Wonderful site Cathy! Great Photos. - Lenore, Sun, 9 Jan 2005 10:24PM
1 Enameled Link Bracelet Austria, circa 1935
Blue, green and red enameled copper, carre-cut glass paste stones imitating jade and carnelian, rhinestones, length 6 3/4 inches, Signed Made in Austria.
2 Fahrner Deco necklace and bracelet, circa 1920s
Superb Fahrner set with rectangular faceted stones in blues and greens, marcasites, all set in sterling. Signed Germany Sterling and TF 935.
3 Trifari Deco bracelet in clear and ruby-toned rhinestones. Marked KTF and 4 8. Center motif is arced to fit your wrist and measures 1 1/2" wide. Articulated band is 1 1/4" wide. All rhinestones are bright and clear (despite my mediocre pictures...).
4 Side view of Trifari bracelet.
5 Wiener Werkstatte necklace (according to Ginger Moro). Made of the most incredibly tiny glass beads in this intricate pattern. Clasp is hidden behind the beaded "cap." Approximately 46" long when unclasped.
6 Deco bracelet--possibly German, sterling, enamel, marcasites, what are these green glass stones? Got some tiny hallmarks.
7 Fat Dukie in bakelite made by Brad Elfrink.
8 BIG bulldog--tongue moves back and forth.
9 Giant potmetal bulldog set with marcasites, glass eyes, moveable tongue and a reverse carved bone. He is almost 4 inches long. Probably from the 1920s-1930s.
10 Glorious bracelet over 2 inches wide with multi-colored glass cabs and painted enamel metal flowers. Very interesting pin clasp.
11 Back of bracelet.
12 Plique-à-jour bracelet in the form of stylized butterflies. Sterling, chrysoprase, onyx, enamel, marcasites. Butterfly wings are plique enamel in green, white and purple. This is a good example of plique-à-jour enamel shading within a cell.
Plique-à-jour is a type of enameling in which cells are filled with wet-packed enamel and then fired on mica or some other substance to which the enamel won't adhere. It differs from cloisonné enamel in that it doesn't have a metal backing, thus the fired enamel lets light shine through and creates a stained-glass effect.
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15 BIG BIRD. Fabulous deco-look fantasy bird clip, more than 3 inches long. Gold wash and sterling with pave rhinestones and enameled eye. This piece is in Harrice Miller's book 2nd edition pg 161.
16 THE Philadelphia bracelet. Superb Deco style, with fins. Apparently, the bracelet came in five colors -- this is the red one (duh...).
17 Front of the bracelet. Dimension at the widest part of the fins is 1 1/2" and at the base of the fins 1 1/4". Inside dimension at widest fin is 1 3/8" and inside width at the hinge is 15/16".
18 Opened at the hinge. Hinge is a hair under 3/4" x 11/16". Three push pin anchors on each side and the hinge has a pin. Note also that the hinge mechanism is shorter than the bracelet diameter and slightly inset from the edges.
19 Gorgeous, huge collar of gold-tone metal inset with rhinestones of many colors. One of my absolute favorites!
20 Buckle held up to the light -- the leaves are plique as well as the portions connecting the center area to the outside of the buckle.
21 THE most important group (necklace, bracelet, pin and two pair of earrings) in my collection. The necklace dates to 1960 and is a prototype created by Robert Clark for Haskell owner Morris Kinzler while Frank Hess was on vacation. The necklace was never put into production and was stored within Kinzler's private archives. I do not know when the bracelet, pin and button earrings were made, though the dangly bead earrings were made for me by Millie Petronzio. This is the same necklace in Cera on pg 127, attributed to Hess. If you have the Cera book, look at the longest bead festoon on the bottom right--you will notice that it is missing its filigree cap. When I purchased this necklace, I had Millie add the cap to it. The metal rings are totally covered with roses montees and the festoon dangles are red pate de verre beads. This is a wonderful example of Robert Clark's unique style and the start of a new era with the departure of des...
22 Serpent with turquoise stones Victorian c. 1845
Sir Hiss! Isn't he splendid?? A bangle bracelet in the form of a serpent (undying love to the Victorians).
Serpent bangle is entwined with its tail wrapping underneath and around in front of the head. It has hundreds of pave set natural turquoise cabochons set in silver and backed with a gold wash. There are a couple of replacement stones.
Finely detailed metalwork holds rose cut diamonds that decorate the serpent's head and surround the tear drop shaped turquoise stone in the center. Ruby cabochon stones are used for the eyes and are collet set in yellow gold.
