Kensington House Antiques and Sterling Silver Kensington House
Antiques
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1900 item #1402079
Kensington House Antiques
$4,150.00
A fine Victorian 18K yellow gold fancy link long chain necklace. The 45” chain has ornate scrolling plaques separated by smaller simple links. The fancy links are further highlighted with beaded decoration. The generous length allows the chain to be worn doubled or tripled. In fact, the chain has an ingenious clasp that holds the necklace at just the right staggered length (21” and 25”)when doubled. The chain can be worn doubled, or at full length by releasing one of the clasps. Necklaces of this style are distinctly French and were popular from the Second Empire through the beginning of the 20th century. This example is stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks and an illegible master goldsmith’s mark.
  • Origin: France, ca. 1880.
  • Condition: excellent; all original.
  • Length: 45”.
  • Weight: 34.6 grams.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1900 item #1402080
Kensington House Antiques
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A fine Victorian 18K yellow gold fancy link long chain necklace. The 47” chain has ornate scrolling plaques separated by smaller simple links. The fancy links are further highlighted with rope-twist and beaded decoration. The generous length allows the chain to be worn doubled or tripled. Necklaces of this style are distinctly French and were popular from the Second Empire through the beginning of the 20th century. This example is stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.
  • Origin: France, ca. 1880.
  • Condition: excellent; original clasp replaced with a more secure lobster claw clasp.
  • Length: 47”.
  • Weight: 34.3 grams.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1900 item #1330764
Kensington House Antiques
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A fine Victorian 18K yellow gold fancy link long chain necklace. The chain comprises alternating large and small oval links, each inset with an ornate scrolling pattern with millgrained accents. The design is reminiscent of the stone tracery separating the panels in a Gothic stained glass window. Necklaces of this style are distinctly French and were popular throughout the Second Empire and into the Belle Epoque. The necklace is stamped with French 18K marks and an illegible goldsmith’s mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 29-1/4" long. Weight: 27.1 gr.

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1910 item #1350970
Kensington House Antiques
$4,950.00
A very fine 18K yellow gold fancy link chain necklace featuring round and teardrop links interspersed with smaller navette-shaped links. Each of the handmade fancy links is further enhanced with elegant beaded decoration. Necklaces in this style were a quintessentially French design near the end of the 19th century and they look especially elegant when layered with other chains. The length is sufficient to be worn doubled. Stamped with French 18K marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 32" long. Weight: 46.3 gr.

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1900 item #659930
Kensington House Antiques
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A terrific 18K yellow gold stick pin in the form of a German shepherd’s head. The detail work is especially well-done, with very accurate representation of the fur, the texture of the snout, etc. The pinstem is stamped with the “tete d’aigle” hallmark for 18K gold.

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, all original. Size: overall length, 3”; head, 1/2” x 9/16”. Weight: 4.5 grams.

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1900 item #1306273
Kensington House Antiques
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A lovely double-sided 18K yellow gold and crystal “porte-photo” (photo locket), the gold rim accented with small blue sapphires. The bail is attached to a screw mechanism that allows the gold frame to expand for access to the inside of the locket. Porte-photos were often used to display a “public” photo one side and a more private keepsake on the other. They’re usually very simple; a design of this type is uncommon. These pieces are becoming increasingly difficult to find. The bail is stamped with French 18K marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks to crystal. Dimensions: 1-1/8” diameter (excluding bail).

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1900 item #1212563
Kensington House Antiques
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A lovely double-sided 18K yellow gold crystal “porte-photo” (photo carrier), the gold rim elegantly decorated with a bound reed design in the Louis XVI style. The crystal covers are faceted in a star design on both sides. The locket 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, a pressed flower or other memento. They could also be used to display a “public” photo on one side and a more “private” image on the other. They are usually round or oval; a hexagonal example is rather uncommon. These lovely little pieces have become increasingly difficult to find. The porte-photo is fully stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks to crystal. Size: 1-3/32” diameter (excluding bale).

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1900 item #1191493
Kensington House Antiques
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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.

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1900 item #1191497
Kensington House Antiques
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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.

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Victorian : Pre 1910 item #1350197
Kensington House Antiques
$310.00
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.

All Items : Antiques : Decorative Art : Metals : Bronze : Pre 1900 item #1210870
Kensington House Antiques
$1200.00
A macabre bronze figural cigar cutter in the form of a guillotine. The perfectly detailed guillotine includes a movable “bascule” and “lunette”. On the full-size models, these were the portions to which the victim was strapped and tilted into the machine and the part with a hole that surrounded the neck to hold the head still. In this case, a cigar is laid on the bascule and the lunette closes around the very tip of the cigar. When the rope is released, the heavy blade drops, lopping off the tip which falls into the bucket underneath. The bronze elements are entirely hand-fashioned and are mounted on a simple mahogany base. Incidentally, cigar cutters, regardless of their shapes, are often called “guillotines” in France.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, even the rope appears to be original. Size: 8” tall.

