Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (314)

HM 1916 Birmingham, our Victorian "message" ring with the word "Mizpah" engraved on either side (Miz on one side of the turquoise forget-me-not and Pah on the other side) is an example of the romantic message jewelry that was so popular in the era. The word Mizpah is a Hebrew word that symbolizes the bond between two people separated by an act of war or other forced estrangement...

Sterling silver ring with a horse shoe motif as its central feature, set in sterling silver, complete with hallmark and maker's mark S & G. Silver jewelry was popularized in the last quarter of the 19th century because of the discovery of the Comstock Lode in Nevada in the 1860's, which had the effect of greatly increasing the world supply of silver. The band integrates with the central horseshoe and that is how we know it was originally and cleverly designed to be a horse shoe ring...

Sparkling Victorian cut steel earrings with faceted balls, leaves and circles. Cut steel was popular in England for its luster and shine in candlelight. Each tiny stud is hand cut and embedded in a metal base plate. Cut steel was the only form of jewelry made by steel workers and was a huge industry in the 19th century. It should be noted that while the jewelry was riveted by steelworkers, the polishing of the jewelry was done by local women, in a cottage industry of sorts...

This wonderful 18K Scottish fob features an imposing tower, the symbol for the Mason family crest. The fob is carved with a motto which reads "Demeure Par La Verite" and translates to "Keep Fast By the Truth". Keep fast by the truth is rooted in the bible: from the Gospel of John, it means remain faithful to the word of God and one will be rewarded with a fruitful life. Our fob is 1.5" tall and just shy of 1.5" wide...

Colorful depiction of a peasant girl graces this micromosaic brooch purchased during the Grand Tour and brought back to England to be set in an elaborate 18K bezel decorated with grapes and leaves. The glass tesserae are set in malachite.

Double portrait cameo ring in sardonyx, a variety of onyx and from the chalcedony family of stones, with the profiles of Venus and Mars overlaid in a pleasing contrast and further set on a carved rectangular stone in a 9K cigar band. Mars is shown in black at the foreground with his warrior attributes (helmet and armour) while Venus is portrayed in the background in white. We love the way each is carved from the same piece of stone then further mounted on another piece of stone...

Victorian 18K Carnelian agate swivel ring of a bearded man in profile. The fiery orange red glow of the Carnelian stone mesmerizes and the feel of the revolving swivel makes this a unique and very pleasant ring to won. The bearded unknown man is beautifully carved on one side while the other side is plain. The ring is .75 inches long and .5 inches wide and fits a size 7-7.5 and fairly large in scale and has great presence. The last photos show the scale of the ring relative to other signets.

Victorian Pietra Dura earrings of a butterfly, set in 9K gold. Pietra dura is a form of micro-mosaic made with pieces of hard stone such as agate, and cemented into black marble. It is also known as Florentine mosaic as Florence, Italy was the center of manufacture of these wonderful pieces. Red is a particularly rare color to find in Pietra dura. The earrings are set onto 14K ear wires.

Authentic Murphy family crest ring, complete with the motto and crest, all artfully carved in bloodstone (bloodstone is a dark green variety of chalcedony with red specks). The Lion Rampant stands in profile at the top holding a wheat sheath between his paws, the crest sits below and the banner with Latin motto Fortis et hospitales adorns the bottom of the ring face. The wheat is representative of abundance and the lion of strength and bravery...

Classic Victorian era pleasing large size round monogramed signet ring with an old english monogram carved in a carnelian hard stone with carved scrolls set into the 15K band. The ring is shown with an assortment of other signet rings in a similar shape. We think it looks terrific with others, or alone. The ring is .6 of an inch wide and .5 inches tall (15 mm wide and 12+ mm tall) and is a US size 10 and size-able.

A rare example of the remarkable talent behind the wonderful Austrian Bronze hand painted bronze miniature figurines which were made around the turn of the 20th century in foundries in Austria and Vienna following a period (mid nineteenth century) when realism and and naturalism were in vogue...

Substantial 4 coiled 18K Snake Ring with rubies and diamonds of increasing sizes along the head of the ring. The 4 bands wind around the ring terminating in a flourish of the snake's tail. An outstanding snake ring, from the carefully chosen rubies and diamonds which are graduated in size and placed in a carved "tail" which echoes the graduated size of the snake's head, to the substantial coverage the ring provides...

Our Victorian long guard watch chain is composed of an unusual and attractive love knot link. Such chains were called "long guards", and shortened to "guard chains". Watch guard link chains were generally light in weight and always over 50 inches in length. They were designed to hold watches with a dog clips and were originally worn with the chain tucked into a woman's belt with the watch attached to the chain...

