Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (314)

Lovely 18K stone coral ring with 8 small diamonds. Five stone rings were classic Victorian forms. Our ring has smooth polished cabachon coral stones and ten small perfect flat cut diamonds at each corner. During Victorian times and earlier, coral was believed to have mystical properties and to ward off illness. The rose pink color was the most sought after. The ring is a size 8 and can be sized.

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...

C.1860 18ct Pietra-Dura Flower Brooch Antique 18K Gold Pietra Dura Brooch, Italy C.1875. Oval shape brooch with fine pietra dura floral green, robins egg blue inlay colors,and white and gold flowers as accents. 18K surround gold mount with 8 gold X's soldered symmetrically around the gold border.

This amethyst ring is a striking example of gold-work decoration that became popular in the second decade of the 19th century. A type of filigree work known as "cannetile" and named for the gold embroideries of the Napoleonic years, cannetile work made the most of a small amount of gold and required highly skilled goldsmiths. The amethyst stone is particularly eye-catching. The combination of the cannetile work next to the amethyst makes this an extraordinary ring. The ring is a US size 6.

This is an original nineteenth century sterling watch chain with a round interlocking link. Close-up photos reveal the interlocking nature of the links. A great deal of ingenuity went into making chains, and there is nothing like an original long Victorian watch chain that retains its original length...

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.

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...

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.

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...

This attractive antique full length 18K watch chain has alternating carved ornamental solid gold by-pyramid link (what we call a "fancy" link) which connects to a pair of linked rings, which connects to simple solid gold by-pyramid link. The C1880 chain measures 59 inches long. It can be worn in various lengths, doubled or tripled, with a locket or pendant, or just as is, shown in the images below. A screwed in bolt clip allows you to add a pendant, if desired...

C1890 60 inch long original full length French watch chain features lovely handcrafted filigree elements with its traditional links and filigree circles within the links. The chain can be worn doubled or tripled and with a pendant attached. An 18K French chain is a must for every woman's jewelry wardrobe! The hallmarks consist of a French eagle head (18K), bigorne marks, and a goldsmith's mark. The hallmarks are located on the ring that attaches to the clasp. The chain weighs 50 grams.

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.

18K pendant of rock crystal with a reverse intaglio of the head of an adorable Pekingese, with an inscription on the reverse side, Ed. Van den Hove & Fils, Bruxelles, C. 1880. This pendant is stylistically characteristic of the work of the Pradier family, whose speciality was painting miniature works of domestic animals. These miniature works of art were widely popular in the United States as well as on the Continent. They are often erroneously referred to as Essex Crystals.

Our star stamped chain link bracelet is made up of two strands of 9 carat gold chains set parallel to each other and soldered together in at three places along the length of the bracelet, which gives it movement. The bracelet has small round links each of which are stamped with little stars. The back of the bracelet is identical to the front, also stamped with stars on each round link...

A good example of the remarkable talent behind the wonderful Austrian Bronze handmade, hand painted bronze miniature figurines. Austrian bronzes are individually cast from sand molds used only once, then sculpted and cold painted by hand with several coats of paint. This rare painted butterfly is approximately 1 inch long and 1 1/4 inches wide. A perfect collection for the entomologist or botany professor in your life...

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.

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 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...