Large Peking glass brooch c1940
Price: £55
This is a very dramatic brooch that features a very intricate copper setting set with a very large Peking glass stone. The setting has a blackened effect that is somehow Victorian and modern at the same time. Another find for vintage collectors.
Strand of large Peking glass beads c1920
Price: £25
This is a striking string of beads that are Peking glass. Peking glass was created as a more economical alternative to jade and is a favorite stone for beads and and costume jewellery from the 1920s. With barrel clasp.
Egyptian Revival Czech statement necklace set with real beetles c1920
Price: £150
This is an unbelievably rare example of early Czech costume jewellery. It is set with real beetles and faux lapis glass cabochons and beads. There is even a beetle on the central drop. Between the beetles are Egyptian icons, enamel flies and gilt leaves set on a cartouche design plaque.
Danish silver brooch, Niels Erik From, marked, c1960
Price: £45
This is a wonderful quality silver brooch made by Danish silversmiths Niels Erik From. It is in a characteristic Danish wreath design typical of the modernist designs developed by the firm in the 1970s. Established in 1931, the company took its name from its founder Niels Erik From (1908-1982) and initially concentrated on pieces in the style of the Danish Arts and crafts movement, later adapting to the changing fashions of the time. Niels Erik From's son joined with his father in the 1960s and continued the success of the business, running it himself for a few years after his Father's death but finally closing down in the late 1980s. The firm's designs remain highly collectible and this brooch is an excellent example of their later work. It marked ' Sterling' 'Denmark' 'N.E.From' '925 S'.
Stunning opera length string of rock crystal beads
Price: £35
This is a very long strand of approximately 95 graduating facetted rock crystal beads that have been recently restrung using pink cord. This necklace is difficult to date but judging form the type of beads it is most likely early 20th century or could be Victorian.
Large Victorian turquoise Pendant, Indian c1900
Price: £95
This is massive piece of turquoise mounted as a pendant; the elaborate setting is in white metal with paste stones to the border. It was made in India for the European market. It is lovely as a pendant but is also an amazing single stone which could be remounted to suit.
Victorian large 9ct gold brooch set with amber c1900
Price: £200
This is a very rare brooch comprising a very large oval piece of egg yolk amber with inclusions that show fossilised organisms. This is set in a typical Victorian 9ct gold setting. It is unmarked.
Egyptian cuff bracelet c1970
Price: £65
This is a very detailed Egyptian silver cuff bracelet that depicts many of the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbols such as the Anke, Scarab, Cartouche and Pyramid. These symbols are raised with the background being oxidized. It is unmarked, although Egyptian hallmarks can be very small and well hidden. It tests as silver.
Pair of silver fobs adapted as earrings, Birmingham 1904 & 1905
Price: £75
This is a wonderful way to upcycle two watchain fobs. These fobs were earned by the same person for ;perfect attendance by the Kent Education Commitee. Although they are undated the silver marks indicate the years 1904 and 1905. These have very fine quality siliver work. It bears the coat of arms for the KEC. These have been set on silver earring hooks.
Art Deco paste collar necklace by Schreiber & Hiller c1930
Price: £125
This is a quintessential Art Deco piece by Schreiber and Hiller. It is marked DGRM 1138525. This is a German patent number held by Schreiber and Hiller and pertains to the type of fluid link that has been designed to hold channel set stones. This patent was issued in September 1930. The company ceased to trade during WW2.
Early Taxco brooch with coral and turquoise c1950
Price: £450
This a very rare brooch set with amethyst, coral and turquoise stones. It is in a very recognisable Taxco design with the scrollwork and drops. It has a bale and can be worn as a pendant. It is marked Mexico 925 TJ-46.
Art Deco glass bead necklace
Price: £20
This is a simple and elegant necklace comprising clear and green glass beads
Taxco silver bangle with onyx and sodalite mosaic decoration, 1990s
Price: £75
This is a beautiful bangle comprising a very heavy and thick band of silver set with sodalite and onyx in an inlay mosaic design. It has a typical push closure and is marked 'TS-98' '925' 'Mexico'. The TS letters stand for the specific workshop in the Taxco region but here is no definitive list of the numbers attached, so an exact provenance is difficult to determine.
