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Past Features
9/2009
From the Mid-Century Modern American Studio Jewelry
section of Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Necklace, c. 1955, a collar of three curved segments of sheet silver joined with circular wire rings and a hook clasp, the center front surmounted by an ovoid plaque suspending a biomorphic pendant of irregularly shaped plaques, the smaller surmounting the larger and bezel-set with an oval labradorite cabochon, reverse impressed "Hurst Kingsbury, Sterling" for Joan Hurst and Jill Kingsbury, New York NY, 4-3/4" dia., pendant 3-1/4" long.
5/2009
From the Mexican Jewelry Section
(Taxco School c.1930-1970)
of Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
 Brooch/Pendant by Antonio Pineda, c. 1950, repoussé sterling in the shape of a turbaned woman's head with carved amethyst face, a circular opal cab bezel-set within a starburst applied to  turban, suspending two drops with teardrop-shaped earrings and carved amethyst in the shapes of breasts bezel-set in starburst frames, reverse marked "Silver by Toño" in a circle for Antonio Pineda and "Mexico PR 241," safety catch, two applied rings on reverse for chain, 1-1/2" w 4-1/8".
Courtesy of D. Brett Benson, Inc.
09/2008 From the Arts & Crafts section of
Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Festoon Necklace, c. 1900, English, A slightly convex hammered textured shield shaped plaque enameled in mingled shades of translucent blue and bright green, a bezel-set blister pearl in the center encircled by raised silver studs, suspending a partially enameled bud-like oval drop, suspended from four lengths of fetter and trace chain joined to two partially enameled oval plaques, continuing to single lengths of chain and a tube and v-spring clasp, reverse of central plaque counter-enameled and impressed with maker's mark for Murrle, Bennett & Co., "950" for silver content under the enamel, center plaque 1" w x 1-1/2", 17-1/2" total length.  $1,250. Author's collection.
This necklace was among the pieces of jewelry on display in context with period fashion at the Museum and Galleries of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles, as part of the exhibition "Aesthetes, Bohemians & Craftsmen: Artistic Dress, 1880s-1920s," on view May - July, 2008.
05/2008 From the Cameos and Intaglios section
of Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Brooch, hardstone, 9 karat rose gold, c. 1860,
an allegorical depiction of Psyche, on the left,
and Apollo, on the right, the central figure conveying
the message that "music feeds the soul," set in a plain
gold frame, 2¼" w x 1¾", $1500.
This cameo is one of many examples of Italian
artistry that will be illustrating Christie
Romero's lecture on jewelry from ancient Rome to
modern Italy
11/2007
Bog oak watch chain, c.1860, with 21 graduated hand-carved
links, carved in three- to four-link sections, each from a
single piece of bog oak, joined with seams (most links are
seamless), terminating in a carved anchor fob entwined with
corded metal wire, black-lacquered jump rings and snap hook
on opposite terminal; anchor 1¾" w x 3", chain 21½" total
length, widest link 1" w, $350. (Author's collection)
Bog oak will be among the materials that Christie Romero
will be discussing during the materials identification portion
of her weekend class at the Northwest Gemological Institute.
It will also be included in her lecture for the Adornment "A
Place in Time" conference, "From Antler to Zylonite: A
Victorian Material World" (see announcements and links below).
8/2007
From the Art Nouveau section
of Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Brooch/Pendant by Marcus & Co.: carved opal, demantoid
garnets, diamonds, 18k gold and platinum, depicting a sea
nymph and ocean waves, and a rising sun with a diamond
center, framed in graduated old European diamonds
above, and a gold foliate wreath surmounted by two
stylized fish set with demantoid garnets below. Original
Marcus & Co. case, 1-5/8" dia. $35, 250 [A] © Christie's
New York, 2002.
4/2007
From the Edwardian, c.1890-1920 section
of
Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
“Lace” brooch, c.1900, old European-cut diamonds, approximately
6.00 cts tw, a cushion-shaped blue sapphire, approximately 3 cts.,
set within a pierced lacy foliate scallop-edged circular plaque set throughout
with small rose-cut diamonds in platinum- topped yellow gold.
