Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (314)

The dove of peace soars through the skies. Made of pique, tortoiseshell inlaid with gold, this charming brooch can rest on your shoulder or perch on your lapel.

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

The agate that comprises our Victorian flower cluster brooch is handcrafted with a high degree of skill and meticulously carved to fit its sterling silver mount. With a singular focus on the agate’s natural beauty and no distracting ornamentation, our 19th century brooch has a surprisingly modern look. Both the towns of Edinburgh and Birmingham made agate jewelry a specialty of their workshops, of which our flower cluster is a fine example...

C1860 sterling silver pendeloque earrings, over three inches long, make a statement no matter the occasion. The silver earrings have a thin fluted silver band wrapped round and round culminating in a small finial at the bottom. The thin silver fluted band is repeated on the top of the earring in 3 offset curves. These earrings are surprisingly light. The butterfly backs help the earrings fit securely on the ear (hopefully) never to be lost!

Bold Victorian banded agate bead necklace with three large beads tapering down to smaller ones. There are 34 beads in the necklace which has a bead clasp. Agate beads have become very collectible as many believe they have mystical qualities. The necklace is 20 1/2" long.

Lovely early Victorian angel skin coral ring with 10 carved florets and one large carved coral flower at the center, set in a pleasing symmetrical pattern. This ring has a 9K gold band while the coral florets are set in a metal bed. The Victorians loved angel skin coral, which is a red-orange or light pink colored coral, and they especially loved coral cut into cameos, flowers, or fruit. This ring has a rather large head and is therefore best worn alone. This ring is a US size 7.75.

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...

Blue Willow pattern scent bottle with silver gilt cap by Sampson Mordan. The silver is marked with the year mark for 1885. This scent is a large size measuring 2 1/4" in diameter. A wonderful addition to a scent collection or a collection of blue

Our silver bangle is decorated with a five bands of repeating patterns of arabesques and scrolls. The center band is the focal point while the surrounding bands are each repeated once. The Victorians loved geometric patterns, and silver bangles, brooches and the like were affordable to the middle class and could appeal to a broader segment of the jewelry market and thus achieved great popularity around this time...

We love our wonderfully esoteric Grotesque man (or "other") crafted by a talented unknown carver in the 19th century from a chunk of the most desirable orange-red toned coral. Connoisseurs of literature or theater or the arts understand the term Grotesque as referring to fantastical, exaggerated or distorted representations, usually of the human face or figure...

Wonderful antique silver cuff with rose gold flowers and arches and yellow leaves with etched tendrils in between. Silver jewelry was made to appeal to the "everyman" in society and after the Silver Jubilee in the later part of the 1800's silver jewelry pieces like our cuff bracelet was made in abundance, but no two pieces were alike and each had its own unique design. This antique cuff bracelet is 7 ½ inches in circumference and is 1 inches wide. It fits a small to medium sized wrist.

The symbolism and motifs behind the Victorian bangle bracelets, with their quaint floral bouquets and plants and trails of leaves well known. Our Sterling silver bangle has two carved stylized vases of flowers on either side, a vertical array of flowers next to each and at center, what appears to be two vertical daisies and leaf tendrils. This bracelets are quintessentially Victorian; sentimental jewelry always had associated meanings behind different flowers...

We love the pleasing niello design of the dotted squares on these substantial cufflinks. The word "niello" is a derivation of the Latin word for "niger" meaning black. Niello was an ancient of silver decorative technique revived by a German jeweler in Paris in the early part of the nineteenth century. It is done by engraving a design on the silver, and filling the recesses with an alloy of lead, copper, sulphur, and silver...

We love our 18K exceptional hunting fob with a working hinged locket and a jasper and agate base. " Punto di Caccia" in Italian is engraved on one lozenge, translating to "hunting point", and "Rendez vous de chasse" written on another lozenge opposite. Rendez Vous de chasse roughly translates to "appointment for the hunt". The hunting dog stands faithfully to one side along with the horn, and rifle & hunting pouch, also known as a bullet pouch, with hip flask on other side...

still need a description for this one and trocadero does not let me move on if description is not longer than title

Dramatic Victorian agate bead necklace is fastened with an agate clasp. The striking banded agate beads are black, brown and white and can be worn day or night. The necklace measures 17" long, circa 1870.