There are no hallmarks. Serpent came in a Russian box.
23 Amuletic Stuart Crystal -- Lord's Prayer English Dated 1692
Stuart Crystal slide, dated 1692, with a ground of royal blue enamel, gold wire and plaited hair, overlaid with a miniature version of the Lord's Prayer, written by hand on a tiny disc of paper less than one centimeter in diameter, all set beneath a cabochon rock crystal.
This slide measures 3/4" x 3/4". There is some loss to the blue enamel and there is a 19th brooch fitting to the back with the original slide fittings removed.
24 Detail of the Lord's Prayer
Designed to demonstrate the astonishing skill of the calligrapher, the writing is barely decipherable without the aid of magnification.
Miniature writing samples of this type showed the characteristic 17th century interest in scientific experiment and technical virtuosity. Masters in the art trained for seven years to develop their calligraphy skills in miniature. Such pieces held more than curiosity value, as religious inscriptions were often held to protect the owner against misfortune.
A similar example, in a ring, is in Case 20, Religion and Ritual, in the Enlightenment Gallery of the British Museum. Evidently considered a remarkable piece early in its history, it was acquired by Sir Hans Sloane, whose collections became the foundation of the British Museum in 1753. It is the only example of this work in the museum.
[Text written by Michele Rowan, rowanandrowan.com]
25 Sterling and enamel necklace with tassles C. 1902-1903 Theodor Fahrner, designed by Georg Kleeman
A rare and amazing sterling silver chain necklace with tassles. The tops of the tassles are sterling in Art Nouveau designs with blue-green cell enamel. At the bottom of the tassles are silver pearls. In the chain are nine matrix opals.
The chain is 5 feet 6 inches and the tassles are 8.5 inches. The chain wraps around the neck several times with the decorative parts and tassels to the front.
Necklace is shown on page 111 of the Fahrner book.
26 Close-up of the tops of the tassels and some of the matrix opals.
27 Bottoms of the tassels showing the small silver pearls.
28 A couple of the matrix opals and close-up of the chain links.
29 Signature on the necklace. TF for Theodor Fahrner, and MBCo for Murrle Bennett and Co. The two firms worked quite closely together but this is the first piece I have seen with combined signatures.
30 French Deco parure of marcasites and black and cream-colored enamel set in rhodium. The center part of the bracelet is 2" x 2 1/2". Earrings each are set with an onyx cabachon.
31 Close-up of the necklace center section.
32 Bracelet, showing pierced metal center.
33 Earrings with central onyx stone.
34 Pools of Light parure
Rock crystal and onyx with elaborate sterling floral caging.
35 Close-up of the beads.
36 Necklace in Suffragette colors -- circa 1915, amethysts, peridots and pearls in 18K gold.
37 Art Nouveau sash buckle with wonderful tendrils and a carved ivory [or is it celluloid?] face of a woman.
Makers mark for Piel Frères.
To quote Vivienne Becker in Art Nouveau Jewellery, pg 226:
"Piel Frères, Paris jewelry firm (at 31 Rue Mesley) which caused a sensation at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900 with its fashionable but inexpensive 'art' jewels. The head of the firm was Alexandre Piel, who worked with the sculptor Gabriel Stalin as artistic director. In their jewels, sculpted ivory was replaced by the new plastic material, celluloid, while copper and silver replaced gold. Critics approved of these substitutes, since the aim was to present art at an affordable price. Piel Frères' jewels were often gilt or enamelled, which they accomplished successfully on the difficult media of copper and silver. The designs were excellent, and they are known particularly for their range of buckles, and for ...
38 Isn't she adorable?
39 Plique a jour enamel buckle French Art Nouveau c. 1890 Gold over silver, French maker's mark, French hallmark, in original leather box.
40 Berlin Iron necklace Siméon Pierre Devaranne Circa 1830s-1840s
Unique Berlin Iron necklace by designer Siméon Pierre Devaranne, who with Johann Conrad Geiss took cast iron jewelry to a new level starting in the late 1820s.
The necklace is made of delicate iron links, of which two are dolphins. The clasp is a Medusa head and the central drop has a woman's silhouette with a mica cover.
In Cast Iron from Central Europe, 1800-1850, by Elizabeth Schmuttermeier, several of the elements used in this necklace are pictured on page 109.
41 Central drop and dolphin links.
42 Look at this in full view. Silhouette of a woman facing to the left. I believe that the coating is mica and it shows signs of damage or wear.