Jewels such as this one were worn
by "American Princesses"
who married European titled noblemen
12/2006
From
the Fine Jewelry,
c. 1920-1935 section of
Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Charm bracelet with eleven jazz musician charms,
c. 1930, diamonds, platinum, calibré-cut and buff-top
colored gemstones, French hallmarks, 1-1/8" w x 6-1/2",
$35,250 [A].
© Christie's New York, 2002
Come see, hear, and dance to the real thing at the
Queen Mary Art Deco Festival (see announcement above). Art
Deco jewelry will also be part of the above-listed 2-day courses
taught by Christie Romero in September.
8/2006
From the "Mosaics in Jewelry"
section
of
Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Brooch/Pin, micromosaic, yellow gold, c. 1870,
in the shape of a peacock, body and tail set with tesserae resembling
plumage, within a gold ropetwist border, signed with maker's
mark for Castellani, a few tesserae deficient, 3" w
x 1⅛",
$18,542 [A].
(Photo courtesy of Sotheby's, London, 11/27/01).
The Castellani are among the notable
makers and designers whose
work Christie Romero will be presenting in her timeline lecture "The
Nineteenth Century: Decade by Decade" at Jewelry Camp on
July 28 (see announcement above).
4/2006
From
the Late Victorian, Silver
and Mixed Metals
section of
Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Hinged
bangle, sterling, yellow and rose
gold, English, date letter for 1885,
stamped and engrave, with apple rose and yellow gold floral,
foliate, and C-scroll motifs, beaded edges, Birmingham hallmarks,
illegible maker's mark, safety chain, ¾" w, 2⅜" inside
dia,
$300.
(Diane White collection)
2/2006
Rhinestone Christmas tree brooch
by Weiss, c.1950, one of three different sizes. See the complete
set with matching earrings in the Costume Jewelry, c. 1950-1975
section of Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition, page 207.
Photo courtesy of www.vintagetreasuresjewelry.com
12/2005
From
the Costume Jewelry, c. 1920-1935
section of Warman's Jewelry 3rd ed.:
Unusual Double Dress Clips, c. 1930,
Top: a curved rectangular plaque
with a geometric sawtooth design of curved perpendicular
bars of square-cut light pink and colorless rhinestones
alternating with triangular plaques of pavé-set
colorless rhinestones., two flat-backed hinged clips on
reverse, 3½" w x 1⅛",
$275.
Bottom, rectangular
plaque base with geometric openwork lattice design of colorless
horizontally-set baguette rhinestones and colorless vertically
pavé-set rhinestones, surmounted by four sets of
opposed pink triangular glass stones with central pink
glass bead clusters, two flat-backed hinged clips on reverse,
3⅞" w x 1½",
$275
 .
(Photo courtesy of Morning Glory Antiques, Albuquerque
NM).
These
clips are among the many examples of non-precious jewelry
that Christie Romero will be discussing in her upcoming
lecture for the Banning Residence Museum (see announcement
above).
9/2005
From
the Mid-Victorian, c.1860-1880
section of Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Suite: Brooch/Pin and Pendent Earrings,
c. 1870,
an unusual combination of contrasting colors, laminated layers of orange and
black vulcanite, brooch a tapered rectangular bar surmounted by a smaller bar
with yellow gold trim, and two half-round black arcs covered with engraved
gold strips, suspending three cubes and a ridged, tapered and cusped drop,
later-added pin mechanism; matching pendent earrings, cube surmounts suspended
from gold shepherd's hook earwires,
brooch 1-7/8" x 3-1/8" tl, earrings 7/8" x 3" tl,
$2,500
(Gloria Karp collection)
Vulcanite
is one of many materials other than gemstones and metals that
will be the topic of Christie Romero's lecture for Jewelry
Camp: "Ornamental Alternatives: a Timeline of 'Other' Jewelry
Materials" (see announcement for conference above)
3/2005
From the Mid-Century Modern American Studio Jewelry, c. 1945-1965
section of Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Brooches by Peter Macchiarini, San Franscisco CA,
stylized figurals, hand-fabricated and assembled in brass, silver, copper,
brass, ebony and ivory (Jill Crawford collection).
Studio artists will be part of the "Crafts Movement in American Jewelry,
c.1900-2000" presentation to be included in Christie Romero's
2-day class for the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts (see
announcement above).
