Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (314)

Bold pave set chrysoberyl ring in 18K gold. The stones came from Portuguese mines in Brazil. Fabulous jewelry was made from the various gemstones exported from these mines until the French invasion of Portugal in 1809. The ring is size 7 1/4 and can be sized up or down.

Fantastic 18th century black dot paste drop earrings set in silver with a bow motif. These elegant earrings are rare and desirable, wonderful to wear for evenings on the town. The earrings measure 3 1/4" long and approximately 1" at their widest.

Amazing "Queen Anne" amethyst paste necklace and earrings set in gilt metal. This style of jewelry has been historically misnamed for Queen Anne, who reigned from 1695 to 1714, as it was made in the mid 18th century. The vivid purple paste stones used are faceted as rose cuts. The earrings have back to front fittings and fit close to the earlobe. The necklace is fastened with a ribbon.

Dramatic 18K gold marquis shaped ring in royal blue and white enameling surrounded by pearls and centered with a pearl pansy. This distinctly English style of enameling on jewelry was invented in 1775 and became popular with royalty and is often seen on jewelry displaying royal crowns.

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

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

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.

Fanciful Victorian silver collar with a silver locket embellished with two-color gold. The necklace and locket are adorned with geometric arch motifs and engravings. The necklace measures 16 1/2" long and 3/4" wide and the locket measures 1 5/8" long and is hallmarked 1881.

Three inch long day-night earrings with a lovely rococo design that incorporates foliate and shell motifs set with Persian turquoise and enlivened by the two-color 15K gold. The earrings have a secure hook on the back of the drop part of the earring, not typically seen on Georgian day-night earrings. This enables enabling them to easily be separated and worn with just the tops (for day), or both top and bottom (at night). The mechanism attaching the two pieces can be viewed in the photos.

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.

Wonderful Victorian 18k gold fringe earrings that will swing and sway as you walk down the street or dance the night away. Beautiful cannetille bead work, the earrings measure 2" long from the top of the ear wire to the bottom ball of the longest fringe.

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

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.

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.

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".

Antique silver acorn earrings are wonderful and easy to wear. The acorn is a symbol of hope and was often used in heraldry. Earrings measure 1 5/8" long and 3/4" at their widest.

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.

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.

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.

Ashworth ironstone dinner plate in an imari pattern, known as the "Rose Pattern", c1865 priced at

Condition: excellent Height: 10 inches

We love this pale pink coral carving of a classical maiden with the depiction of a maenad (maenads were female followers of the God Bacchus, Roman mythological god of wine) carved in 14K along the ring's shoulder and on the coral head of the ring. The gold shoulder carvings add to the allure. Coral has the hardness of agate but can be carved to a level of fine detail and precision...

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...

Antique 19th century Berlin Iron necklace with a Berlin Iron heart and cross. Berlin Iron jewelry is highly prized for its intricate work and rarity. During the Napoleonic Wars wealthy Germans gave their precious jewels for the war effort and substituted them with iron jewelry. Some of the pieces were inscribed, "Gold gab ich fur Eisen"; meaning "I gave gold for iron". Today these pieces are as desirable as in the early 1800's...

A very modern looking Niello locket with a modern design on its face and back in black enamel and silver. This most unusual locket would look wonderful hanging from your silver chain. The locket has a Weiner Workstatte (English: Vienna Workshop) graphic style. It is likely this locket design was a Victorian predecessor to this most creative and short lived Austrian movement in the Fin de Siecle...

How rare it is to find an early soft paste porcelain platter of this size, 16" X 20". This platter in excellent condition is made by the "Bow" factory circa 1765

Condition: excellent Width: 16 inches, Length: 20 inches

Lovely early Victorian bow pin of white woven hair set with turquoise in 15K gold. Hair jewelry was primarily of a romantic or loving nature. Queen Victoria was given a brooch made from her mother's hair for her 16th birthday. This pin measures 1 3/4" wide by 1 3/4" high by 1/4" deep.

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.

Late renaissance memento mori skull ring. "Memento mori" jewelry translates to "remember thou must die", a reminder to all to live life fully, as death awaits. Memento mori rings were meant to encourage the practice of reflection on one's mortality. This is a very early ring with black enamel etching along the sides and back and a perfectly shaped skull in intaglio on the front. The ring is silver gilt with black enamel carving. Circa 1620. US size 8 1/2.

Georgian rose diamond cluster ring set in silver with an 18K gold embossed band. Rings of this period are very scarce and hard to find in such wonderful condition. This is a real collector's piece. The ring is size 6 and can be sized to fit.

This is an original 18th century Gouyn period porcelain Chelsea fob seal. This seal features Cupid, quiver slung over his shoulder, standing by an altar sacrificing a heart and reads, Je Vous L'offre, "I offer it (my heart) to you". These seals were given as love tokens by the wealthy and known as "toys". Charles Gouyn, a French jeweler , with Nicholas Sprimont a silversmith founded the Chelsea Factory in 1743...

This is an original 18th century Gouyn period porcelain Chelsea fob seal. These seals were given as love tokens by the wealthy and known as "toys". This particular seal features a nun with her gilded black cape holding a staff and reading from a book. The seal reads in red letters, "Amour Spirituel", ("Spiritual Love"). The black cape with gold edging is in particularly fine condition. Charles Gouyn, a French jeweler, with Nicholas Sprimont, a silversmith founded the Chelsea Factory in 1743...

