Ca. 1890. Condition: excellent. Size: hilt, 7/8” x 3/4"; overall length, 2-5/8”. Weight: 2.5 grams. Approximate Total Emerald Weight: .2 carat.

A fun Victorian 14K yellow gold stickpin in the form of an oyster, complete with a small natural pearl resting on the lip of the oyster's shell. The surface is hand engraved to mimic the roughness of an oyster shell. The reverse is stamped "14K" and has an indistinct maker's mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: head, 1/2" x 13/16"; overall length, 2-1/2". Weight: 1.6 grams.

A dainty Victorian pendant or bracelet charm designed as a spray of flowers against a woven background. The flowers are worked in rose and green gold, while the background is in yellow gold. A pendant of this size could easily be worn on a charm bracelet but would look even lovelier on a simple gold chain. Tested and guaranteed 12K gold.

• Origin: England, ca. 1850.
• Dimensions: 11/16” corner-to-corner.
• Weight: 2.1 grams.
• Condition: excellent; all original.

A lovely double-sided 18K yellow gold and beveled crystal porte-photo (“photo carrier”), the gold rim simply decorated with a bound reed design in the Louis XVI style. It is cleverly constructed with a hidden screw mechanism that allows the gold frame to expand so the crystal covers can be removed for adding or changing the contents. Double-sided porte-photos were often used to display a photo on one side and a tiny lock of hair or a memento such as a pressed flower on the other. They could also be used to display a "public" photo on one side and a more "private" photo on the reverse. They are usually round or oval; lozenge-shaped examples such as this are uncommon. These lovely little pieces are becoming increasingly difficult to find. The porte-photo is fully stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent; very minor surface scratching on crystal consistent with age. Size: 1-5/16” x 1-1/2” (excluding jump ring). Weight: 6.0 grams.

A classic Victorian 14K yellow gold hinged bangle bracelet with black taille d’epargne enameling in a delicate floral pattern. Some lesser bracelets are enameled only on the front side, but this one has decoration in complimentary patterns to both front and back. The design is further highlighted by intricate bright-cut engraving that adds sparkle. The bracelet’s clasp mechanism has an 1870 patent date. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1875. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, no dents. Dimension: 5/8” wide; 6” interior circumference. Weight: 25.3 gr.

A fine Victorian 14K gold fob locket, the front cover worked in a deeply three dimensional design of a rose gold owl perched on a green gold branch. The eyes are set with garnet cabochons. The back cover has an engraved shield design that was never monogrammed. The hinged bail is engraved in a complimentary design. The interior of the locket retains its original frame and glass insert.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: 7/8" x 1-3/8" (not including jump ring). Weight: 13.7 grams.

A fine 18K yellow gold Victorian bracelet in the Etruscan Revival taste. The bracelet comprises ten 7-mm gold beads ornately decorated in twisted wire- and bead-work. Two 8.5-mm beads flank the clasp. The beads are joined by trace link chains, the larger beads being separated at a greater distance from the others. The placement of the hallmarks on the chain segments indicates this is the original design of the bracelet and that it has not been altered. French 18K hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent. Size: 7-1/2". Weight: 6.5 grams.

A pretty Victorian fob locket, the front cover decorated with a three-dimensional image of bird tending her nest of eggs, all worked in yellow, rose and green gold. The locket is attached to a swinging bail and would originally have been worn on either a fob chain or a chatelaine, rather than as a pendant. The hinged back cover is plain and was never monogrammed. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, back cover has a few small dings commensurate with the locket’s age. Size: overall (excluding jump ring), 1-1/4” x 1”; locket only, 3/4” x 3/4”.

A very pretty pair of Shakudo earrings in the form of partially folded fans. The dark metal surfaces are delicately enhanced with silver cranes amid gold plum blossoms, rocks and tree stumps. The crane was used in Japanese art to symbolize longevity. The fans are suspended from 18K rose gold wires. After the collapse of the feudal system in Japan, the artists who created elaborately decorated swords turned to jewelry as a way to express their creativity. Sometimes shakudo pieces were turned into jewelry with the addition of later mountings, but in this case the earring fittings appear to be original. It is also rather unusual for shakudo jewelry to have gold findings rather than silver.

Origin: Japan, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: maximum width 11/16”; 1-11/16” long to top of earwire.

A lovely double-sided 18K yellow gold and beveled crystal porte-photo (“photo carrier”), the gold rim simply decorated with a bound reed design in the Louis XVI style. It is cleverly constructed with a hidden screw mechanism that allows the gold frame to expand so the crystal covers can be removed for adding or changing the contents. Double-sided porte-photos were often used to display a photo on one side and a tiny lock of hair or a memento such as a pressed flower on the other. They could also be used to display a "public" photo on one side and a more "private" photo on the reverse. These lovely little pieces are becoming increasingly difficult to find. The porte-photo is fully stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent; very minor surface scratching on crystal consistent with age and a small roughness of the edge of the crystal (not visible when inside the frame). Size: 29/32” x 1-3/8” (excluding jump ring). Weight: 5.3 grams.

A beautiful pair of tiger claw earrings mounted in 18K yellow gold filigree settings. 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, and sometimes in India. These earrings are mounted in the traditional Indian style of ornate filigree work. The claws hang freely from a filigree rosette surmount. The gold is tested and guaranteed to be at least 18K, and is probably closer to 20K.

Origin: India, ca. 1880. Condition: very good; the ear wires are replacements, but the rosettes are original; one claw has light surface flaking typical of natural claws on the back side. Size: 2-5/16” long from top of wires. Weight: 7.0 grams.

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

A stunning pair of late Victorian earrings in 18K yellow gold with diamonds, coral and onyx. The coral bead surmounts are punctuated with small collet-set diamonds and suspend gold buttercup settings, the tips accented with black enamel and holding oval cushion-cut diamonds, further suspending an enameled gold belt pave-set with rose-cut diamonds and flanked by a trio of red coral teardrops topped with small onyx beads. Everything about these earrings is of the very best quality. The diamonds are bright and well-cut, the gold settings are inventive, and the coral has the wonderful reddish hue of coral from the Italian coast near Naples. The earrings have threaded posts. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Size: 2-1/4” long. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .54 carat. Weight: 11.0 grams.

A fine 18K yellow gold locket, the front cover chased with an ornate scrolling pattern centering a large fleur-de-lis, itself set with an old European diamond. The diamond is well-cut and is graded as J color, SI1 clarity. The back cover has a period monogram "F to J". The interior retains both of the original frame inserts. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 7/8" diameter. Weight: 5.1 grams. Approximate Diamond Weight: .15 carat.

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.

Handsome Victorian 10K yellow gold ring in the form of two lion’s claws grasping a large old European cut garnet. The detail in the setting is excellent and the gold has a slightly rosy tint that contrasts nicely with the red stone. The garnet has a lively red color and excellent clarity. The inside of the shank has a pair of monograms. Tested and guaranteed 10K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: very good, sharp detail, slight wear to two prongs, but the stone is secure. Ring Size: 9-3/4. Approximate Gemstone Weight: 1.22 carats.