12/2004
From
the Edwardian, c. 1890-1920 section of
Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Festoon
necklace, c. 1905-1910
Nine circular-cut flame-fusion synthetic rubies
suspending ten pear-shaped synthetic rubies from
swagged yellow gold chains, hook and eye clasp,
17" tl, 3-1/2" at
center, $500
(courtesy of Generations, La Verne CA).
The flame-fusion process for synthetic rubies was presented to the public
by Verneuil in 1902, published and patented in 1904, when stones of a sufficient
size and quantity to be commercially marketed became available. These dates
are among the many that are listed in the new pocket-sized edition of "The Collector's
Timeline" .(see announcement above).
8/2004
From the Arts & Crafts section of Warman's Jewelry 3rd
edition:
Pendant & Chain, sterling, black opals, pink
tourmalines, c. 1910
English, inverted pentagonal openwork floral/foliate plaque
surmounting a wirework frame, suspended from two cable link
chains, bezel-set with seven black opals and five pink tourmalines
around a larger central oval black opal, suspending an oval
black opal drop, reverse marked "G" in a flowerhead for Arthur and Georgie
Gaskin, T-bar clasp, 1-5/8" w x 1-5/8", 17¾" tl, $3,000.
(Elaine Sarnoff collection).
This piece will be among the examples discussed by Christie
in her lecture at the Arts & Crafts Conference in Anaheim
3/2004
From the Fine Jewelry, c. 1920-35
section of
Warman's Jewelry 3rd edition:
Bracelet, flexible, diamonds,
onyx, sapphires, emeralds, rubies, platinum, c. 1925,
French,
a wide flexible band designed as a stylized garden, the
undulating pavé-set
diamond foreground accented with pierced flowerheads with calibré-cut
onyx stems, buff-top calibré-cut emerald foliate motifs
on a background of buff-top calibré-cut emerald, ruby,
and sapphire flowers, French assay marks, maker's mark for
Rubel Frères
("R. FRÈRES," an oak leaf
and an acorn cap), 1-5/8" w x 7½", $336,000
[A].
(Copyright Christie's Images, New York
2002©, Christie's New York NY, 10/22/01).
12/2003
From the Late Georgian section of Warman's
Jewelry 3rd edition:
Necklace, yellow gold, seed pearls, emeralds,
diamonds, c. 1820
, a row of lozenge-shaped plaques with cannetille
decoration, set with seed pearls and mixed-cut emeralds, suspending
a similarly decorated detachable pendent drop on three rows
of chains, 2" T to B at center, approx 19" tl, $4,200
[A]. (Photo courtesy of Sotheby's, London, 6/20/01)
6/2003From the new all-color third
edition of Warman's Jewelry,
in the section on Mexican jewelry:
Necklace, sterling,
c.1940-45,
elaborate chased and repoussé design
of two fish intertwined with waves and bubbles, flanked
by articulated scrolled trefoil links, mkd "LOS
CASTILLO TAXCO MEXICO STERLING," # 491, 6½" w
x 4" T to B at center, 16½" tl, $4,500.
(Jill Crawford collection).
This necklace was one
of many beautiful pieces of jewelry and objects in
the traveling exhibition "Maestros
de Plata: William Spratling and Mexico's Silver Renaissance,"
in
2003 at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in
Albuquerque, NM
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3/2003
From the new all-color third
edition of Warman's Jewelry, in the section on Designer-Manufacturer
Signed Costume Jewelry, c. 1935-1950: 
Brooch/Pin, painted
enamel, white metal, plastic cabochons, c. 1941,
seahorse
scene with coral and sm fish, a row of lg circ yellow
plastic "adularescent"
(moonstone effect) cabs down the center, rev sgd "Chanel"
(script signature) for the Chanel Novelty Co., New York
NY (no relation to "Coco" Chanel of Paris),
later Reinad Novelty Co., 1½" w x 3¼",
$275. (Courtesy of Ocean Eyz Antique Jewelry, Orange
CA).
