Victorian Vintage Jewellery and Accesories at Fellows By Zita Thornton

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1 Fig 3. A selection of Scottish jewellery, to include a hardstone rectangular panel bracelet and twelve brooches, four brooches of thistle design, ten with marks to indicate silver Fig 1. A late 19thC Scottish silver agate anchor brooch, the shaped various agates forming an anchor, with rope-twist detail Fig 4. A mid 19thC 18ct gold shell cameo and enamel brooch, the ovalshape cameo carved to depict Terpsichore and Cupid, in an allegorical scene, to the snake-link surround with blue enamel bow detail Fig 6. A selection of five ivory brooches, to include a late 19thC carved openwork brooch, depicting the Doves of Pliny, an oval cameo brooch depicting a putto, together with three further brooches ANTIQUES INFO - September/October 14 Fig 2. A late 19thC Scottish dirk brooch, with three tiered hardstone and smokey quartz panels, to the faceted smokey quartz terminal, with engraved detail Victorian Vintage Jewellery and Accesories at Fellows By Zita Thornton Victorian jewellery was very well represented at Fellows in May. The choice included Scottish agate pieces, cameos, lockets, momento and sentimental items. There was also a selection of decorative jewellery in gold or silver, set with gems or carved from ivory, jet, jade and coral. Agate and other hardstone jewellery was a favourite of the Victorians and was made in Scotland using locally found stones. Bands of coloured agate, carnelian or bloodstone would be set, usually in silver, in traditional shapes such as an anchor or shield, or might encircle a cut stone such as smokey quartz. Jewellers in Edinburgh would obtain their materials from Usan near Montrose, Kinnoull Hill near Perth, the Campsie Hills north of Glasgow and the island of Rhum. So popular were these pieces that by 1870 it was estimated that the number of people working in agates in Scotland was about two thousand. Although this type of jewellery fell out of favour by the First World War there has recently been a revival with collectors from all over Europe and the United States. Pieces with a strong design of stones and settings achieve the highest prices, such as Fig 1, a Scottish silver agate anchor brooch made in the late nineteenth century which made 130 and Fig 2 a traditional Scottish dirk brooch at 200. The latter reflected the Victorian romanticism of the Scottish Highlands and an increase in tourists to the area, which saw traditional Scottish shapes such as the circular plaid brooch, used since the iron age to fasten shawls, becoming popular souvenirs. A group lot in the sale at Fig 3, which raised more than twice its high end estimate at 180, included several with Scottish motifs such as thistles, penannular and annular (closed and open ring) brooches. It was souvenirs again that inspired another form of popular Victorian jewellery. Tourists returning from Rome, most likely on one of the new Cook s Tours satisfied their appetite for classical art by reviving the ancient tradition widely used in Rome and Greece, of carving cameos. Originally, cameos were carved in hard or semi precious stone, however, hardstone took longer to carve and was expensive, so the popularity of shell cameos rose as engravers kept up with the demand from tourists flocking to Rome, and from those back home in Britain Fig 5. A lava cameo bracelet, designed as a series of oval-shape vari-shade cameos depicting various profiles of gentlemen in period dress, some with laurel details who were clamouring for cameos. Shell was softer and easier to carve and cameos could be produced more quickly and cheaply. In the mid nineteenth century a shell cameo was likely to cost around 1-8 compared to a hardstone cameo at Victorian cameo jewellery was most often set into gold mounts with closed or open backs. The more elaborate the setting, the more expensive the cameo, then as now. Values for a shell cameo in the Fellows sale reached 500, Fig 4, for a cameo brooch mounted in an elaborate 18ct gold surround with blue enamel and bow details. The hammer fell on other shell cameo brooches for less than 150. The sale included some lava cameo items with values of less than 200 which represents a decline over the last four years. See Fig 5, 190. Another choice of souvenir that made its way into popular jewellery pieces was carved ivory. Subjects included classical Roman motifs such as putti, after the celestial cherubs included in Raphael s painting of 1512 or The Doves of Pliny a mosaic discovered in 1737 at Hadrian s Villa near Rome. Flowers were fashionable subjects for carved ivory jewellery. A group of five brooches in the sale at Fig 6 included all of these motifs, 170. Jewellery made from jet became fashionable after Queen Victoria wore Whitby jet as part of her mourning dress after the death of Prince Albert. However, jet was not merely chosen for mourning jewellery as black became a stylish colour and expensive jet pieces became fashionable status symbols. The sale included groups of jet jewellery including Fig 7, a selection of mainly jet jewellery at 75. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries death was commonplace and it was important that the dead were not forgotten, hence the two year mourning period. This was largely carried out by women so jewellery became an obvious way to remember. For collectors, memorial items that can be identified are more desirable. Thus a George III gold and enamel memorial ring with an oval-shape panel depicting a white enamel urn with a glazed hair panel in the centre and a gilt weeping willow, which also has a personal inscription dated 1807, contained features and symbolism which pushed it to the top of the range and above its pre-sale estimate