This is an original 18th century Gouyn period porcelain Chelsea fob seal. These seals were given as love tokens by the wealthy and known as "toys". These seals were given as love tokens by the wealthy and known as "toys". This particular seal features Cupid holding a spy-glass to his right eye, his left hand on a globe a quiver slung behind him, concave bottom...

This is an original 18th century Gouyn period porcelain Chelsea fob seal. These seals were given as love tokens by the wealthy and known as "toys". This particular seal features a woman dancing and holding out her apron on either side. She has a low cut pink bodice and a skirt with a mini print pattern on the front and stripes on the back, and reads "Toujour gai", meaning "Always happy"...

C 1760 Rare Chelsea seal of a harlequin boy in black face mask with a metal ring at the top. The colors are magnificent. The seal evokes the Commedia dell'Arte, an early form of popular comedic masked theater originating in Italy and popular in Europe from the 16th to the 18th century. The harlequin alone is rare; a harlequin in blackface, rarer still...

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)...

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...

Rarely seen George III commemorative brooch with George III in profile at the center and decorated with a border of blue and green Vauxhall glass. This historical brooch was thought to have been made to celebrate George III's recovery from porphyria in 1789. The individual pieces of Vauxhall glass are positioned flat against the metal, as is appropriate to the genre. Other details relating to the construction of the brooch are also consistent with a genuine Georgian era brooch, such as the pin e...

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.

Georgian chased fob of 15K in the shape of a stirrup cup with a chased built in bale for hanging from your favorite pendant. The fob is filled with clear unadorned citrine. With the gold-work chased on every surface, this is a fob to behold. A nice hefty size, this Georgian fob is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite gold chain.

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. Family crest information sourced from Fairbanks' Guide (see photo of fortress d...

Fabulous Berlin iron ring decorated with symbols associated with faith (dove) love (heart) and loyalty (dog). The heart is surrounded by a leafy wreath and surmounted by the dog and the dove. The band has a floral motif, probably laurel leaves. The band has a floral motif. Berlin Iron jewelry was popular in the early 1800's. During the Napoleonic war German women gave their precious jewelry for the war effort and it was replaced with Berlin iron jewelry some with the inscription "Ich gab gelt fu...

Fabulous Berlin iron ring decorated what appears to be agricultural tools, including a scythe. The band has a floral motif. It is possible the ring was owned by a landowner farmer. Popular in the early 1800's, during the Napoleonic war German women gave their precious jewelry for the war effort and it was replaced with Berlin iron jewelry some with the inscription "Ich gab gelt für eisen", I gave gold for iron. The iron jewelry was made by the Royal Berlin Factory, which produced iron for i...

15K gold fede or love ring with two hands coming together to enclose a gold heart with a single rose-cut diamond embedded in a carved star at the center. The word "fede" means faith. The clasped hands motif has been used since Roman times. The ring is US size 8.25.

Regency Period, circa 1820 fob seal with a translucent image of an 18th century bearded man in a beret, perhaps robed. This swivel fob is 1 1/4 inches in width with a beauifully carved repousse jump ring that is just shy of 1 inch. This is really a two-fer- you get a beautiful swivel fob to hang as a pendant and the built in hand forged matching repousse jump ring allows you to hang it from your chain, along with additional pendants if you choose. The jump ring is attached to a 15K stationary ba...

This wonderful lava ring was sold in Naples to travelers on the Grand Tour as souvenir jewelry in the 1820’s to 40's after the discovery of the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum in the 18th century. Made by Pompeian stone cutters, each of the seven round heads of the ring is distinctly carved and is of a different hue as well as a different mythological figure and comes from a different organic material sourced from Vesuvius. The cameos represent the days of the week, The grey cameo represents ...

Exquisite Georgian rock crystal riviere set in silver with a 15k gold mount and an open back. Rock Crystal is transparent quartz often seen in fine antique jewelry. It is extremely hard and was thought to transmit positive energy and to have healing properties. This rare necklace is wonderful for evening wear. With its mass of crystals gems mounted perfectly next to its neighbor, with little to no metal clasps visible in between, this necklace creates a lovely composition on one's neck. The neck...

This romantic amethyst 18k necklace has a smooth and sultry snake chain that feels as good as it looks. The glittering large five amethysts fall symmetrically about the chain and always fall perfectly on the neck, with the central largest amethyst positioned exactly at the center. The clasp is hidden in the chain and remarkably easy to attach as it slides right in and holds firmly and securely. The necklace can easily be clasped by the wearer. Amethysts were very popular in Georgian times and be...

We love these royal blue mirror glass earrings which shine a brighter Bristol blue with the slightest head movement. the beveled hand carved edge is a lovely detail which was clearly time consuming for the maker. The plate glass factory at Vauxhall was known for its production of mirror glass, but in addition, the company employed skillful artisans to produce jewelry out of the remaining shards. Thus was created Vauxhall glass jewelry, much loved then and by collectors today. The earrings are 1 ...

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. Crosses, animal, and insec...

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. Watch chains of the nineteenth century served the function of allowing the watch to be retrieved from the pocket without losing grasp of the watch itself. If you favor chains that are fu...

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. The watch chain terminates in a barrel clasp, a nice feature as the clasp allows you to unhook the chain and wrap the chain around your neck several times to be worn as a collar, in addition to doubling o...

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. We have doubled the ...

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. The chain weighs 35 grams and feel...

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.