Catalog (2141)

A delightful Chinese antique carved agate pendant enhanced with its original knotted silk cord and Type A (untreated) green jadeite bead, finished with a 14K yellow gold bail. The carving represents a male elder seated atop a fish and holding a pair of plums over his shoulder. The carving makes nice use of the agate's natural coloring to represent the fish and fruit. In Chinese symbology, the fish is a sign of wealth and abundance, and the plum is a sign for longevity. The jadeite bead is semi-translucent, with moderate mottling and medium grain. This pendant was salvaged from ca 1900 Chinese necklace that was far too worn to repair. In both the original necklace and in this pendant, the carving is designed to hang upside down so that it appears right-side-up when the wearer holds the pendant and raises it up in her own hand.

Origin: China, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, very light wear along edges consistent with age. Dimensions: 7/8" wide; 1-11/16" long from top of bail.

NOTE: Other pieces created from the original antique necklace include Items #1344595, 1350547, and 1350538.

An elegant pair of earrings featuring Type A (untreated) green jadeite beads and 14K yellow gold beads taken from an ornate antique Chinese necklace (ca. 1900) that was far too worn to salvage. The jadeite beads are semi-translucent, with even coloring and moderately-fine texture. The gold beads have applied vermicelli decoration. The earrings are finished with 14K yellow gold posts and clutches. Other elements taken from the same antique necklace can be seen in Items #1350538,

Origin: China, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: beads, 6.2mm diameter; overall length, 1-3/16".

NOTE: Other pieces created from the original antique necklace include Items #1350538, #1344595, and 1350553.

A wonderful 18K yellow gold cocktail ring featuring a "forma livre" (free-form) green tourmaline by the famed mid-century Brazilian designer Haroldo Burle Marx. Burle Marx invented the technique of carving and tumbling forma livre stones in 1948, and the style became his signature. The tourmaline has a deep green color with just a tiny hint of blue undertones, and is set in a florentined finished typical of Burle Marx's work. The interior of the shank is fully signed with Burle Marx's marks.

Burle Marx worked in his native Brazil, and his only international boutique was at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. He was chosen by the Brazilian government to create state gifts for Empress Nagako of Japan, Empress Farah Diba or Iran, Queen Margarethe of Denmark, and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi or India. In Hollywood circles, he was a favored jewelry of Merle Oberon and Natalie Wood.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1965. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: crown, 1-1/4" long x 11/16" wide x 1/2" deep; shank tapering to 1/8". Finger Size: 5 (the signature is placed in a way that the ring can be sized up). Weight: 16.5 gr. Approximate Gemstone Weight: 26.0 cts.

A lovely 18K yellow gold, diamond and ruby love pendant ("medille d'amour") with a rebus spelling out "Plus qu'hier, moins que demain" ("More than yesterday, less than tomorrow") a line from a love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of "Cyrano de Bergerac") in 1889. The word "plus" is symbolized by a plus sign set with rose cut diamonds and the word "moins" is symbolized by a minus sign set with rectangular cut synthetic rubies.

In 1907, the Lyonnais jewelry Alphonse Augis created a love token based on the poem. This example, signed by Augis, is of better than average quality, with intricate engraving on the background and a lovely engraved floral border. The oval shape is also less common the the usual circle. The use of rose cut diamonds, synthetic rubies and Augis' signature indicates that this is an earlier example. The smaller size is perfect as a pendant on a delicate chain or for wear on a charm bracelet. Fully marked with 18K gold marks, and Augis' maker's mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 1/2" x 7/8" (from top of bail).

An antique green jadeite Pi pendant suspended on a knotted silk cord embroidered with seed pearls and strung with a jadeite bead, finished with a contemporary 14K yellow gold bail. In traditional Chinese belief, the Pi (sometimes spelled "Bi") represents the heavenly deities and the central hole allows souls to access Heaven. The Pi has medium-light green color with moderate mottling, medium grain and medium translucency. The jade bead is darker color and is more opaque. The pendant was salvaged from a ca. 1900 antique necklace that was far too worn to be saved in its entirety. The jade is Type A (no treatment).

Origin: China, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent; no cracks or chips; the cord, pearls and bead are original. Dimensions: Pi diameter, 1"; overall length, 2-3/16" from top of bail.

NOTE: Other pieces created from the original antique necklace include Items #1350547, #1344595, and #1350553.

A delightfully whimsical late Victorian 18K yellow gold stick pin depicting a circus elephant balancing atop a pearl ball. The elephant is very nicely detailed. The pin stem is stamped with French 18K gold marks and with an illegible maker's mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: head, 13/32" x 7/16". Weight: 2.9 gr.

An elegant pair of Imperial Russian 14K yellow gold cufflinks, each of the round faces set with with a pair of cushion-cut blue sapphires and a pair of cabochon rubies. The stones are good quality, with intensely saturated color. Chains connect the fronts to torpedo backs. Each cufflink is stamped with the Russian marks for 14K (56 zolotniks) and for the assay-master Alexander Romanov, (St. Petersburg).

Origin: Russia, 1904-08. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: faces, 1/2" diameter. Weight: 4.0 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, .45 ct; ruby, .56 ct.

A pair of handsome 18K yellow gold cufflinks designed in an Art Nouveau interpretation of Gothic Revival. The heavy pierced front faces are reminiscent of the ornate carved stone bosses at the interesections of the ceiling ribs in a Gothic vaulted ceiling, while the back faces are pure Art Nouveau with whiplash curves. The pairing makes for a very attractive combination. The backs of the faces and the chains are stamped with French 18K marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: front faces, 5/8" x 5/8"; back faces, 1/4" x 7/8". Weight: 9.3 gr.