43 The Medusa head clasp, slightly less than 1/2" across.
44 Enameled and engraved gold cuff bracelet Georgian C. 1810
18K bracelet shaped in the form of a a shirt or coat cuff with an elaborate enameled "ribbon" on the top. Entire bracelet is beautifully engraved with perfect enamel.
45 Another view of the cuff bracelet.
46 Georgian navette-shaped brooch dated 1787. Hand-painted sepia miniature on ivory of a woman mourning at the tomb with an angel hovering above. Accented with dissolved hair, inscribed on the tomb: M.S. OB 9 OCT 1787 AE 23. G. Selleron inscribed on reverse. 9-10K gold mounting with cobalt blue enamel surround.
Enamel bow watch pin was purchased separately but matches perfectly!
47 The most superb Victorian micro-mosaic I have ever seen of a water spaniel flushing a duck from the reeds. Set in a 18K gold frame, the pin is 2 1/2" by 2" (the black glass and mosaic section is 2" x 1 3/4". The tiles are curved in order to create the fluid lines in the dog's fur and the reeds. Perfect condition and it came in its original box.
48 Demantoid garnet and pearl pendant necklace with elaborate clasp in 15K gold. Came in original leather presentation box, marked Mallett, The Octagon, Bath. Circa 1890.
49 English -- Art Nouveau Circa 1900
Demantoid garnet and seed pearl necklace set in 18 ct gold. These are particularly fine demantoids, both large and a brilliant green color.
50 Victorian circa 1870-1880
Pavé-set small Persian turquoise cabochons were used extensively both in the 1840s and then, in the 1870s.
Superb turquoise necklace with motifs of hearts, flowers with pearl centers and birds (with ruby eyes), originally gilt over silver. Marked 800D.
51 Micromosaic of a spaniel and duck C. 1820-1830s
A superb micromosaic of a water spaniel flushing a duck from the reeds. Set in a 18K gold frame, the pin is 2 1/2" by 2" (the black glass and mosaic section is 2" x 1 3/4". The tiles are curved in order to create the fluid lines in the dog's fur and the reeds.
Perfect condition and it came in its original box.
52 Pink tourmaline and diamond gold bangle Circa 1890
4 carat bezel-set pink tourmaline bangle with fine gallery work accented with rose cut diamonds and triple split skate blade gold work.
53 Side view.
54 Foil-backed paste and Persian turquoise pansy necklace Georgian
55 Close up of the flowers.
56 Necklace clasp
57 French Egptian Revival demi-parure C. 1870s
Substantial 18K gold pendant and earrings incorporating many significant Egyptian motifs in fine gold work and detailed enamel. Carved hanging scarabs. All pieces marked with French hallmarks and E. Phillippe maker's marks.
58 Cross of the Portuguese Order of Christ 18th century
Silver set with foil-backed garnets and colorless crystals known in Portugal as minas-novas. According to Lewis, the Portuguese rarely, if ever, used paste. See M.D.S. Lewis, Antique Paste Jewellery plates 18 and 22. Bail is not original.
59 Back of cross.
60 Back of the necklace
61 Early 18th c gold chain with emeralds and rose diamonds. Married with a Spanish triple section cross set with emeralds and rose cut diamonds c 1770
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63 Back of cross. At one point, a small metal bar was added (see center of the cross), but it was removed by Sonja Webber.
64 Gold earrings with emeralds, beryl and diamonds Spanish C. 1770-1780
65 Micro mosaic (Vatican quality) depicting bird on chariot pulled by butterflies set in Etruscan Revival gold frame marked R.COLA. Circa early 1800s.
66 Memento Mori ring dated 1747
A superb mourning ring, enameled in white with symbols of mortality engraved on the 5 panels. The center is set with a faceted rock crystal enclosing an enameled skull.
The ring is inscribed on the inside: Fr Dickenson Arn.(?) ob. 13 Nov 1747 at 46 Maker's mark MC
67 The winged hourglass -- fleetness of life, mortality.
68 The coffin or pall -- mortality, mourning.
69 Pick and shovel -- gravedigger's tools -- death, mortality.
70 Skull and crossed bones -- Death, crucifixion.
71 Crown -- Glory of life after death.
72 Inscription: Fr Dickenson
73 Inscription: Dickenson Arn.(?)
74 Inscription: ob. 13 Nov 1747 at 46
75 Inscription: Maker's mark MC A friend looked up these initials in the Goldmsiths book and it appears to be a London maker, Matthew Cooper.
