Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (314)

his is an original nineteenth century sterling watch chain with a substantial square shaped link called a Venetian or box link. Closeup photos reveal the interesting interlocking pattern of the links. A great deal of ingenuity went into making chains, and there is nothing like an original long Victorian watch chain that has never been chopped up into shorter chains, but retains its original length. If you favor chains that are fabricated by hand, this chain is a real find...

Lovely sapphire ring with three large sapphires and four small diamonds, a variation of the classic five stone half hoop diamond ring (the each pair of small diamonds read as one larger diamond). Five stone rings were crafted to show emphasis on the gemstones. The ring is set with the gemstones "a jour", or "open to the day" and can thus be worn for everyday wear and can be exposed to moisture within concern. The ring is a size 5 1/2.

Fabulous emerald lizard form brooch! Comprised of of emerald green pastes and set in silver, this is a perfectly proportioned lizard with distinctive silver hands and toes. The lizard's red paste eyes are a perfect compliment to the green paste. Paste was a type of leaded glass formulated in the 18th century...

Lowestoft soft-paste teabowl and saucer in the Schoolhouse pattern.

c. 1780. Saucer: 4 3/4" diameter. Cup: 3"diameter x 1 3/4" Height. Condition: excellent

Fantastic Whitby jet earrings in the form of concentric circles, a classic geometric shape that we love. The material is made of Whitby Jet, a form of fossilized coal that came from the coal mines of Whitby England in the 18th and 19th centuries. Jet was especially popular during Victorian times because it was acceptable as a form of mourning jewelry...

This Chelsea "gold anchor" period porcelain seal of a lady has a motto and a hardstone seal. It dates to 1759-1768. We have a collection of these early Chelsea "toys". You can check our web site for others.

Condition: excellent

Original eighteenth century Chelsea Seal in the form of a grotesque figure of a black masked man with 3 cornered ("tri-corn") hat. The tri-cornered hat was a popular hat worn in the 18th century by both aristocracy and commoners, as it was designed to better reveal one's highly fashionable wig. Our male figure is in black breeches, standing on a white base with the motto "Tou jour gay" ("always happy")...

Unusual Victorian porcelain scent bottle in the shape of a clam shell. The silver lid is stamped with the hallmarks of Sanders and Shepherd and the date letter for 1889. The bottle is 2" high by 1 1/2" wide and 1 1/4" at its deepest.

Delightful Victorian "imari" pattern scent bottle with a gilded silver cap which is stamped with the hallmarks for London 1888. The bottle is 2" wide, 2 3/8" hight and 1/2" deep.

Royal Worcester porcelain scent bottle decorated in the style of Japanese Satsuma. The design features a Geisha and a fish on one side and a lady with a fan on the other. The silver CAP is stamped with the hallmarks for Birmingham, England, 1891. The pieces measures: 2 1/4" high by 1 7/8" wide by 1/2" deep. View

Our marquis shaped 18K ring, carved in the shape of the pointed oval and emblematic of the gothic arch, has twelve old-cut rubies and a central cabochon opal accented with rose diamonds. The ring is a "marquis within a marquis" in the way the rubies form the outside border of another border of gold trim, which forms a marquis shape that encloses the cabochon opal and accent diamonds...

Striking Victorian banded agate earrings set in 15K gold. The brown and black tones make them wearable with any color. The earrings measure 1" in diameter and date to 1890.

We love this Antique 15k diamond, sapphire, ruby & pearl ring, circa 1910, for its strong combination of shapes and colors as well as its dynamic symmetry. The ring sits on the diagonal, in contrast to the more common linear arrangement. Studded with old mine cut diamonds, a sapphire and a ruby, the pearl provides balance to the strong color and rough texture of the gemstones...

The term "pique" comes from the French word "piquer" (to prick) and describes a method of inlaying gold or silver onto tortoiseshell. The craft was discovered and perfected in the 17th century by the French Huguenots. The Huguenots later taught the craft to English jewelry artisans. These classical pique earrings with their Greek key design, are a perfect example of the sophistication, polish, depth and natural beauty of pique jewelry...

Wonderfully painted enamel ring depicting the love between Cupid and Psyche, the universal symbol of everlasting love. The ancient Greeks viewed the butterfly as a symbol of the immortality of the soul. The painting on the enamel ring shows the goddess Psyche, which means "soul" or "spirit", in the form of the butterfly, being chased by Cupid. The ring is 18K, circa 1910, size 6.5 and can be sized.

The Art Deco era ushered in a wave of exotic forms, of which our lizard ring is a superb example. Our 14K ring with an intricately carved reptile planted between 3 gemstones, a larger diamond on one side and a sapphire and smaller diamond on the other, is centered on historicism (as was the Art Deco period); reptiles date from ancient Rome and were a symbol of wedded bliss. The ring is sturdy and solid with its thick band, substantial face and firmly set gemstones...