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Rose gold mourning brooch
£135.00
Unusual rose gold Georgian mourning brooch circa 1810
A splendid mourning brooch containing the most beautiful woven hair under a thick panel of glass. It is set in wonderful rose gold and is curved, smooth and chunky. It has its original ‘C’ clasp and a yellow gold pin (very sharp!). The brooch is around 12.1 x 26.3mm; the pin is 30.3mm. The condition is very nice with only minor wear to the surface of the glass. An historical piece of true quality.
Tests as low carat gold (approx. 9ct)
Gross weight: 3g
Condition: surface wear to glass; minor wear to gold
1 in stock
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Embossed gold band
Antique Victorian floral motif embossed 18ct gold band
We hunted high and low to find the most beautiful embossed band and this is what we found...
Struck in the brightest high carat yellow gold, an eternal floral pattern in high relief winds its way round this 6.2mm thick band. The carving is crisp and in lovely condition for its 130 years. It retains its original gilded patina, which is what makes the gold so buttery and glittering, even though the finish is rather matt, which we love. Flowers stood for love and romance; this was a wedding ring made to last an eternity, and would have been the prized possession of a Victorian lady. The ring has a slight D shape and rises by around 1.2mm, so really comfortable to wear.
Size: N (UK) / 6½ (US) - resize not recommended due to pattern
Hallmarked: yes
Maker's mark: E.V
Assay office: Birmingham
Date letter: p (1890)
Composition of gold: 18ct
Gross weight: 4.1g
Condition: skillful resize mark that does not show on outside; small nick to one edge of gold (see photos #6 and #9)
Size: N (UK) / 6½ (US) - resize not recommended due to pattern
Hallmarked: yes
Maker's mark: E.V
Assay office: Birmingham
Date letter: p (1890)
Composition of gold: 18ct
Gross weight: 4.1g
Condition: skillful resize mark that does not show on outside; small nick to one edge of gold (see photos #6 and #9) 
Diamond and pearl enamelled mourning ring
Victorian rose cut diamond and pearl black enamel 18ct gold mourning ring with inscription circa 1846
The jewellery of our predecessors doesn't come any sadder or sweeter than this little flower. At the centre sits a lovely rose cut diamond held in tiny silver claws, as was the custom of the era. Five luminous silvery pearls sit around it to form a pansy, which according to the jewellery language of the time indicated the wearer was dwelling in her thoughts. Inside the band we learn why, as here is the inscription, "Ellen Watson ob 30, april 1846". The full set of crisp hallmarks, which include the duty mark, confirm the ring was made in 1846, no doubt commissioned by Ellen's daughter or sister when they were in mourning for her death. The delicate, leaf-like shoulders have lovely black enamel detailing for a gothic look that feels really edgy today. The flower measures around 8.2mm with a rise of 4mm. The shoulders taper to a band of 1.8mm. The date letter has been struck seemingly by accident on the outside of one shoulder. The flower has space for a locket behind it, now vacant.
Size: J (UK) / 4 3/4 (US)
Hallmarked: yes
Maker's mark: ES (indistinct)
Date letter: k (1846)
Assay office: London
Composition of gold: 18ct
Gross weight: 2g
Condition: noticeable wear to at least two pearls; pretty good otherwise
Size: J (UK) / 4 3/4 (US)
Hallmarked: yes
Maker's mark: ES (indistinct)
Date letter: k (1846)
Assay office: London
Composition of gold: 18ct
Gross weight: 2g
Condition: noticeable wear to at least two pearls; pretty good otherwise
Sale!
£270.00 £220.00
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Garnet and seed pearl conversion ring
Georgian flat cut garnet and seed pearl lace pin conversion ring
This special, one of a kind piece has been made from the sweetest original 15ct gold lace pin of circa 1800. It is set with three foiled, flat cut garnets all tipped with tiny natural seed pearls in a fascinating historical style. Charmingly the seed pearls vary in colour, being more ivory in tone to one end and more of a warm, light champagne hue to the other. One has a very sweet little 'beauty mark' to its centre - this, we believe, occurred naturally in the pearl and has been set in the piece for interest. The garnets do show a bit of age-related wear in their foils, but this is just a delightful piece all round. The former brooch has been beautifully smoothed to the reverse and precision set to an unmarked 9ct gold band of 2.7mm width. The top of the ring measures around 18.7 x 11.9mm, and sits with a flat, low profile on the hand.
Size: L (UK) / 5.5 (US)
Unmarked
Gross weight: 2g
Care advice: do not submerge ring in water as this will degrade the foils
Condition: some light wear to pearls, including a small chip to one; overall good - please see photos
Size: L (UK) / 5.5 (US)
Unmarked
Gross weight: 2g
Care advice: do not submerge ring in water as this will degrade the foils
Condition: some light wear to pearls, including a small chip to one; overall good - please see photos 
Silver paste crescent
Antique silver paste crescent pendant on a niello silver bolt ring
For sale is a gorgeous crescent charm made in silver and set with brilliant cut paste stones. It was once a brooch that has professionally made into a pendant, with a small loop and a 9ct gold jump ring added. German hallmarks on the reverse of the piece got slightly rubbed during the conversion process, but these revealed the silver to be .935, and another mark which put it in the 1900-1910 era. We have paired it with a wonderful Imperial Russian niello bolt ring, bought as made in circa 1900 and with a control mark to its pin.
If you wish to buy the crescent without the bolt ring, please get in touch and we can adjust the listing for you.
Gross weight: crescent: 3g; bolt ring: 0-1g
Crescent measures approximately 3cm in length, including jump ring, and 2cm in width
Bolt ring measures approximately 1.2 x 1.64cm; inner diameter of bail 2.4mm
Condition: two of the paste stones are recent replacements; niello stripes on bolt ring are worn in places and it is very lightweight
Gross weight: crescent: 3g; bolt ring: 0-1g
Crescent measures approximately 3cm in length, including jump ring, and 2cm in width
Bolt ring measures approximately 1.2 x 1.64cm; inner diameter of bail 2.4mm
Condition: two of the paste stones are recent replacements; niello stripes on bolt ring are worn in places and it is very lightweight