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Victorian : Pre 1900 item #178564
Kensington House Antiques
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Gorgeous sterling silver pendant accented with enamel and paste stones. The pendant is comprised of a bale set with old-European cut paste stones, suspending a circle set with 30 paste stones, surrounding an articulated central plaque covered in translucent cobalt blue enamel punctuated with a finely worked silver floral motif set with paste. The edges of the central plaque are finely toothed and the reverse is decorated in a starburst pattern.

The reverse is marked twice with the French boar's head mark for silver. The pendant is presented with a contemporary 15" 14K white gold chain. The pendant is presented in its original velvet- and silk-lined fitted case, imprinted with the logo for "Edward Tessier Silver & Goldsmith/Mourning Ornaments". Tessier remains one of London's finest purveyors of antique jewels and is still located at its original New Bond Street location.

Early French paste of this quality is getting exceedingly difficult to find. This is a very fine piece of period French paste jewelry, and the combination of paste and blue enamel is especially pleasing.

Origin: France, circa 1840. Condition: excellent, no damage. Size: 7/8" diameter (excluding bale).

All Items : Antiques : Decorative Art : Metals : Silver : Continental : Pre 1900 item #19193
Kensington House Antiques
$150.00
Lovely Louis XVI style sterling silver fish slice. The elegant spade-shaped matte vermeil blade is engraved with the crossed quiver and torch design originally popular in the late 18th century. The blade and handle are marked by the maker, Pot & Cie., and the handle is marked with a French silver hallmark.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: very good; a bit of discoloration on the blade and very light wear on the handle. Size: 12-1/2" long.

All Items : Antiques : Decorative Art : Metals : Silver : Continental : Pre 1900 item #433108
Kensington House Antiques
$225.00
Elegant Napoleon III ivory letter opener and book mark with a French silver handle with repousse decoration. The piece serve as a paper cutter or letter opener, but the double blade can slip over the edge of a page to serve as a book mark. The handle is decorated in a foral pattern and has a reserve which was never monogramed. The end has a loop so that the opener/mark could have a ribbon attached or so that it could be worn from a chatelaine. The handle is marked with French silver hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, a tiny nick at the very point of the ivory. Size: 5-29/32" long.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ITEM CANNOT BE SHIPPED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

All Items : Antiques : Decorative Art : Metals : Silver : Continental : Pre 1920 item #1406216
Kensington House Antiques
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An elegant classic-style French silver tastevin of traditional form. The bowl is decorated with raised "perles", concave "cupules" and elongated "godrons" for assessing the depth of color in both red and white wines. The curved sides help concentrate the aroma, so only a very small amount of wine has to be poured to judge quality. The looped handle allows the tastevin to be worn suspended from a chain. Tastevins with round thumbpieces are generally from the Paris region. The handle is marked for first standard silver (950/1000 pure silver) and also has partially obscured master silversmith's mark.
  • Origin: France, ca. 1900.
  • Dimensions: 2 11/16" diameter (excluding handle).
  • Weight: 37.0 grams.
  • Excellent condition; two small dings on bottom, mostly hidden by the design and two very small (1/16") dings on the upper rim.
All Items : Antiques : Decorative Art : Metals : Bronze : Pre 1900 item #1243896
Kensington House Antiques
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An absolutely delightful bronze calling card tray, the center designed with a small frog atop a traditional baroque-style wave. The top edge of the dish has a wonderful scene of four frogs riding big-wheel bicycles along a road. They have quite good balance, as all have their arms crossed. The lead frog is even smoking a pipe. Road markers reading “2Km” and “3Km” mark their progress. The frog and bicycle design was taken directly from a J & P Coats thread company advertisement used on trade cards in the 1880s. More than likely, the tray was designed to be used to hold the cards in an exclusive Parisian dressmaker’s or tailor’s shop.

Origin: France, ca. 1885. Condition: excellent; original patina; sharp details. Dimensions: 7-1/2 x 4-1/4 in.

All Items : Antiques : Decorative Art : Glass : American : Pressed Glass : Pre 1900 item #1171036
Kensington House Antiques
$225.00
A fine mid-19th century pressed glass paperweight in the form of a recumbent lion resting on an opaque glass base. The lion is beautifully detailed and finished in a frosted surface. This lion is similar to one produced by Gillinder for the 1876 Centennial Exposition, but it is much more finely made. The underside of the black base is impressed “490”.

Origin: probably America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent; there are a few very minor fleabites along the bottom edge of the base and a couple of small ones (probably from rings) on the lion’s head, where a user would likely pick up the paperweight (these are very difficult to see due to the complexity of the design). Size: 5-3/4” x 3-3/8” x 3-3/4”.

All Items : Antiques : Decorative Art : Ceramics : German : Porcelain : Pre 1910 item #390547
Kensington House Antiques
$75.00
Cute Victorian porcelain baby's dish decorated with a very pretty transfer illustration of the nursery rhyme "Jack and Jill". The decoration is sweetly sentimental. The rim is gilt "Baby". The bottom is marked "Germany".

Origin: Germany, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks, light wear to gilding and transfer. Size: 5-1/8" diameter; 1-1/4" high.