A vintage 18K yellow and white gold ring set with a .33 ct round brilliant cut diamond by Cartier. The colored gold is worked in a geometric design around the diamond. The diamond is graded G color, VS2 clarity. The ring has a substantial presence due to the width of the band. The interior is signed "Cartier", is marked "750", is dated "1989" and has the serial number "278QO.25".

Origin: America, 1989. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 1/2" wide at front, tapering to 3/8" at back. Finger Size: 5-1/2. Weight: 11.1 gr. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .33 ct.

A delightful German Christmas candy container in the shape of a peach. The container is made from composition then painted and finished with a coat of wax to add a realistic soft sheen. The interior of the pull-out base is marked "Germany." Origin: Germany, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 2.25" x 2.25" x 2.25.".

A delightful German Christmas candy container in the shape of an apple. The container is made from composition then painted and finished with a coat of wax to add a realistic soft sheen. A wick is used for the apple's stem. The interior of the pull-out base is marked "Germany."

Origin: Germany, ca. 1910. Condition: very good; a small amount of crackling to the wax only near the blossom end of the apple. Dimensions: 2.25" x 2.25" x 2.25.".

A delightful German Christmas candy container in the shape of a lemon. The container is made from composition then painted and finished with a coat of wax to add a realistic soft sheen. The interior of the pull-out base is marked "Germany."

Origin: Germany, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 3.25" x 2.25" x 2.25.".

A handsome pair of Art Deco 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the faces set with oval cabochons of pale greenish-blue tourmaline. The stones' color, resembling aquamarine, is most unusual for tourmaline. The backs are marked "14K."

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: faces, 3/4" x 5/8". Weight: 12.5 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 6.8 cts.

A fine pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks featuring plaques of lapis lazulie framed in pierced Greek key borders. The lapis has very attractive violetish-blue coloring with a nice smattering of glittery pyrite. The connectors are marked "14K" and "585".

Origin: America, ca. 1980. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 7/8" x 7/8". Weight: 16.9 gr.

A magnificent 18K gold, sapphire, emerald and ruby dome ring by David Webb. The textured gold is accented with rows of ropework bands punctuated with collet-set cabochon gemstones. The rich, intense colors of the stones beautifully accent the intricate gold. The extra-wide shank keeps this heavy statement ring from turning on the finger. The interior is signed "Webb 18K."

Origin: America, ca. 1970. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 15/16" wide, tapering to 5/8" at the back. Finger Size: 8. Weight: 31.5 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: emerald, 1.18 cts; sapphire, 1.89 cts; ruby, 2.15 cts.

An exceptional and extremely rare 14K yellow gold and green tourmaline ring by Edward Everett Oakes. The shank is fashioned as serrated leaves that gradually open to enclose a prong-set round brilliant-cut green tourmaline at the crown. The tourmaline is graded as medium dark, strong, lightly yellowish Green (slyG 6/6); excellent cut; and Type I eye-clean clarity.

Edward Everett Oakes (1891-1960) was perhaps the foremost Arts & Crafts jeweler in America. He was a member (and medallist) of the Boston Arts & Crafts Society, and became the first living artist to have a work acquired for the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He trained with Frank Gardner Hale and worked for three years with Josephine Hartwell Shaw, before opening his own studio in 1917. Oakes' work shows a certain similarity to both Hale and Shaw, but Oakes' mature style is noticeably original. Most of his pieces are unsigned, but can be identified based on their unique decorative motifs and construction techniques.

Oakes regularly visited Camp Deephaven and Camp Rockywold on Squam Lake in New Hampshire. The original owner of this ring purchased it directly from Oakes during one of her 68 consecutive annual summer stays at the camps. The purchaser will be supplied with a copy of a letter from the original owner's niece describing her aunt's purchases.

Origin: America, ca. 1930. Condition: excellent, has been sized. Size: 9/16" wide at crown. Finger Size: 6. Weight: 6.5 gr Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 2.54 cts.

An exceptional Boucheron cocktail ring set with nine round brilliant diamonds and thirteen round emeralds. The diamonds are graded as E/VVS1 and the emeralds have intensely saturated medium-dark green color and very good clarity. The emeralds are characteristic of stones from Colombia. The glamorous marquise shape is generously sized, covering the entire first portion of the finger. The stones are clustered tightly together so almost no gold shows from the top, and layered so the crown rises more than a half-inch from the surface of the finger. The interior of the shank is signed "Boucheron Paris", "Or 750", "51469". The exterior is stamped with the French guarantee mark and the master goldsmith's mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: crown, 1-3/16" x 3/4". Finger Size: 6-1/2. Weight: 9.0 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, 2.75 cts; emerald, 3.75 cts. Boucheron's exceptional diamond and emerald cocktail ring set in 18K yellow gold packs a punch of color and glitter. The glamorous marquise shape covers the entire first joint of the finger with shimmering gemstones. The stones are layered tightly together so almost no gold shows through and layered so that the crown of the ring stands more than a half-inch off the finger. The nine round brilliant cut diamonds have E color and VVS1 clarity, and the twelve emeralds have intensely saturated color xcellent cut and clarity. The ring

A perfect way to wear a little of the Gilded Age right on your own hand! The lovely navette shape is slimming on the finger and can even be worn on the middle or index finger. The ring has a delicate appearance but enough length to make a statement. The warm glow of medium-toned center ruby contrasts beautifully with the sparkle of the four diamonds (I/SI2) surrounding it. The yelow gold shake is set with a four additional rubies flanking the navette. The interior of the shank is marked "14K."

Origin: America, ca. 1915. Condition: excellent. Finger Size: 5-1/4 (easily sized up or down several notches). Dimensions: 3/4" long. Weight: 4.2 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .20 ct; ruby, .40 ct.