Green Chalcedony silver mounted brooch with marcasite stones, 1940s
Price: £45
This is a silver mounted brooch, the central oval green chalcedony or chrysoprase stone bordered with an elaborate rounded hexagonal frame, the stylised flowers with scrolling foliage and a milled border, all set with marcasite stones, a bar clasp to the reverse and an engraved mark ‘925’ for silver. Chrysoprase is a variety of chalcedony distinguished by its shades of green and has been used for jewellery since antiquity. Maracsite, a brittle, metallic, semi-precious stone is also often used in jewellery and sometimes known as ‘white iron pyrite’ or more colloquially ‘fool's gold’. Its use here, combined with the elaborate design of the mount, suggests a dating to the 1940s
Goldette NY Egyptian Revival Statement Necklace, 1970s
Price: £180
This is a very striking and heavy necklace with a very large central pendant with seven drops ending in glass beads. It is made from gilt metal by Goldette, a costume jewelry company that was founded in the 1950s and produced jewellery until the 1970s. Their mark appears on the reverse (see image 6). It is rare to find costume jewellery that is as robust and well made as the pieces Goldette produced and they stand out still today.
Etruscan style rock crystal and turquoise round brooch c1900
Price: £65
This is a very striking neck brooch comprising a very large facetted rock crystal stone drilled and set with a turquoise stone. It is unmarked silver. Probably Italian or Greek.
A Celtic or Pictish Brooch decorated with Horses, St Justin of Cornwall, circa 1980
Price: £10
A circular pewter Brooch, the decoration based on a Pictish horse engraving found on a stone in Inverurie. The three horses are shown embedded in a nest of classic Celtic lines and knots. This brooch was made by the firm St.Justin of Cornwall with Cornish Pewter. Their mark can be seen to the reverse.
Inverurie is a town in Scotland where Pictish carved stones are found in the graveyard dating from the 7th Century. The Picts were a tribe of peoples living in the East and North of Scotland. Little is known of their origins but they were called 'Picts' by the Romans because of their painted and tattooed bodies. The Inverurie horse is the inspiration for this brooch. The actual design of the three horses was created by George Bain (1881-1968) the Scottish artist and teacher, famous for chronicling Celtic Art.
St Justin of Cornwall is well known for the production of 'craft' pieces in a variety of forms and materials. This piece probably dates to the 1980s and certainly cannot be found in their current catalogue.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS FREE UK SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM. For international buyers the shipping cost will be reduced by the UK shipping cost, so don't worry if you are outside the UK, you still receive this benefit!
Zuni turquoise silver pendant Necklace, modern
Price: £35
This is a delicate necklace with a pendant designed in the Native American Zuni style of fine inlay. It has the silversmiths initials 'RK' on the reverse together with '925'. It is combined with a strong box chain that is not original to the pendant.
Unique 40 strand micro coral bead necklace, India 1910
Price: £150
This is a totally unique necklace comprising forty strands of perfectly worked coral beads to create a dense bib effect. It has a clasp that is a hammered Edward VII British India copper coin that dates from circa 1910. This necklace ends in woven panels.
Egyptian revival Tutankhamun head silver Cuff Bracelet, 1940s
Price: £75
The iconography here needs little introduction. This elegant silver cuff bracelet displays recurring portrait heads of Tutankhamun between two plain bands at each edge. The piece carries Egyptian silver hall marks which give some indication of its date. The central character, indicating silver, is a lotus flower apparently used from the 1940s. To the left of it can be seen a loop and two dots which is the date mark for 1942 to 1943 and to the right is a mark indicating the purity of the silver, possibly reading 800 thousandths. (see https://www.silvercollection.it /EGYPTSILVER HALLMARKS). This classic piece of Egyptian revival work from the 1940s is timeless and an elegant accessory for the 2020s!
Two American Polychrome Enamel Bracelets decorated with Kabuki Masks, 1980s
Price: £20
Two American polychrome enamel bracelets decorated with Kabuki masks on contrasting blue and red enamel grounds, each with spring loaded hinges, 1980s
Silver frog brooch with green chalcedony c1900
Price: £35
This is a very small and elegant silver brooch from the late Victorian period in the shape of a leaping frog. It is set with green chalcedony and marcasite stones and is unmarked.
Mexican silver floral brooch 1930s
Price: £40
This is a very large floral spray brooch in silver with a slightly abstract modernist design, marked Sterling. Hammering of silver sheets like this was a popular technique in Mexican silver and this is an excellent example.