Lovely pique pansy pendant can be worn with a gold or silver chain. Pique, tortoiseshell inlaid with gold and silver, was developed in France and became popular in England in the late 19th century.

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.

Fantastic engraved 18K gold bracelet set with a shell cameo of the god Pan and presented in its original box. Clearly a one of its kind. The bracelet measures 1 5/8" wide, the interior circumference is 6 1/2", c1840

Bold Victorian cut steel cuff bracelet is an unusual and amazing example of the popular cut steel jewelry of the Victorian era. Cut steel was developed as a substitute for diamonds when the royalty and wealthy traveled to the seasons in Bath and London. The bracelet measures 1 1/2" wide, its interior measures 2 3/4" by 2 1/8".

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.

Red Vauxhall Glass floral motif necklace will mirror your gaiety when wearing it. Made at the Vauxhall Glass Works in London from the 18th century through the middle of the nineteenth, it was sold at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens nearby.

Lovely Georgian garnet cluster ring set in 18K gold. The garnets are a bright and lively color giving the ring great panache. The ring is a size 8 and measures 5/8" at its widest.

The rare fob pendant that is 3 pieces in 1; it includes a beautiful large niello dog clip which attaches to 3 niello links which further attaches to a 2 compartment round locket, .75 inches in diameter.. Long and elegant, the dog clip allows you to connect the pendant from any metal chain. The beauty of niello is that the colors work equally well with yellow gold, rose gold, silver, or even a niello chain...

Victorian gilt metal collar is beautiful, flattering and wearable for any occasion

Lovely silver and gold bangle bracelet with a flower in vase motif. This boldly designed bracelet is engraved with an embossed background design of squares with a leaf motif. The bracelet measures 1 1/2" wide, the interior measurements are 1 7/8" by 2". An unusual and unique piece.

Attractive bracelet with 8 nicely proportioned brilliant cut rock crystals set in individual gilt metal rope bezels attached to one another with a double set of links. The bracelet fits a medium-sized wrist and hangs attractively. The clear stones and gilt metal would make a nice addition when worn with other gold bangles as the clear rock crystal stones and gilt metal compliment gold.Fits a small to medium sized wrist.

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.

Bold Victorian banded agate bead necklace with a silver dog tag clasp. The 19 large banded agate beads are interspersed with small black agate beads. The necklace measures 17 1/2" long, c 1870

This is a silky smooth gorgeous original French watch chain. Silky smooth about the neck, it has a wonderful texture as only 18K gold has. There is a French eagle's head on the clasp showing its French provenance.

Floral rondelles, the five central ones with tassels, comprise this lovely cut steel necklace. Multi-faceted cut steel jewelry was popular during the 18th and mid 19th century. The jewelry sparkled in candlelight and was used as a substitute for diamonds. The necklace measures 15 1/2" long and 1 3/4" at its widest.

Lava cameo brooch of Demeter (known to the Romans as Ceres) with a crown of wheat sheaves in her hair. The gold openwork bezel is of 12K and is pointed around the frame, a nice detail, and rather unusual, on the gold work. The brooch was possibly a souvenir from Italy acquired by a traveler on the European Grand Tour...

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.

Lovely gray lava beads which were inspired by the ruins of Pompeii in Italy. Lava jewelry was actually made from the lava of Mt. Vesuvius as souvenir jewelry fro travelers on the Grand Tour. Notice how the beads are properly graduated, as one would only see on early jewelry made before mass production. The smallest beads at the clasp gradually getting larger until the central bead, which is appropriately the largest and the place where the eye is drawn to.

Essex crystal carving of a horse and jockey surrounded by rose diamonds. Perhaps they are symbolic of the winners wreath. The crystals are carved in reverse or intaglio into the flat back to create a three-dimension trompe l'oeil effect. The image is then painted in realistic detail. The pin measures 15/16 in diameter.

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...

