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. There is an unreadable signature scratched into the reverse of the cameo.
The goddess of agriculture, Demeter was perhaps the most important as she made everything grow and ripe...
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
c. 1780. Saucer: 4 3/4" diameter. Cup: 3"diameter x 1 3/4" Height. Condition: excellent
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. The pointed oval suggests that this ring was styled in the manner of the gothic revival.
The gold band is unus...
c.1810, 11" x 7 1/2". Condition: excellent
Mason's popular pattern in a hard to find soup plate, 9 1/4" diameter. Condition: excellent
Unusual 15K gold memorial ring depicting an urn in hair paint, surrounded by alternating rose diamonds and amethysts. The enameled band reads "John Jenkins died 20 Feb 1780". The back of the ring is engraved "In loving one sincerely there is great merit".
Condition: excellent
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.
This spectacular mourning band is of black enamel with accents of white enamel and bordered in gold accents. With its breathtaking miniature painting of a young girl, this ring is a fine example of the neoclassical influences of the Georgian period on mourning jewelry. The heavy graphic representations of death so prevalent before this time no longer suited the lightness of the Georgian era. The urns painted in gold over white enamel, the garland or wreath surround, are all examples of the neocl...
c. 1800. Cup: 3 1/2" diameter x 2 1/4"Height. Saucer: 5 1/2" diameter. Color over Adam Buck style bat prints. Condition: excellent
c. 1820. Cup: 3 1/4" diameter x 2 1/4"Height. Saucer: 5 1/2" diameter. Color over Adam Buck style bat prints. Condition: excellent
c. 1810. 6 1/4" x 8". Condition: excellent
c. 1800. Cup: 3 1/4" diameter x 2 7/8" height. Saucer: 5 1/4" diameter. Condition: excellent
Early 19th century Berlin Iron bracelets with a floral motif and cameo clasps of Psyche and Cupid. Berlin Iron jewelry is highly prized for is 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. The bracelets measure 6 5/8" long and 2" at th...
c. 1820, 6 1/4" H. Condition: excellent
c. 1810. 3 1/2" W x 6 1/2" L x 5" H. With two very small chips. Condition: excellent
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.
This sterling pin cushion in the form of a swan, is hallmarked Chester, 1911.
Condition: excellent Height: 1.5 inches Width: 2 inches
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. The crafting of pique jewelry was a true art form, and the t...
8K eighteenth-century portrait ring under crystal of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. Miniature portraits were painted on vellum or ivory and given as tokens of love to husbands and wives or parents and children. Portrait rings with diamond bezels, such as ours, reflect the importance of the subject. The paintings would be commissioned to the leading miniature portrait artists of the day. Sarah Churchill had a close friendship with Queen Anne of England. This ring was likely a love token...
Amazing "Queen Anne" amethyst paste earrings set in gilt metal. This style of jewelry has been historically misnamed for Queen Anne, who reigned from 1695 to 1714, as so called Queen Anne jewelry dates to 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. There is a matching necklace sold separately.
Silesian wire jewelry is what is known as Historic jewelry. The craft originated with gunsmiths and armor workers in the medieval town of Gleiwitz, Silesia, (formerly Poland, and now part of Germany and Poland), in the late 1700's. After the business of creating ornamentation for armor was no longer, the artisams found others forms for their craft; mirror frames, purses and other ornamentation where iron was used instead of precious metal. Jewelry making soon followed the making of objects out o...
This sterling rattle depicting Little Boy Blue is hallmarked Birmingham, 1924.
Condition: excellent
In this stunning suite of necklace and earrings, almandine garnets set in gilt metal are fashioned into a striking pair of earrings and choker with drop, which can be removed. The choker is tied on with a ribbon. Much of the jewelry of this period was set with pastes. These pieces are unusual in that gemstones were used. Though called "Queen Anne", jewelry of this type was actually made some 30 odd years after her reign.
Our poesy ring (spelled posy, posie, or posey) has the deep color of a 22carat ring along with a textured pattern and an interesting inscription "Seale up Secrets" that is both biblical and romantic in substance.
The term "seale up secrets" with its Gothic spelling of seale, refers to the biblical phrase "seal up". In the Bible, the phrase "seal up" is often used to refer to something being kept secure until a specific time. The phrase in essence means secrets (between the wearer and the giv...
A renaissance era poesy ring (spelled posy, posie, or posey), the outer ring of our posy has a chequerboard pattern with the darkly romantic inscription "Yours till death". The u in the letter Yours is written as a V because it is based off the Latin alphabet which used the letter V to represent both letters.
Posey rings were popular in France and England between the 1400's and 1700's and were often given as gifts between lovers. Religious messages and messages of love and fidelity were engr...
Retro set of graduated sterling balls mounted on a flexible wire that fits a small to medium sized wrist. A great bracelet to wear casually with others for a boho "wristwreck" look.
This Ridgeway porcelain shell shaped dessert dish is painted in beautiful colors, c. 1825.
Condition: excellent Height: 8 inches Width: 8 inches
This Georgian 18K gold, deeply colored amethyst and diamond ring is circa 1810. Size 8 1/2. Condition: excellent Height: 8.25 inches
Marquis shaped memorialized ring of plaited hair set in 18K yellow gold with the initials LC in gold. The underside of the ring is engraved B.L.C. ob Nov 10 1789 aet 37;. The ring is a size 5 1/2 and due to its small size it was likely worn by the wife of the deceased as a memento while he traveled. The ring measures 1 1/4 at its widest. A wonderful piece honoring love.
Georgian 18K gold memorial ring set under crystal with a curl of hair and adorned with four rose diamonds. The inscription reads "John Holman ob 28 Oct 1777 age 45.
This exquisite ring is a testament to the feelings of this man's loved ones. The ring is a size 8 and can be resized. It measures 5/8" wide by 3/4" high.
Antique marquise shaped 18K gold and chrysoberyl ring is an excellent example of Portuguese jewelry of the late 18th century. The Portuguese mined these gemstones from their colony in Brazil and created jewelry that was typically pave-set as seen here. The ring is size 10 and can be sized to fit.
Twin hearts, long a symbol of everlasting love, are set here with pearls, a symbol of purity and wisdom, surrounded by old European cut diamonds and crowned with a bow. The double hearts signify the couple ( "our hearts beat as one") while diamonds symbolize fidelity and everlasting commitment. This romantic Victorian ring is a superb example of an ageless motif. Ring size 6 (almost a 6.25) and can be sized to fit.
Porcelain hound head whistle made by Royal Worcester. This sweet faced dog may be worn as a pendant on a chain or just kept as a pet. The hound measures 1 3/8" wide by by 1 1/8" deep by 7/8" high.
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.
Similar brooches are featured in the jewelry book...
Our Victorian silver arrow brooch is handcrafted with a high degree of skill insuring the stone is perfectly and painstakingly carved to fit its mount. The warm colors of the Scottish agate and the matte finish all combine to make this a wonderful brooch.
The arrow was an important Victorian motif representing protection from danger; thus the arrow symbolized maintaining and protecting life. This 19th century brooch has an unusually modern look, without any distracting ornamentation to take ...