Aesthetic Movement locket on chain c1880
Price: £125
This is an amazing locket that is a perfect example of the Aesthetic Movement in Britian. This was aligned with Arts and Crafts but the Aesthetic designs featured classical and Japanese designs that were considered more opulent and elegant than the over the top designs of the Victorian period. It was a response to the mass consumerism that was taking over Britian during this time. This locket is marked with full English marks. It is paired with a belcher chain of a similar age.
Two mounted Wedgwood blue jasperware Cameo Brooches, C19th, C20th
Price: £10
Two mounted Wedgwood blue jasperware Cameo Brooches with neo classical style figures, each of circular form typically decorated with a figure in raised white relief on a light blue ground, the first with a cherub and marked 'Wedgwood Made In England' to the reverse with the pattern number '65' and the second with a standing figure holding a club and possibly intended to depict Heracles and marked 'Wedgwood' to the reverse with a small cross. The mounting of the first is marked silver but the second is unmarked and may perhaps be white metal. The format of the mark on the 'cherub' brooch indicates a C20th dating probably in the first half, whereas the mark on the 'Heracles' brooch suggests a C19th dating which may explain the slight discolouration to the figure. The differing style of the mounts (milled edge/rope twist) may perhaps conform with this.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS FREE UK SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM. For international buyers the shipping cost will be reduced by the UK shipping cost, so don't worry if you are outside the UK, you still receive this benefit!
Art Nouveau Fairy earrings c1930
Price: £25
These are a pair of earrings comprising a pink paste stone with a suspended Mucha style fairy figure ending in a long faux pearl. These are post and butterfly earrings that are quite light and easy to wear.
Outstanding brown swirl Bakelite Necklace with faux cameo, French 1920s
Price: £45
This is a very rare necklace comprising matched brown swirl squared tubular Bakelite stations alternating with stations of facetted French jet glass beads all linked by white metal rings with a central oval shield shape studded openwork pendant mounted with a celluloid cameo of a neoclassical style helmeted warrior, possibly Paris, and with a diamond shape drop. This piece combines the angular simplicity of the Art Deco style, in particular the squared tubular bars, with classicising elements, most obviously the faux cameo portrait head. The juxtaposition is most unusual producing a striking decorative accessory.
Very finely carved soapstone pendant necklace
Price: £175
This is a wonderful necklace comprising a large carved soapstone plaque depicting the double fish, bat and heart symbols. These are symbols for good fortune, happy relationships and good luck. The are combined with jade and cherry amber beads which is a very striking combination. The is a silver clasp and the bale is brass.
Czech Egyptian Revival Necklace with glass mounts and drops, Edwardian circa 1910
Price: £150
A Czech Egyptian Revival Necklace, cast in brass with a typical design of a pharaoh’s head and two stylised beetles all on a plaque in the shape of a butterfly and inset with red and blue glass beads, three glass bead drops to the bottom and a single large blue glass oval bead at the top from which hangs a thin brass link chain with a small clasp. The style of decoration indicates that this piece belongs to the ‘first wave’ of Egyptian Revival pieces and dates to the Edwardian era.
Tigers Eye long necklace 1970s
Price: £25
This is a necklace comprising large round and octahedron shaped beads, with matching clasp
Long Art Deco necklace with spinach jade 1930s
Price: £100
This is a lovely necklace with a large carved piece of spinach jade with beads of jade, carnelian, amber and silver, ending in a Buddha figure. This necklace has been restrung using vintage elements.
Coral, amethyst and lapis earrings c1990
Price: £65
These are a striking pair of earrings that have a lot of detail. There are large cabachons of coral with pear shaped amethysts and small lapis cabochons. This is set in a leaves and foliage deisgn. They are marked 925. They appear to be Indian in origin. The coral is most likely colour enhanced to give it that vivid colour.
Taxco brooch with abalone shell c1950
Price: £20
This is a very striking brooch comprising a central abalone stone surrounded by leaves made of crushed lapis. It is marked on reverse Taxco with an illegible "eagle" mark. It also has bail so could be used as a pendant.
Egyptian Revival statement necklace c1920
Price: £85
This is quite an early example of Egyptian Revival pieces made available for the general public. It is a short necklace in a breast plate design with two hanging pendants with many of the standard Egyptian symbols and icons cast in brass and decorated with enamel painting. This would have been quite a modest item in its time, created for those who wanted a taste of the glamour of the Egyptian era.