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12/2002
From the new all-color third
edition of Warman's Jewelry,
in the section on Mexican
jewelry:
Buckle, sterling, tortoiseshell,
c. 1950-55,
two opposing open hand shapes with interlocking
thumbs centering a yin-yang symbol, one hand in tortoiseshell
inlay, the other in polished silver, maker's mk for
William Spratling (script), 5¾" w x 2½" T
to B, $2,500.
(Jill Crawford collection).
This buckle is also one
of many beautiful pieces of jewelry and objects in
the traveling exhibition "Maestros
de Plata: William Spratling and Mexico's Silver Renaissance," now
at the Craft & Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles.
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9/2002
Bracelet by Matilde
Poulat from the "Maestros
de Plata" exhibition
at the San Antonio Museum of Art (see announcement above).
Repoussé silver with carved obsidian face (similar
to those often seen in pieces by Frederick Davis). Ron
Belkin collection.
Repoussage will be among the metalsmithing
techniques discussed by Christie Romero at the museum's
symposium on October 5. For further information on the
exhibition, catalog, and symposium, as well as additional
photos, see the article by Patrick Kapty in Modern Silver
Magazine www.modernsilver.com/Maestrosdeplata.htm.
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5/2002
Who ARE these people????? Mystery SOLVED!!!
The two lithographs of
a couple in court dress have been identified as the
Princess Royal Victoria (oldest daughter of Britain's
Queen Victoria) and her
fiancé, the future Frederick III of Prussia. These
are engagement portraits.
The royal pair were married in 1858 after a two-year
engagement. Therefore,
this is so-called "Silesian wirework" bracelet
can be very closely
circa-dated to 1856-58.
Thank you Elle Shushan (www.portrait-miniatures.com)
and Barry Weber (www.antique-jewelry.com)!
This bracelet will be pictured in the upcoming third
edition of Warman's
Jewelry, due to be published in the fall.
 Although
this type of work has been pictured in books for over
thirty years, no information about it has been documented.
Said by some to have been made in Silesia (once part of
Prussia, now a part of Poland, Germany, and the Czech
Republic), it has also been associated with Berlin ironwork.
But while there is much written about German cast-iron
foundries, no mention of woven wire has been found. Another
mystery STILL waiting to be solved! Contact us if you have any
info. Or post your thoughts on our discussion
board!
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1/2002
(Click image for larger view)
A colorful lorgnette,
5-1/2" long, enamelled and
gem-set in 800 silver-gilt (marked 800 on the hinge with
an illegible hallmark), probably of Eastern European
origin, circa 1900-10. Stones appear to be genuine
green beryl, peridot, citrine, and pearls.
Photo courtesy of Jane Clarke, Morningglory
Antiques and Jewelry, Albuquerque NM. We're still
researching this one. Comments invited, please use our
message board to provide your input!
This is one for the book - the third edition of Warman's
Jewelry, that is! One of a number of wonderfully photographed
contributions from Jane, for the new ALL-COLOR
edition, to be published late spring/early summer. Watch
this space for announcements! |
8/2001
 A"mystery"
brooch in 18 karat gold, with old mine and rose cut diamonds,
dark blue enameled center, illegible hallmarks on pinstem.
Chased and repoussé, handmade findings. Measures
2-1/4" x 1-3/8".
 After
consulting several experts, there was no consensus
on the age or origin of this piece. It must remain
a "mystery" for
now!
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4/2001
Sterling Victorian locket and necklace,
die-stamped and engraved with japonaiserie motifs,
borders decorated with punched stars, beaded edges;
Birmingham hallmarks, date letter for 1889-90. For
info on deciphering British hallmarks, see Modern Silver
article "Basic
Hallmark Identification".
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2/2001
 Early
Victorian snake necklace, c.1840, graduated scale-like
links, dark blue enameled head set with graduated split
pearls, garnet eyes, suspendinga blue-enameled heart-shaped
locket with a glass-covered compartment containing
woven cloth on reverse, yellow gold with platinum accents
on the head and heart. This is an early example of
the use of platinum for decorative purposes. The piece
was recently tested for platinum using x-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy, which analyzed the metal on an atomic
level.Approximately 17" total length.
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12/2000
Below: A Berlin iron
bracelet, black-lacquered cast links, circa 1830-40,
signed "Geiss A Berlin" for
Johann Conrad Geiss, manufacturer.
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