Double box link original Victorian watch chain terminating in a dog clip stamped 9 carat, this unusual watch chain with its faceted box links attached to one another reveals on close inspection an additional twisted link around each box link, adding interest and glamour to a simple box link watch chain. The link has a slightly yellow gold cast...

Wonderful tactile slinky watch chain. To be a proper watch chain, the chain must be over 50" long, as they were originally made (shorter chains are simply cut up watch chains). Snake chains are a favorite link because of the slinky smooth texture and the way the link bounces back when adjusted...

Substantial 9k double headed snake ring featuring pink sapphire laden tops, carved gold eyes and a modern looking chic open work gold band. The ring is hallmarked "Chester", the most innovative of all the English guilds, and dates precisely to 1911. The intertwined serpents represent 2 lovers woven together for eternity and symbolize fertility and rebirth. The pink sapphires are unusual in a snake ring and the cool pink tones are a wonderful contrast to the rose gold band...

Utilizing the natural features of the blush and gray speckled agate with a lovely mottled appearance and demonstrating the fine carving that this circle of Italian carvers were known for, our ring is a sensitive portrayal of Sappho, an early poetess who came of age in the time of the Ancient Greeks in the Archaic period. The quality of the carving is reminiscent of the circle of carvers in Rome during the mid eighteenth century which included Anton Pichler and his sons Giovanni and Luigi. K...

An essential for every wardrobe, our C1900 9K handcrafted Albert curb link chain has it all; a chain includes with 2 dog clips, an inch of extra chain with a ring attached (from which to hang a pendant) and a T Bar. Each link is stamped 395 9 (9 carat) and with the anchor symbol for the Birmingham. Each element of the chain (links, dog clips, and T Bar) is stamped 9 for 9 karat. The extra length of chain with the T Bar can be removed and the larger ring that attaches it can be used to hang a ...

An essential chain for one's jewelry collection, this 18 inch long 9k Albert curb link chain has 2 dog clips attached for use as a clasp or to hang a pendant from. Each individual link and dog clip is individually stamped 9 and 375 (for 9K). "Albert" chains are a style of watch chain named after Prince Albert and were worn by both men and women in the 19th and early 20th century. This chain is particularly wonderful because of the two clips All the parts of the chain are original and intact an...

This enchanting ruby band ring has 5 rubies displayed in a linear formation along the face of the polished gold band, which has a gold "leaf" carved into the band that in a charming manner appears to be "reaching" around to capture the gemstone mounted face of the ring. Our 15K Edwardian ruby band ring is hallmarked Birmingham for the year 1907. It has a maker's mark of "L BROTHERS". The ring weighs 2.1 grams and is a size US 7 3/4.

Charming 15K Victorian gypsy ring with an old mine cut diamond securely imbedded in a polished gold band. The ring is hallmarked HM Chester 1890. This type of setting was popular through the late 19th century and well into the 20th. The diamond is securely flush mounted into the band. Flush mounted rings, otherwise known as gypsy rings, can be worn for everyday wear. The ring is great for stacking or worn alone, and with its hallmark and polished gold band is a fine ring indeed. The ring weighs ...

18k diamond gypsy ring adorned with 2 cushion cut diamonds and 1 central ruby encased in 8 pointed stars on a polished gold band with a charming incised design on each shoulder and an unusual scalloped edge. Flush mount gypsy rings are one of the most secure settings for gemstones and as such were worn by men and women with active lifestyles. Such rings were very much popular among men. The popularity of gypsy, or flush mounted rings, began around the Victorian era and continued through the firs...

Wonderful brightly colored half hoop ring of the classic Victorian 5 stone design consisting of 3 emeralds and 2 amethysts.

Dramatic Georgian faceted paste single stone ring set in silver and backed in 18K. The ring is nicely engraved at the shoulders with an 18K band. The carved paste is set in silver, which was believed to be better suited to set off the cool tones of the "diamond" stone. Paste jewelry refers to meticulously hand carved gem-like stones whose origin is credited to 2 infamous Georges, the first being George Ravenscroft, an English glassmaker who in the 16th century invented a composition of lead...

This fancy gold lined iron band reads "Gold Gab Ich Fur Eisen", meaning "I gave gold for iron", and was part of a patriotic effort to fund the Austro Hungarian War whereupon German citizens were asked to donate their gold jewelry and other gold articles and in return they would receive iron rings with these patriotic inscriptions. The movement spawned from an earlier movement during the war of 1812 when Germans were asked to donate their gold jewelry to help their country in the effort to defea...