76 17th Century Slide - Mortality and Immortality
Incredible gold slide, circa 1640, enameled in black and white, the front with symbols of mortality and reverse with symbols of immortality. The front features symbols of death - a skull and crossbones. an hour glass [tempus fugit] the lamp of the last supper, double-twined Greek Phi symbols standing for th person's initials, PP, and a serpent-entwined staff [death and evil]. The slide measures 2.6 cm by 2 cm [1 and 1/8 inches by 3/4 of an inch]. For similar, see Joan Evans History Of Jewellery Plate 125 [also in the jewelery collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum]. There is some damage to enamel on both sides on this incredibly rare and finely executed memento mori slide.
77 To reverse are the initials 'MM' for 'memento mori' and symbols of immortality - a serpent forming a circle of eternity, a flower symbolizing immortality and lover's knots.
78 Deco amazonite, onyx, and marcasite, sterling pendant Theodor Fahrner Circa 1929
Large Deco pendant with elaborate sterling and marcasite chain. Unusual clasp. Stamped TF Sterling Germany. See pg 200 Fahrner book for a coral/onyx version.
79 Close-up of pendant.
80 Deco hematite, marcasite and sterling necklace Theodor Fahrner Circa 1930
Elaborate Deco necklace and sterling chain designed by Gustav Braendle Jr. Chain stamped TF 935 Sterling Germany. See pg 202 Fahrner book.
81 Close-up of pendant.
82 Carved moonstone and guilloché enamel pendant Circa 1915
An extraordinary platinum pendant with a carved moonstone face of the sun backed with red foil, set in guilloché enamel with enameled clouds, and with a diamond and platinum surround. Platinum chain with pearls.
83 Carved moonstone and guilloché enamel pendant Circa 1915
Close up of the pendant.
84 18th Century Rococo Flat-cut Garnet Necklace Circa 1760
Lovely flat-cut garnet necklace in the Rococo manner, circa 1760, of vibrant almandine garnets foiled cherry-red and set in silver closed- back settings. The necklace consists of foliate and floral cluster panels with a central stylized flowerburst. The necklace is 42 cm [16.5 inches] long and the flowerburst center measures 4 cm by 3.2 cm [ 1.5 inches by 1 and 1/4 inches]. In wonderful bright condition, except for a small chip to one garnet and three old patches to silver reverse.
85 18th Century Rococo Flat-cut Garnet Necklace
back of necklace
86 Eye miniature pendant set in Scottish agate sphere Georgian C. 1820s-1830s
Blue eye miniature painted on ivory set in gold and encased in a sphere of various colors of Scottish agate.
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91 Memento Mori enamel slide Circa late 1600s?
Beautifully enameled slide showing a skeleton lying in a casket. Leaning on the casket are two angels with a lamp centered between them. Slide is 1 1/8" by 7/8"
At some point it was damaged and the crack subsequently stabilized.
Each corner of the slide has a rose-cut diamond set in silver collets.
92 Slide turned on its side
93 Memento Mori enameled slide
Back of the slide, beautifully enameled in black, pink and white and with large initials in the center GVL?
The 4 sides of the slide are also enameled in this pattern, as were the slide "handles" which are quite dented and missing much of the enameling.
94 Memorial portrait of Queen Mary II 1662 - 1694
Queen Mary II co-ruled with her husband King William III (Prince William of Orange. She died of smallpox in 1694.
Pendant with portrait of Queen Mary, on left side against black field is a crown, the initials MR and a skull.
3/4" x 1/2" without bale.
95 Another view of the portrait.
96 Back of the pendant. Appears to be hammered gold, not wear.
97 Stuart Crystal slide bracelet Circa late 1600s
An historically important late 17th century piece of jewelry, a bracelet of Stuart crystal slides recording a family history of betrothals and deaths. The seven gold slides, by the same hand, are gold, decorated with various ciphers and devices under rock crystal, threaded onto black ribbon and set to a gold clasp with skull device. It is rare for a bracelet of this type to have survived intact - most slide bracelets have been separated over the course of centuries.
