Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1615)

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.

An extraordinarily fine pair of Larter 14K gold beanback cufflinks, the faces decorated with the image of a man with wildly flailing hair and grasping a blue sapphire in his mouth. The treatment of the hair and the choice of a blue stone suggests that the image represents the God of the Seas, Poseidon (Neptune). Alternatively, it could be Zephyrus, God of the West Wind. The sapphires have bright cornflower blue color and are have eye-clean clarity. The cufflinks are marked with Larter's hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, all original. Dimensions: faces, 15/32" x 1/2". Weight: 5.1 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .14 ct.

A delightful Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold circle pin, the center set with an enameled trillium blossom. The petals are beautifully enameled in translucent shades of ivory and green. The gold surface below the enamel is intricately engraved. The blossom is centered by a pale coral bead. The periphery of the circle brooch is set with small seed pearls. The back retains the original pinstem and clasp marked 14K and bearing the hallmark for Bippart, Griscomb & Osborn.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, the swivel bale has been removed but can be replaced with no solder work necessary. Size: 31/32" diameter. Weight: 3.5 grams.

An elegant pair of French Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold earrings designed in a openwork pattern of irises. The flowers and foliage are highlighted with delicate engraving. The gold surfaces are enhanced with the soft matte texture typical of French jewels of the period. The wires appear to be replacements and are stamped with French 18K marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 3/4" 3/4". Weight: 4.7 grams.

A gorgeous Art Nouveau festoon necklace worked in 14K yellow gold. The central floral plaque is delicately enameled in translucent iridescent shades of pink, lemon and green. Small round and baroque seed pearls accent the design. Collet-set deep purple oval cut amethysts flank either side of the blossom and a freshwater pearl drop is suspended from the bottom. A third amethyst is suspended just above the floral plaque. The trace link chain is studded with baroque pearls accenting the places where chain festoons are attached. Tested and guaranteed 14K. Unsigned, but certainly the work of Newark shop such as Larter, Krementz, Bippart, etc.

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage. Size: Weight: 5.8 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.11 cts.

A heavy, beautifully-detailed 14K yellow gold brooch in the form of a pine branch complete with needles and fully three-dimensional pinecones attributed to Laykin et Cie. The workmanship of the brooch is very fine. Each spray of needles is accented with a prong-set round brilliant diamonds of fine quality (I/VS). The back is marked “14K” and has an illegible maker’s mark. We have seen this exact brooch with a clear signature for Laykin et Cie, the leading Hollywood jeweler of the mid-20th century.

Origin: America, ca. 1965. Condition: excellent; sharp detail. Size: 2-5/16” x 1-1/2”. Weight: 21.1 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .35 carat.

A nice 18K yellow gold pendant or charm in the Sputnik style. The sphere is collet-set with round amethysts, citrines, pink and green tourmalines, aquamarines and garnets. This jewelry design was originally created by H. Stern in the 1950s to highlight the range of colored gemstones available from the mines of the company’s native Brazil. It later came to be known as “Sputnik” for its resemblance to the spiky Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Unmarked; tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955. Condition: very good; under 10x magnification some stones show normal surface wear consistent with their age. Size: 9/16” diameter. Weight: 1.7 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.03 carats.

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”.

An elegant pair of 18K yellow gold earrings with mother-of-pearl inlay by Angela Cummings. The designer pioneered modern hardstone mosaic techniques when she was still lead designer at Tiffany & Co. After establishing her own luxury boutique, she continued to make similar designs under her own name. The earrings are marked “Cummings 18K”.

Origin: America, 1984-2003. Size: 1” x 3/4". Weight: 15.7 grams.

A fine pair of Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold cufflinks by Krementz, both the front and back faces with repousse decoration of a roaring lion’s head. The backs are more typically plain bean-backs rather than decorated. The cufflinks are marked with Krementz’ 14K hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: front faces, 1/2" x 3/4"; back faces, 3/8” x 1/2". Weight: 5.0 grams.

A wonderful Art Deco 14K yellow gold baton-link long chain, studded at intervals with oval moss agate cabochons. The long chain was a traditional Victorian style, but in this case was updated by replacing the usual small links with long baton-style links. The resulting linear look would have been considered much more modern and stylish. The links are interrupted by nine 7.5x9.0mm moss agate cabochons. The gemstones have very nice medium- to dark-green lacy moss-like inclusions against the colorless transparent background. Notice that the stones are set closer together toward the middle of the chain, and farther apart toward the ends. The clasp is marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent. Size: 28” long. Weight: 18.9 grams.