Victorian Forget Me Not ring 15K set with six turquoise stones in a radial pattern, 3 supporting turquoises on each side and a diamond at center. The flower literally means “Forget me not” and the small rose diamond in the centre signifies eternal love. The band is ornately carved to enhance the delicacy of the ring. The ring no longer has hair behind crystal back but few examples have survived with this intact. The ring dates to C1880 and is a size 8.

Early Victorian or late Georgian half hoop 7 stone ring with 7 well matched turquoise stones set in cabochon, with the largest turquoise in the center and each stone graduated in size, as is typical of a hand carved Georgian ring. The borders of each stone are crimped, an attractive detail. The shoulders of the ring are chased in a lovely hand carved pattern. The back of the stones reveal lovely hand carved gold work. The ring can be sized up or down within reason.

Elegant Georgian pinchbeck Pendeloque earrings with decorative floral accents along the bottom widest part and an attractive carved flower at the ear. The bottom of the earrings are finished with a hand wrought gold ball. Pinchbeck is an alloy developed by Christopher Pinchbeck in 1720 to simulate gold. His alloy of copper and zinc looks like gold and does not tarnish. The earrings are Georgian Pinchbeck Torpedo Drop Earrings with Decorative Floral Accents1 3/4 inches long and ½ inch at ...

Dramatic metal Georgian cuff bracelet of rolled gold with slots to adjust the sizing. With its fancy hand worked decorative baroque design bolted to the bracelet, this stylish cuff makes a substantial impact. Leave it to the Georgians to design well made and practical jewelry that can be adjusted to fit different wrist sizes. As added feature, it easily slips on the wrist and firmly closed into a slot with one hand. Well constructed and fashionable cuff to add to your collection.

Late 18th century Portuguese tiered cluster rock crystal ring with 2 concentric rows of bright crystals, each approximately 3mm in diameter, surrounding a larger central stone, approximately 39 stones in all. This substantial ring covers the finger from joint to knuckle. The cut down bezel features a rose gold beaded trim, another feature of rings from the era. The polished rose gold closed back molds ergonomically to the finger. The ring is backed in foil and was meant to glimmer and impress ...

Substantial 18K antique Victorian snake ring with clever open cutwork on the gold band as shown in the bottom layer, an interesting detail on this handsome snake ring. Snakes were a symbol of eternal love and friendship and were popularized by Queen Victoria during her reign in the 19th century. Set with 3 diamonds, each larger than the next, in a pointed carved etching at the top of the snake's head, our ring is hallmarked London and dates to 1895. The ring is a size 8 ½.

Our antique band ring has a pleasing minimalist vibe with its open cutwork of scrolls carved in platinum and trimmed in an 22K border. This is a simple band that is complex to make and constructed of materials that were highly expensive. Platinum was and is still an extremely strong and durable metal. The ring works beautifully for stacking ring and with gold and silver rings alike. It is as size 8 and is not size-able.

Our 18K gypsy ring has 3 well mounted and clean round diamonds mounted securely in a polished gold band. Such rings were made with the gemstones set flush with the gold band, one of the most secure ways to set a ring. The secure setting made the rings well suited for people with active lifestyles and were popular well into the twentieth century. The ring looks great stacked with others or alone. The year “1909” and an 18K mark can be seen on the inside of the band. The name is indecipherable...

This ring is unusual in that in represents many Victorian motifs; the love knot, the serpent (symbolizing eternal love), and the twisted band on each side is another version the love knot. The love knot dates to antiquity, symbolizing love, friendship and affection. The simple knot, lacking a beginning, middle or end, evokes the eternal connection and unbreakable bond between two people. The rose diamond studded snake head is the proverbial "icing on the cake" on this interesting and unusual hal...

This slithering 18K gold snake ring with diamond eyes is a delight to wear. The snake motif, in this case, a snake eating it tail, an ouroboros, was first popularized in Victorian jewelry as a symbol of eternal life and eternal love. Queen Victoria's engagement ring was a snake. Our snake ring can be worn with the snake head looking down or up, whatever you prefer. The ring is hallmarked London, 1904. The ring is a US size 6 1/2.

Classic Victorian ruby and diamond ring with a star set diamond set in a square and offset by 2 smaller diamonds and a singular ruby. The facets of the stones and gold band echo the geometry of the star setting and unusual square ring head. The ring is hallmarked so we knew exactly when it was made. Comfortable on and suitable for everyday wear. A great choice for anyone seeking a genuine antique Victorian ring to add to their stack. The ring is a US size 6.5 and can be sized.