98 Stuart Crystal slide with 2 cupids holding a crown with an elaborate gold cipher, set on woven hair.
Cipher: HB HB
99 Stuart Crystal slide with a gilt cipher set on woven hair in two colors.
Cipher: TW TW
100 Stuart Crystal slide with gold thread ciphers set on woven hair in an intricate pattern.
Cipher: TB TB
101 Center slide on the bracelet -- 2 cupids holding a heart set on woven hair and surrounded by gold flowers.
102 Stuart Crystal slide with gold thread ciphers set on woven hair in two colors.
Cipher: WM
103 Stuart Crystal slide with elaborate gold thread ciphers set on woven hair and surrounded by blue enamel and gold-toothed inner fitting.
Cipher: HB HB
104 Stuart Crystal slide with an enameled skeleton holding an hourglass and arrow (?).
Cipher: RP
105 Stuart Crystal clasp with an enameled skull and looped gold thread surround. the back of the clasp is engraved with the initials LS.
106 Back of Stuart Crystal clasp.
107 Eye miniature, watercolor on ivory Georgian
A tiny fichu pin, circa 1800. gold, pearl surround, measures 2/3 of an inch by 2/3 of an inch in total. Watercolour miniature on ivory of a female eye with blue iris, wisps of brown curl to side. Original, lovely quality painting and immaculate.
108 Fabulous parure by Frank Hess. Motifs are seed beads in pale green, white and pale pink, offset by orange art glass stones and flowers of gold metal and deep aqua poured glass petals. Bracelet is quite simple, with a single clasp motif and then multiple strands of chains in 3 styles. Earrings are long chandelier style. Circa early-mid 1950s. Signed Haskell.
109 Collerette, c. 1950s, of baroque pearls woven together and tipped with faceted, oval pale yellow crystal stones and pate de verre flowers and beads. See Cera pg. 131. Signed Haskell.
110 3-strand baroque Niki pearl coil wire bracelet and earrings
Elaborate bracelet and earrings of baroque Niki pearls, gilt metal spacers, light yellow faceted crystal stones, yellow pressed-glass flowers, and green and yellow glass beads. No signature on the bracelet -- most likely had a hangtag.
Earrings have a central low-dome pearl button. Earring clip backs are signed Miriam Haskell.
111 Haskell necklace with tassles of red glass beads, gold spacers and gold caps with roses montees. Hung on a chain of smooth and striated links. Note that the large tassle to the right of center is missing its cap. This is exactly the same as the more elaborate red tassle necklace, indicating that this might be a purposeful design element. Signed Miriam Haskell on clasp. Design by Robert Clark.
112 Matching bracelet to red tassle necklace. Unsigned Haskell.
113 Parure of cobalt blue and bell-shaped emerald green glass beads, offset by poured glass "petals" of dark navy blue and green with gold findings manipulated into petal shapes. Inlaid petals were bought in Germany in 1971, dating the necklace to Larry Vrba. Signed Haskell. This set is the evening version of the prior, much simpler set.
114 Early Haskell parure, probably from the early 1940s. Necklace, 2 bracelets on elastic and a dress clip, all made with turquoise glass beads, some wired into balls, roses montees, and rhinestone-studded leaves and flowers. The bracelet on the right is from Miriam Haskell's private stash and is a much more elaborate version made for evening wear than the one on the left. Unsigned Haskell.
115 Fabulous festoon necklace from the 1940s with layers of small white beads in increasing sizes (probably Gripoix) and glass leaves. Necklace shows typical Haskell spring-ring clasp (without "thumb-thingy"). Unsigned Haskell.
116 Fabulous necklace, bracelet and pin c. 2nd half of 1930s. The necklace and bracelet are of pressed glass beads imitating quartz with deep and lighter-toned hot pink glass beads. The floral elements are pressed glss leaves (just like the lariat) with flowers made of concentric circles of faceted glass beads. Note the clasps on both the necklace and bracelet. The bracelet clasp is a slide that connects from top to bottom--unusual. The pin has similar leaves and floral elements but also pearls and a millefiori bead nestled in the back. See Cera pg 88 for a similar necklace. Unsigned Haskell.
117 Blue glass parure from the late 1930s, consisting of necklace, wrap bracelet, pin and earrings. Blue pate de verre beads and leaves set off by dimensional, cobalt blue floral beads and lighter blue glass petals. The necklace has a lovely silver metal floral slide clasp. Unsigned Haskell.
118 Close-up of the necklace. It is amazing that there are no chips!
119 Three necklaces from an Autumn line with green glass beads and motifs of painted gilt metal leaves and flattened coral and bright yellow-colored glass beads. From bottom, A, B and C levels of complexity. Note the clasps; these are typical for unsigned Haskell. Motif backs are flat metal plates.
