Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$1,250.00
$1,250.00
English Victorian buckle ring in 9K and a sterling silver buckle, c1890. The contrast of the two metals is sophisticated and smart looking. The 9K band has an interesting texture, perhaps imitating shagreen. Buckle imagery was used in the Victorian and Edwardian eras to symbolize fidelity and eternal love.Suitable for a man or woman. The ring is a size 11 3/4.
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$1,975.00
$1,975.00
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...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$1,500.00
$1,500.00
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. The hallmark "14" indicate this ring is likely German/Austrian, which used the 14 designation for karat, as opposed...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$875.00
$875.00
Antique hallmarked 1908, assayed in Birmingham, our 9K gold Victorian "message" ring, "Mizpah", symbolizes an iron tight bond between two people. The message comes from a bible quote in the Old Testament text, the book of Genesis, and reads "And Mizpah; for he said, the Lord watch between thee and me, when we are absent one from another". Mizpah is the Hebrew word for "Watchtower", a pillar of stones which symbolized the covenant between Jacob and Laban. Mizpah rings were often exchanged between...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$2,225.00
$2,225.00
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.
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
Antique 9K gold Victorian "message" ring, "Mizpah, symbolizing a bond between two people, comes from a bible quote in the book of Genesis, "The Lord watch between thee and me, when we are absent one from another". Mizpah is the Hebrew word for "Watchtower", a pillar of stones which symbolized the covenant between Jacob and Laban. Mizpah rings were often exchanged between two people in the hope of protecting the two during a period of separation, often by war.
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$3,900.00
$3,900.00
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.
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$800.00
$800.00
Delightful Victorian deep blue Vauxhall glass bug will be wonderful to wear for dress up or casual events. Vauxhall mirrored glass jewelry was made at the Vauxhall Glassworks in the outskirts of London, as a way of using their extra shards of mirror glass. It was sold to courting couples at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, and became immensely popular for its intense colors and the exceptional quality of the glass. During the Darwin period, any type of insect was popular, including bees, bugs, and...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$380.00
$380.00
Stickpins, also known as tie pins, have been collected since the 18th century when neckwear for men came into fashion. They were made in all manner of styles well into the 20th century, with no limits to the imagination as the pursuit of novelty came into full swing. The sun moon and stars motif represents the flow of time as our world cycles through from day to night. We love the ethereal beauty of this stick pin with its combination of tiny pearls and turquoise, which we think helps to bring a...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$1,400.00
$1,400.00
Wonderful 15ct double sided Victorian locket ready for your favorite photograph! This lovely chased gold locket can be worn in 2 ways, with the belt buckle motif on the one side, or the old cut diamond on the other. Both sides are beautifully chased. The buckle and buckle motif was popularized by Queen Victoria, and the belt and buckle motif represented the Order of the Garter. The Order features the garter, which is imbued with the symbol of protection, fidelity, and loyalty. Gold chain not inc...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$3,940.00
$3,940.00
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...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$1,450.00
$1,450.00
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. As the Victorians were never to leave a surface unfinished, note the pleasing vertical stripes ad...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$1,200.00
$1,200.00
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. The locket has 2 compartments from which to hold photos.
This niello technique derives...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$1,875.00
$1,875.00
Dainty Georgian pansy pin set with amethysts and citrines in 18K gold. Pansy pins were often given as a gift from a loved as the sound of the word pansy was similar to the French "pense", meaning "think, remember me". Time to continue the tradition.
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$1,500.00
$1,500.00
This antique 1/2 hoop diamond eternity band could be a wonderful addition to your ring stack. The hint of diamonds will enhance silver or gold ring by adding a bit of thickness without dominating the assortment of rings on your finger. We have it shown in photos with a gold band but it works as well with silver or platinum. The ring is a size 7.
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$6,200.00
$6,200.00
Poesy rings were popular in England and France during the 16th through the 17th centuries as lover's gifts. The quotations were often from courtship stories and are usually inscribed on the inner surface of the ring as is the case in this one. This ring amusingly reads "A virtuous Wife Preferreth Life". We imagine that in the 17th century, a woman was indeed better off being virtuous! We think this could make a more unusual and unique wedding band than a gold band. As all gold jewelry in England...
Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room
$460.00
$460.00
Sophisticated and smart double sided 18K French cufflinks with the "owl" hallmark. The cufflinks are marquis shaped with 4 X's, or "kisses". The construction of the cufflinks is extremely well thought out, as the "free" end of the cufflink toggles on a hinge so it can be pulled with ease through the back cuff. For the French cuff type of guy!