2 when the hammer fell at 320, Fig 8. More subtle symbolism was included on an early Victorian gold memento mori brooch, the porcelain panel painted to depict a maiden with an anchor and a dove, meaning hoping for peace in the after life with the initials EM inscribed to the reverse. This item raised 220, Fig 9. A close relative of mourning jewellery is sentimental jewellery. These pieces exchanged between loved ones were steeped in symbolism which would have been instantly understood by the Victorians. A hand, carved in coral or ivory represented love or friendship. A serpent with its tail in its mouth stood for eternity. Queen Victoria s own betrothal ring was a serpent studded with emeralds. Hair was not only included in jewellery to remember the dead but also the living. The initial letter of different coloured jewels spelled out messages. A good example of sentimental jewellery was included in the sale in the form of an enamelled heart pendant displaying a diamond set forget-me-not with a glazed panel to the reverse, Fig 10, 340. A Victorian heart-shaped sapphire and moonstone pendant brooch with an enamelled border of small flowers, with a photograph to the reverse raised 480. The desire to keep a person s photograph close to the heart in this way made lockets popular. Their ability to be closed and secret added to their mystery and allure. A jet locket with a carved monogram opening to reveal both a photograph and hair panel raised 85 in the sale. Late Victorian silver lockets raised , Fig 11, 85, and a group of eight 9ct gold decorated heart and oval shaped lockets, some on chains raised a reasonable 150. The Victorians wore coral for good luck and although fruit and flowers were fashionable choices coral was included in sentimental or memorial pieces too. An astonishing result was achieved for a coral coiled serpent bangle when the hammer came down at 780 over a estimate, Fig 12. Another lot, Fig 13, also did better than expected when each coral bead forming a brooch was accented with a diamond, 920. A pair of matching earrings achieved 380. Stick pins became a fashionable accessory for men from the late eighteenth century as a means of securing voluminous neckwear. The designs became fancier as the centuries passed by including gems and novelty carvings with those depicting country pursuits such as a fox s head or horse s hoof by the mid nineteenth century. After the death of Queen Victoria stick pins became more restrained and other stones such as turquoise and opals were included in designs. The fashion for a knotted necktie saw the demise of the stick pin by the First World War. Fig 14 shows a group of gem set stickpins, 75 and Fig 15, the later fashion using turquoise, Fig 7. A selection of late 19thC jewellery, to include mainly jet, a sardonyx cabochon brooch, a circular buckle design brooch, a carved jet brooch depicting edelweiss and an edelweiss design locket. (9). 75. Fig 10. An early 19thC gold diamond and enamel sentimental heart pendant, the diamond point forget-me-not, to the blue enamel heartshape pendant, with glazed panel reverse Photos courtesy of Fellows Auctions. All prices hammer. Fig 8. A George III gold and enamel memorial ring, the oval-shape panel depicting a white enamel urn with glazed hair panel centre, to the black enamel and gilt weeping willow surround and openwork band. Personal inscription dated Fig 11. A late Victorian silver locket, of oval outline, with engraved and raised rural scene with tree, fence and golden bird in flight. Personal engraving to reverse. Hallmarks for Birmingham, Fig 9. An early Victorian gold memento mori brooch, of marquise-shape outline, the porcelain panel painted to depict a maiden with an anchor and a dove, meaning hoping for peace in the after life, within a gold mount, EM initial inscription to the reverse Fig 12. A mid 19thC coral serpent bangle, of coiled design, the carved serpent head, to the cylindrical stylised scales and textured tail terminal. Coral untested for natural colour origin Fig 13. A late 19thC continental coral and diamond brooch, designed as a tiered coral panel, each coral bead with rose-cut diamond accent, with further rose-cut diamond trefoil detail, suspending three similarly-designed tassels. Coral untested for natural colour origin Fig 14. A selection of four late 19th century gold gem-set stickpins, to include a garnet cluster stickpin, a 15ct gold ruby accent stickpin, together with two seed pearl and diamond point accent knot pins. 75. Fig 15. An early 20thC gold turquoise and diamond stick pin, designed as an oval turquoise cabochon and oldcut diamond accent fruiting motif. 80. ANTIQUES INFO - September/October 14 37

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