Mexican silver bracelet set with turquoise plaques, c1990
Price: £75
This is a very striking hinge bangle bracelet set with turquoise (perhaps sodalite) plaques. It has an integrated clasp where you press down on the lower part to release. It is marked 'Mexico 925'.
Taxco bracelet with rivet details c1980
Price: £85
This is an outstanding bracelet that feature heavy stations of silver set with brass rivet decoration. It boasts a typical box clasp that is also set with this rivet detail. This motif is quite rare. It is marked TM-79 Mexico 925
Incredible Taxco collar necklace c1960
Price: £250
This is a very rare example of Taxco silver. it boasts 150 grams of silver that has been formed as a ribbon like collar ending in two modernist plaques with pebble formations. It is marked Sterling 925 Mexico
Victorian Scottish Agate and paste citrine brooch mounted as a necklace c1900
Price: £125
This is a constructed necklace comprising a very fine Scottish agate and paste citrine brooch that has been reset with a Victorian belcher chain. This is a great way to repurpose these brooches the we hope catches on as there are so many beautiful agate brooches that are neglected.
Vintage Islamic Faturan necklace
Price: £55
This is a very unusual necklace comprising faturan beads with white metal stations. Faturan is a mixture of materials that was developed to emulate amber, commonly used in prayer beads
Fleur de lis style brooch with glass pearls c1940
Price: £45
This is a strking brooch that is an example of the beginning of the statement costume jewellery. It is a classic fleur de is shape set with faux pears and paste stones. It is unmarked but is probably American. There are a few of the paste stones that have been replaced and the glass pearls have lost some of their lacquer coating as commonly happens.
Taxco bracelet with Aztec mask motif, 1940s
Price: £65
This is very unusual bracelet comprising stations of heavy silver masks connected with five silver rods. It is marked 'Made in Mexico' and 'Silver' and would have been made for export to the USA.
Vintage Indian silver pendant Necklace, 20th century
Price: £85
This is an assembled necklace with both elements probably of Indian workmanship. The circular slide pendant has elaborate concentric bands, chain, cord and beadwork within a repeating stamped roundel border and terminating in a ‘V’ device. The reverse is plain with the stamped mark ‘925’. Pieces with similar designs also have the word ‘INDIA’ which most likely indicates the provenance here. The herringbone chain which has been matched with the pendant is clearly marked ‘INDIA’ with other marks in addition, probably those of the maker. The two combine to produce a bold piece of statement jewellery with timeless appeal.
Danish silver floral brooch, Max Standager c1960
Price: £45
This is a large brooch in a typical modernist floral design by Max Standager, a silversmith who worked in Copenhagen from 1961 to 1985 and was well known for his organic form designs. It is marked 'Sterling' '925' 'Denmark M.S'.
Art Deco chalcedony brooch or pendant
Price: £65
This is a lovely and delicate brooch with bail for a pendant. It is set in silver that has a modern floral design is both polished and textured giving it a very fine and detailed look. The stone is a Scottish chalcedony stone. Marked 925
Catalin bead necklace with amulet c1950
Price: £55
This is a very unusual necklace comprising large dual-coloured grey beads. These are Catalin which is an early plastic. The beads have been Simichrome tested and are not Bakelite.
The beads are strung onto silk cord and end with a silvered metal amulet. This is most likely Turkish in origin.
American Art Deco silver and marcasite brooch
Price: £35
This is a very interesting brooch in an Art Deco architectural design. It comprises marcasite and paste stones set into silver. It is marked Sterling which indicates that it is American. A real find the vintage collector.
Large costume cameo brooch, marked W. Germany
Price: £15
This is a fun large oval brooch set with a very detailed glass cameo portrait with faux pearls, market W. Germany
Scottish amethyst specimen necklace c1950
Price: £35
This is a lovely and delicate necklace comprising five graduated stations of Scottish amethyst. The patterns within the stones are very common in Scottish stones and this necklace shows the beauty of the irregularity of the stones. Scottish amethyst is sourced from various localities in Scotland, such as the Isle of Mull, Dundee, Fife, and Dumfries & Galloway.
Show stopping suite of necklace and earrings c1960
Price: £85
This is a dramatic necklace comprising five strands of aurora borealis glass beads with the matching clip earrings. The beads are graduating and are facetted with gold tone spacer beads. The clasp is original in a matching design. The earrings are clusters of the same beads and the clips are quite sturdy.