We love baby rings, worn around the knuckle or worn clipped to a large split ring and worn around a chain, or simply collected in honor of a new baby. Our Victorian baby ring has rose diamonds encased in gold, spaced evenly around the band. The band has a royal blue enamel border on both top and bottom of the band. The blue enamel is itself accented by a slender border of gold. The combination of the rose diamonds set in gold with the enamel blue detail make this an exceptional baby ring...

Delightful 18K hand over heart fede ring. - the word fede means faithful. The Victorians were fond of such romantic sentiments. The ring has a tiny diamond set on the ring finger of the gold hand, a lovely and surprising detail. The ring is a US size 8 1/4.

Napolean III amethyst necklace individually claw set in 18k yellow gold with gold spacers in the archeological taste. An extra amethyst gem link is available to lengthen the chain should this be desired. There is a safety chain for additional security. The necklace is 15.5 inches in length.

Victorian silver and three color gold locket with a raised floral and foliate design. Wonderful to wear on a chain, either short or long as shown here. The locket measures 1 3/4" high by 1 3/8" wide.

A Snuff box in the form of a shoe was a convenient form to put in a jacket pocket to carry snuff. This mahogany and brass studded shoe dates to 1860

Condition: excellent Height: 3 inches

This C1870 Victorian necklace features 9K hand crafted solid gold beads strung on a gold chain. It is the perfect piece for layering with an antique chain, or layering with another beaded chain as shown in our photos. (Other beaded chain seen in photo is also available on 1St dibs as a 18K gold bead necklace). The necklace is 16 inches long and weighs 24 grams.

C1880 Victorian buckle bracelet beautifully engraved with clover leaves and a geometric design. The bracelet is stamped "Sterling". Buckle bracelets became very popular when Queen Victoria wore the Order of the Garter on her arm. The bracelet measures 1 3/16" wide. The interior dimensions are 1 7/8" wide by 2 1/8" long.

Exquisite Victorian silver bangle bracelet enhanced with a raised floral motif in two color gold. This unusual and striking cuff can be worn alone or joined with other gold or silver bangles. The bracelet measures 1 1/2" wide and its interior measurements are 1 15/16 by 2 1/4. It has hallmarks for Birmingham 1885.

Early C1860 Victorian Marquise shaped ring of 15K gold, silver, enamel and diamonds set in a floral and leaf design. Wow! how fantastic! The stylized leaf form with young diamond buds harkens to the expression “nipped in the bud”, when mourning one who dies too young. The ring is a size 5.5 and can be resized to fit.

Our keeper ring once had hallmarks but they are worn off, so we are estimating this ring to be from the late 1890's. Our ring has plaited gold work on the underside, a work of art of itself. A "Keeper" ring is a snug fitting ring worn to prevent the loss of a more valuable ring by keeping the larger ring from sliding off. Keeper rings were also known as magic, or illusion rings, because of the illusion created by rotating the band causing it to appear to widen, to narrow, then to widen again...

This pattern on our watch chain comes from an ancient technique of decorating silver, known as niello. Niello which was revived in the 19th century and adopted by English jewelry artisans. The word niello which derives from the Latin form of niger, or black. The surprisingly modern looking designs are created by engraving geometric patterns on silver and filling the recesses with a silver, copper, lead and sulphur alloy to create a contrasting pattern. The niello links on our chain have a poli...

Our substantial 18K Victorian buckle ring is hallmarked London for the year 1894 has two star set cushion cut diamonds set securely flush with the band. The clean and simple design of the ring makes it wearable for hand washing and most daily activities. Buckle rings were popular in the Victorian era. As it was the Queen's order, Victoria wore the symbol of the garter in the form of a buckle bracelet or buckle ring on her arm, as she obviously could not show the garter on her leg. The garter sym...

Our glass earrings, in the form of a Latin crosses, are made of Vauxhall glass, popular as jewelry in the 1860's and sold along the pleasure Gardens in Chelsea, where courting couples strolled on summer evenings. Made by skilled artisans who were employed by the Vauxhall Glass Company in an effort to make use of the leftover glass shards from the mirror glass they produced, the jewelry was much loved for the skillful carving of the glass into unique and creative forms. Crosses, animal, and insec...