An incredible Victorian 14K yellow gold watch fob in the form of an 1880’s style oil derrick. The details are amazing, complete with a pump house, a suspended drilling bit inside the derrick and a collection vat. Even spare parts lie around on the base. The entire piece is completely handworked and was almost certainly a special order and was probably made shortly after the first commercial oil well was drilled in Pennsylvania around 1860. Figural fobs of this quality are extremely rare. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no monogram on seal. Weight: 12.5 grams.

An exquisite pair of Art Deco heavy 18K yellow gold snap cufflinks. Each round face is designed as a lion’s head superimposed over the classic French sunburst motif that made a reappearance in the decorative arts during the Art Deco period. The quality of workmanship is superb, with outstanding detailing in the design. Gold snap cufflinks are quite uncommon. The cufflinks are fully stamped with French 18K “tete d’aigle” gold hallmarks and with a master goldsmith’s mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 3/4” diameter. Weight: 17.0 grams.

An extremely rare pair of French 18K gold cufflinks set with reverse intaglio carved crystals ("Essex crystals") depicting a pair of colorful rabbits or hares. The faces are connected by chains to backs in the form of double-barreled shotguns. The guns' stocks are worked in yellow gold, while the barrels, triggers and trigger guards are worked in white gold. The crystals are finely carved and expertly painted in bright colors. The cufflinks are stamped with French 18K gold marks and also with the maker's mark of an unidentified jeweler. Carved crystals were very popular in England and the United States, but French examples, especially those incorporating figural gold work such as the shotgun, are most unusual.

NOTE: We are offering a matching lapel brooch as Item #1258400.

Origin: France, ca. 1915. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: crystals, 5/8" diameter; shotguns, 1-1/16" long. Weight: 8.9 grams.

A very fine matched pair of Victorian 14K yellow gold hinged bangle bracelets presented in their original fitted box. Each bracelet is fashioned with a buckle design and accented with ornate engraved and basse taille enamel decoration in a foral pattern. The edges of the bangles have bright cut engraving that lends a little glitter. The bracelets are generously sized with 3/4" width.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: the exterior of both bangles are in mint condition with absolutely no enamel damage or dings; the interiors of both have a very few, shallow pinpoints; one bracelet retains the original patented safety mechanism (dated 1870), while the other has been replaced with a safety chain; the original fitted case shows considerable wear. Size: 3/4” wide; interior opening, 2-1/8” x 1-11/16”. Weight: 68.4 grams.

An exceptionally rare and fine 18th century 15K yellow gold mourning ring, the crown comprising a very large verre eglomise panel with a black silhouette of a gentleman against a silvered background. The lace and brocade collar is exquisitely detailed. The edges of the panel are finished with bright-cut engraving, a design repeated at the top edges of the shank. The back of the glass panel is curved for comfort when being worn. Everything about the ring is of the finest quality. Its size and graphic appeal make a statement. Tested and guaranteed 15K.

Origin: England, ca. 1780. Condition: excellent, no damage to glass panel. Size: 1-5/16" x 13/16". Finger Size: 9-3/4.

A lovely Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold pendant enhanced with translucent enamels in varying shades of green and a touch of rose. The whiplash curve outlines are studded with seed pearls and the whole suspends a baroque freshwater pearl. The pendant is attached to a fine Etruscan Revival 12K gold chain, the box clasp enhanced with ropetwist and beaded decoration. Both parts tested and guaranteed gold as described.

Origin: pendant, America, ca. 1900; chain, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage. Dimensions: overall chain length, 17-3/4"; pendant, 15/16" x 1-3/8". Weight: 9.9 grams.

Beautiful 29.75” strand of pearls by Mikimoto. The 6.0-6.5mm pearls are joined with a 14K yellow gold clasp set with a 3.3mm pearl. The strand comprises 113 pearls having medium cream-rose body color with Mikimoto’s classic rosé overtones. The nacre is thick and the luster is very fine. The quality is appraised at fine AA, indicating that they just border on the elusive AAA quality. The clasp is marked with Mikimoto’s hallmark. The strand is presented in its original white satin folio marked "Mikimoto Fifth Avenue".

Origin: Japan, ca. 1980. Condition: excellent, securely strung; the satin folio has a champagne stain in the interior. Size: 29.75”, 6.0-6.5mm.

Accompanied by a June 2005 Bailey, Banks & Biddle written appraisal for $6,500.