Victorian style Bracelet in Mother of Pearl and Silver, modern
Price: £95
This is a beautiful bracelet that has been designed with the Victorian era in mind. It has 14 herringbone chains that join two hemispherical plaques that have floral motifs set with marcasite stones, one also with an attractive and large circular mother of pearl plaque. While retrospective in style, this piece is contemporary and most likely European, possibly made in France or Belgium. It is marked '925'.
Taxco Necklace and Bracelet set with obsidian stones c1960
Price: £150
This is a very elegant Taxco set of a necklace and matching bracelet both comprising silver stations in a leaf form set with obsidian stones. The necklace sits beautifully on the neckline and makes a real statement. Both pieces have a typical Taxco box clasp and are marked 'Mexico 950' 'TB-80' to indicate the silver quality and the maker.
Art Deco Scottish moss agate ring
Price: £35
This is a very striking ring that is mounted with a very unusual Scottish agate stone that has both red and green inclusions. Mounted in an architectural Art Deco setting. Marked 925
Jakob Bengel Machine Age necklace c1930
Price: £55
This a very collectable necklace by the jewellery manufacturer Jakob Bengel. It comprises five graduated triangular stations in galalith and chromed metal.
Jakob Bengel was a chain and costume jewelry factory, founded by Jakob Bengel in 1873 in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. Until 1920, the company specialized in the production of watch chains and chatelaines but in the 1920s and 1930s it became one of the leading manufacturers of fashion jewelry in the Art Deco style.
Pair of Victorian marcasite and silver earrings
Price: £25
This is a very striking pair of earrings comprising numerous small stones mounted in low grade silver, termed marcasite jewellery, Both pieces are marked for silver and the floral and leaf design is very typical of the Victorian era when pieces in this style enjoyed great popularity and were favoured even by the monarch herself. Marcasite Jewellery is actually made from pyrite ('fool's gold'), a much cheaper substitute for true diamonds!
Striking Art Deco jade necklace
Price: £150
This is a lovely necklace comprising an Art Deco jade disc pendant with dragon motif together with a necklace of jade beads, this necklace has been restrung and the pendant was not originally together with these beads but it looks great!
Stunning Victorian Scottish agate necklace
Price: £175
This is a beautiful necklace comprising graduating Scottish agate beads with a banded agate heart pendant
Victorian petite ring with coral stones c1900
Price: £45
This a lovely petite ring typically delicately formed in silver set with five dark orange coral stones. It is unmarked and dates to the late Victorian period.
Large Islamic silver necklace with heart shaped box c1920
Price: £85
This is a very large statement necklace comprising a detailed pendant that is a tubular piece set with malachites stones with handing drops. There is a very large hard shaped pendant attached that is a box with a red fabric interior. This may have some religious signficance such as a prayer box. This is set with beautiful agate stone that is also heart shaped. The pandant has filigree work on both the pieces of the pendant. It comes with its original herringbone style chain. This does not appear to be silver like the pendant. The pendant is 800 silver so a slightly lower grade fo 925 or sterling silver.
Silver rose ring, 20th century
Price: £35
This is a very elegant ring that comprises very detailed depictions of a rose with foliage. There also seems to be two little daggers on the edges. Not sure what those are for, maybe they are a type of flower that looks dagger like.. :) Marked 925
Silver Brooch in the form of a Butterfly, Taxco 1940s
Price: £65
A silver Brooch in the form of a Butterfly with modelled wings set with beads in metal and turquoise, the slender body terminating in two antennae. Marked Made in Mexico, Sterling with the maker's mark AE in a heart shape. There is also an Eagle mark which indicates the Taxco workshop but this is difficult to identify.
Taxco Mayan Sundial earrings, c1980
Price: £25
This is a lovely and delicate pair of stud earrings that depict a Mayan sundial, They are marked Mexico 925.
Druzy Quartz and Onyx panel Bracelet, c1940
Price: £125
This is a very unusual and large bracelet comprising stations of black onyx together with fine druzy quartz. The panels are graduated with an integrated clasp. It is unmarked but probably of Scottish origin.
Victorian Whitby Jet mourning necklace with portrait plaque
Price: £125
Victorian Whitby Jet mourning necklace with portrait plaque.
Art Deco large cuff bracelet
Price: £75
This is a wonderful cuff bracelet comprising silver and coral, probably from Morocco.