Wonderful silver cuff depicting a classical arch design including rose gold flowers and yellow gold arches with etched tendrils growing in between. There is a Vaughton's Patent trademark inscription on the inside. Vaughton's was an English manufacturer in Birmingham, still in existence, which made silver jewelry to appeal to all classes of society, including the "working" girl. The small silver balls gracing the bottom and the larger ball placed atop where each arch meets are a nice touch. Brac...

We adore this c 1880 Shakudo ring featuring a We adore this c1880 Shakudo ring depicting a Japanese samurai warrior with two swords, dressed in traditional garb, writing his wishes on strips of paper that he will hang from bamboo branches, in Japanese tradition said to make wishes come true. Shakudo is an ancient Japanese art form which developed from the Samurai tradition of sword making. The metalwork used in the Shakudo technique consists of inlays of alloys of gold and copper on a dark cop...

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. Jet is particularly appealing as a material for crafting jewelry because the material is lightweight and can be carved and polished to a beautiful...

Our C1780 muff chain has an unusual link in the shape of bows. These hand forged bow links continue all around the chain. Georgian muff chains were worn by women who would attach a muff to the chain to conveniently keep their hands warm and the chain was designed to allow the muff to fall at just the right place. This is why original muff chains were always long (shorter chains were generally part of a larger muff chain that has been cut down to make 2 or 3 necklaces). Our chain has a round s...

Lovely carved bracelet of polished jet. Jet was a form of fossilized coal that was discovered in the town of Whitby, England in the late 18th century. This gave rise to a cottage industry that employed many in the town of Whitney in the 19th century, as jet formed the material for lightweight striking black jewelry forms which were perfect i to meet the unending demand for mourning jewelry during the Victorian era (owing to Queen Victoria's long extended period of mourning for hur late husband ...

This is a rare example of the remarkable talent behind the wonderful Austrian Bronze handmade, hand painted bronze miniature figurines which were made around the turn of the 20th century in foundries in Austria and Vienna. Austrian bronzes are individually cast from sand molds used only once, then sculpted and cold painted by hand with several coats of a special and secretive type of enamel paint, resulting in very detailed and life like miniature figures. Our spider, approximately 1 inch square...

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. Note in the photos the detail of the faceted box links as well as the additional twisted link. The chain looks terrific when paired with others and a...

Often confused with Whitby Jet, French Jet is polished glass with a more brilliant luster and flashier. Like Whitby Jet, it is truly antique, of the (Victorian) period, and no longer made, and therefore highly collectible. Like Whitby Jet, it was often used for mourning. This lightweight collar has a classic and unique look, looks terrific on and can be adjusted to different lengths about the neck, as it has a simple ribbon tie closure. There are scratches on the backs of a few of the fre...

Our early Victorian 15K turquoise and pearl baby ring may be collected in honor of a new baby, worn around the knuckle, or clipped to a split ring and worn around a favorite chain, with or without other baby rings. Our ring has a center turquoise flanked by a pearl on each side. The open gold band is handcrafted with gold whorls and scrolls which are punctuated with little gold balls. Additional gold balls are placed along the shank. The top and bottom gold bands are reeded, another exceptional...

Lightweight, hand forged 72 inch long 15k belcher long guard chain which can be doubled or tripled or quadrupled as a necklace. The belcher link is sometimes called a box link chain and is an interlocking square open link that remains popular to this day. Note that this is an original Victorian chain that has remained intact through the years and not chopped up into shorter chains. It has a threaded dog clip that is easily unscrewed to attach a pendant or two of your choice. We have doubled the ...

This is a good example of the remarkable talent behind the wonderful Austrian Bronze handmade, hand painted bronze miniature figurines which were made around the turn of the 20th century in foundries in Austria and Vienna. Austrian bronzes are individually cast from sand molds used only once, then sculpted and cold painted by hand with several coats of a special and secretive type of enamel paint, resulting in very detailed and life like miniature figures. Our pair of dachshunds, both with red c...