Taxco torque statement necklace and bracelet, Daniela, 1980s
Price: £250
This is a fabulous set of necklace and cuff bracelet comprising two pieces of silver formed in a wave shape. One side is polished silver and the other side is oxidized silver. It is then set with a polished silver sphere that adds to the modern space age design. It is signed "Taxco Daniela 950" and "TD-09 Mexico 950". Daniela is the designer and TD-09 would be the Taxco registration.
Floating Flower jade pendant on bead necklace
Price: £175
This is a beautiful constructed necklace comprising a large very detailed Floating Flower jade carving of a waterfall with mountains and trees. There is also a temple and a boat with two figures. The reverse also has a very detailed of a landscape. This is a wonderful example of Chinese carving. It is strung together with green and white jade beads ending in a silver gilt Chinese filigree clasp. The bale is 9K gold.
Chinoiserie necklace with peking glass plaques c1960
Price: £45
This a lovely necklace by an American company called "Exquisite". It has faux jade or Peking glass plaques and oriental motif gold tone stations. It is signed or marked Exquisite.
Victorian Silver Buckle set with Paste Stones, German circa 1900
Price: £85
This is a striking silver buckle of rectangular form with two bands of brilliant paste stones surrounding four stylised flower head paste stone clusters, the reverse plain and marked 900 which implies manufacture in Germany where the standard for silver was a minimum of 800 parts to 1000 with 900 parts to 1000 as one of the alternatives (as opposed to the more usually found 925). There is in addition a double mark with a star and a wheel which may well be the maker's mark, but this is hard to identify.
The sparkling stones and high quality mounting (there is a considerable weight of silver in this piece) would have made this buckle a notable addition to the Victorian ladies' wardrobe and it could equally well catch the eye today.
Liberty Dollar 1922 mounted as a pendant on necklace
Price: £35
This is a very interesting piece of ephemera that can be worn. It is a Liberty silver dollar encased in a filigree design. It has been "married" to a torque necklace so it really stands out at the neckline. You definitively won't see many of these around town! :)
Czech glass faux turquoise brooch c1930
Price: £65
This is a very rare brooch comprising a central faux turquoise glass stone surrounded by smaller beadwork set into white metal. This is a typical Czech glass design for makers such as the Neiger Brothers.
Stunning 1950s paste necklace
Price: £25
This is a beautiful necklace that features large emerald cut paste stones all around the necklace
Stunning Art Deco onyx and rock crystal necklace
Price: £250
This is a gorgeous necklace comprising large carved "pumpkin" shaped stones in onyx and rock crystal with spacing beads. The clasp is integrated into one of the onyx beads so it looks as beautiful from the back as it does from the front. This necklace has been constructed from the large beads which are from the Art Deco period c. 1930 with modern spacer beads which are rock crystal and black tourmaline. The necklace has been restrung using modern techniques.
String of natural angel skin coral beads c1970
Price: £95
This is a lovely string of beads that suit any occassion. They are angel skin coral which comes from mainly Japan and Taiwan. They are all the same size and are strung with a classic gold filled clasp.
Taxco charm bracelet, makers mark Castelan, 1950s
Price: £85
This is a fun bracelet comprising a heavy curb chain mounted with charms that have a Mexican motif. It bears the marks 'Castelan' , Eagle mark 15, '925' 'Sterling'.
Zuni Cuff Bracelet set with Kingman Turquoise, marked, New Mexico 1970s
Price: £550
This is a heavy silver cuff bracelet comprising a large oval Kingman turquoise stone set into a typical Zuni design featuring clean lines and millegrain work. The Zuni Tribe, located 34 miles south of Gallup, New Mexico, is an extensive community with over 10,000 members and renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship and artistry, particularly in the realm of jewellery manufacture. Many of their pieces employ the use of turquoise and the colouration and features of the stone here indicate a provenance from the Kingman mine in North West Arizona. This exceptional piece has the stamped maker's mark 'CIRCLE J.W.' 'STERLING', possibly for Jack Whittaker, an artist known for other pieces in a similar style, and is a prime example of Zuni work, highly fashionable at the time of manufacture in the 1970s and highly desirable today.
Lovely large brooch by Thomas L Mott c1940
Price: £25
This is a large brooch with a very detailed enameled plaque depicting a Louis XV style scene of lovers in a landscape. It is signed on reverse TLM for Thomas L Mott Company, famous for their range of charm brooches made from the 1920s to the 1940s.
Chinese agate carving with onyx beads, 20th century
Price: £35
This necklace is a lovely design with a large carved banded agate carving. It is paired with onyx beads and agate beads. It is elegant and undestated due to the monochrome palette but definitely makes a statement.
Jade roundel bead necklace
Price: £15
This is a simple necklace comprising natural jade roundel beads. Understated and elegant.
Rare large ruby red Bakelite buckle, American 1930s
Price: £75
This is a very unusual and large buckle made from ruby red Bakelite, shaped in a semi abstract form with a large rectangular central plaque between two similar smaller plaques each with a stylised openwork foliate device at the ends, the plaques with deeply cut wavy line designs, the reverse plain with metal bar attachment fittings and a curved edge clasp all attached with screws. There are no real parallels for this piece which almost seems like a reinterpretation of ancient Chinese lacquer wares but the angular and abstract design is very much from the Art Deco era.
Striking Bakelite buckle in the shape of an airplane, American 1930s
Price: £45
This is an incredible buckle in ivory white Bakelite in the shape of an airplane that spreads open at the wings, with impressed carved circle decoration on the wings and tail and metal fitments to the reverse for securing the belt and fastening the buckle. The airplane is one of the classic decorative objects of the Art Deco period, featuring prominently both in the round, often as a desk ornament, and in graphic design. But buckles in the form are unusual and we are fortunate to be able to include two examples in this auction!
Cold painted brass necklace 1920s
Price: £50
This is a lovely and delicate necklace comprising stations of autumn maple leaves that cold painting in green and red to represent the change of the seasons. It has a bead chain and a hook clasp. Cold painting on metal refers to an enamel paint being applied to the cold metai i.e. not fired. The metal is gilt brass.
Victorian Silver Mounted Banded Agate Brooch, late C19th
Price: £100
An oval brooch formed from banded agate, the brown surface with amber and mustard colour striations, mounted in silver with a bar clasp to the reverse, the rounded border with four engraved collar devices. Found in a wide variety of locations, agate, a form of chalcedony with a wide variety of banding effects, has been used for jewellery from the earliest of times and was extremely popular in the late nineteenth century. The source here is probably Scotland which may imply that the mount is Scottish too, which would certainly not be inconsistent with its style but there is no firm proof of this.
Native American Zuni inlay bracelet c1980
Price: £300
This is an incredible bracelet comprising stations of onyx, mother of pearl, turquoise and coral set in the form of a wishbone, a design that is favoured by the Zuni silversmiths of New Mexico who excel at this type of inlay work. It is signed 'PD' 'Sterling Handmade' and dates to the late twentieth century. 'PD' stands for palladium which implies silver with palladium or silver coated with palladium which was used as lower cost alternative to platinum or rhodium plating.
Butler and Wilson Skull Necklace, boxed, modern
Price: £95
There is certainly a hint of the macabre in this ‘halloween’ necklace made by the well known British firm, Butler and Wilson. Founded by Nicky Butler and Simon Wilson in 1969 and initially trading from the once famous Antiquarius antiques market in Chelsea, the company is best-known for its crystal costume jewellery and their pieces have been worn by celebrities and even members of the Royal Family. The firm still trades today and their current range does include a number of skull design pieces but this necklace is around 15 years old. Silver metal and crystals are used to create five skull heads, the largest acting as a pendant with five skull drops. These are linked by a chain which terminates in a spring closure which has a circular medallion embossed with the firm’s name. The necklace comes with its original box which remains in excellent condition. Not perhaps to everyone’s taste but certainly a statement accessory!
Taxco suite of necklace and earrings, malachite and onyx stations, 1990s
Price: £250
This is a quite rare suite of necklace and earrings that come from the Taxco region of Mexico. Both comprise stations of malachite and onyx that go all the way around each piece. The stations are each individually hinged which gives these pieces a fluidity and quality that only comes from the Taxco workshops. Both have the typical box clasp and are marked 'TN-57' 'Mexico' '925'. The TN number indicates the workshop although there is no definitive list regarding the numbers attached and an exact provenance cannot be determined.
Operculum shell demi parure
Price: £50
This is a wonderful set set with operculum shells. A large statement necklace and earrings set in silver tone base metal. What is an operculum shell?
An operculum is a calcareous structure created by many sea snails that serves as a little “trapdoor” to safely close them inside their shell. When, say, the tide goes out, stranding a sea snail too far from the water, the gastropod can draw itself deep into its shell and pull the operculum closed behind it.
Art Deco Czech glass bracelet
Price: £35
This is a fantastic piece of Czech glass comprising stations of turquoise colour cabochons and faux pearls. All elements are intact and the clasp works well.
Edwardian Egyptian Revival necklace, inscribed and dated 1910
Price: £250
This is a wonderful necklace in the Egyptian Revival style comprising silver filigre stations mounted with large Cairngorm citrine stones that vary in size from 63 mm and 105 mm. It is inscribed "Hedydd from her godparents C A.M. J J.H-J E.H-J July 14th 1910"
Edwardian banded agate pinchbeck brooch c1910
Price: £45
This is an oval brooch with a large oval Scottish banded agate stone set in pinchbeck, which was the faux gold of the Edwardian period. The stone is the star of the show here.
Taxco butterfly brooch with abalone, makers mark EL 1960s
Price: £55
This is a large brooch in silver with inset abalone pieces, marked Heche en Mexico EL. It is not clear who the maker is. It could be Enrique Ledesma but he did not tend to sign his pieces EL.
Egyptian Revival statement necklace signed EBE c1930
Price: £110
This is a beautiful necklace comprising heavy brass elements and lapis glass beads. The central pendant has the Egyptian bird god Horus flanked by Tutankhamun on a serpent scroll work background. The pendant is set with lapis glass cabochons that match the beads. Most likely Czech glass elements assembled in France.
Taxco rose station necklace c1940
Price: £150
This is a beautiful necklace comprising stations of very finely modelled roses alternating with bar links that encircle the whole necklace and are joined with a hook clasp. It is marked 'B-27' (for the maker) and ' 925' and dates to the mid twentieth century.
Heavy brass and enamel collar necklace in the manner of Albert Gustav Bunge (1893 - 1967)
Price: £25
This is a very unusual and striking necklace comprising two pieces that make up as a collar with three heavy brass drops. Each drop has very unusual enamel work that is quite thick and has a piece of agate in the centre.
The style is very similar to the designs of Albert Gustav Bunge (1893 - 1967). He was a German metalworker and enamel artist best known for his elegantly crafted bracelets, plates, cups, book ends, and other household objects. Bunge combined utilitarian properties of design with decorative depictions of colourful, geometric shapes and stylized animals.
The piece is unmarked and therefore a firm attribution is not possible but the parallels are striking nevertheless.
Suite of Art Deco banded carnelian necklace and earrings c1920
Price: £95
This is a very unusual suite comprising matched beautiful Scottish banded agate beads. The earrings are very Art Deco with a long chain drop. Both have brass findings.
Taxco collar necklace set with obsidian, 1950s
Price: £95
This is a very striking necklace comprising stations of undulating heavy silver wave shaped links and obsidian round stations. It is marked 'Mexico' '925' and with a covered maker's mark where only a 'J' is visible. This may be Jorge Gomez or Justo Castillo since the work resembles their style.
Set of ring and earrings with obsidian mask motif, Mexico, 1950s
Price: £45
This is a very striking and recognizable motif of Aztec masks that feature often in Mexican design. These are carved obsidian set in silver. The earrings are screw back and marked 'Silver Mexico'. The ring is marked 'Sterling'.
Art Deco Catalin Bakelite necklace, American c1930
Price: £125
This is a fabulous necklace comprising very large mustard coloured catalin beads in tubular, ovoid and globular shapes. Catalin is a form of plastic that is comtemporary with Bakelite. They are very similar as they are both composed of phenol and formeldehyde. The main difference is that Catalin was poured a poured liquid and Bakelite was moulded from a granular powder. Catalin is a brand name developed and trademarked in 1927 by the American Catalin Corporation of New York City, when the patent on Bakelite expired that year. It was used in a variety of applications, including costume jewellery, until the end of the second world war when it became too expensive, as every piece had to be individually cast and polished. Catalin jewellery is often incorrectly referred to as bakelite but has a distinction all of its own and this necklace is prime example of the fashion designs produced in the 1930s.
Florentine style lapis and silver brooch c1900
Price: £35
This is a intricate brooch designed with scroll work and column details. It is Scottish due to the thistle design on the east west corners. This was always included in Scottish designs as it is the national flower.
