Antique Victorian Onyx Cufflinks. It's gotten very hard to find cufflinks dating this early. These gold filled cufflinks date c1880. The tops measure 19mm across. Being a natural material, you can see that there is a bit of color variation in the onyx. The gold filled settings have very restrained decorations and are in very good condition. The "bean" backs of the cufflinks do show wear, while the rest of the backs show darkening.
Cufflinks as we know them appeared sometime in the last half of the 18th century, replacing ribbons to hold shirt sleeves closed. DH144-07 - $60
Victorian Carved Onyx Horseshoe Stickpin. Long a charm for good luck, the horseshoe has in more recent years become linked with horse racing, and wealth. Some believe that the shoe should be placed upwards to catch good luck; others, to place the ends down, to pour luck out. Shoes also have seven nail holes, are made from iron, and are crescent-shaped; all features associated with good luck.
Horseshoes are among the many symbols that can be found in jewelry. Jewelry has power--in its message to others, and reminders to us. This Victorian stickpin measures 3 ¼” long. The horseshoe head is carved black and white onyx, surrounded by gilt metal. You might note that there are seven nail holes. A little rubbing to edges. A Gianna's Gem treasure from yesterday. DH44-05
- $80
Mexican Sterling and Crushed Turquoise Aztec Sun Calendar Buckle. The Aztec calendar, also called the “Sun Stone” is probably the most well-known symbol of Mexico. The original antique massive carving is a 12” wide basalt stone, which is three feet thick and weighs 25 tons. The calendar was used to count days: to determine religious holidays, planting times and lucky days. However, the calendar was also used to count years. The Aztec’s believed in the cyclical destruction and resurrection of their civilization. The calendar specifies five different cycles.
This large, handmade sterling buckle measures 3 3/8” across. Hand engraving and crushed turquoise embellish the surface surrounding the Aztec calendar. The back is signed “AOR”. Excellent condition. Yesterday's jewelry with ancient reminders.
Wearable today. LH24-05 Mexican Sterling Silver Buckle ~Back - $190
This item has recently been sold.
This item has recently been sold.
This item has recently been sold.
Men's Golf Iron Motif Money Clip and Jewelry Set. Anyone for tee? Sorry, Giannas can't help making an obvious pun.
This steel set includes a 1 5/8" wide money clip, a 7/8" wide pair of cufflinks, and a 5/8" wide tie tack. Signed "Action Line, USA." Very good condition. Great for serious dress occasion or just puttering around. LH64-06 - $33
This item has recently been sold.
Green Striped Agate Gold Filled Vintage Cufflinks. Very choice, matched striped green agate cabochons are the centerpiece of these gold filled cufflinks. The cabochons measure a large 18mm x 26mm. Each emerald-green cabochon centers a wavy white band.
Banded agate is a type of chalcedony with some of the layers being transluscent. Banded agates were highly prized in ancient times for their beauty and durability. Like many other ancient gemstones, they were thought to have magical properties.
The settings are marked gold filled on the backs and fasteners. They are also marked, "Jaguar", for the maker who seems to have active in the 1940s-50s. Very good condition. DH135-07
These late 1920s Victorian Revival gold filled earrings are colored in yellow and pink gold. The oval faces measure about 7/8" long and are elegantly hand-engraved in a floral pattern. There is a little rubbing to the backs. Fronts are in excellent condition.
The traditional method of engraving by hand is quickly growing extinct. I know that the last hand engraver in my area retired 20 years ago. Unfortunately, the quality of hand engraving is much superior to that done by machine which only shallowly scratches the surface.
DH146-07 - $50
Heavy Vintage Mexican Sterling Money Clip. Money clips have recently been experiencing a nostalgic revival. Your grandfather probably had one. They came in an array of designs to suite the individual and this still make a thoughtful gift.
This 2 1/8" long x 1 1/8" high money clip is handmade of sterling and abalone. The weight is very substantial. Abalone disk is very colorful with green, blue and purple. Much more than photo suggests. Stamped on back with a pre-1970s style sterling stamp. Very good condition. One tiny pock mark on front, a manufacturing flaw. DH197-07
- $65
Antique Sterling Monogrammed Cufflinks. The mania for personalizing all things was a loveable Victorian eccentricity. From A. Steel Penn, Appleton's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, April, 1871...
"At the present rate of display among our people, the monogramaniacs will soon run out of localities on which to manifest their love for letters.
'From seals and rings, jewelry and watches, cards and note-paper, plate and carriages, they have descended to table-linen, bath-towels, dog-cloths and shirt collars, until there seems to be no spot left on which to apply them, unless it be to tattoo them on the forehead or put them on the door finger-plate."
These antique sterling cufflinks are hand-engraved with the initials "VMB". The sterling has the lovely patination only acquired through time. The convex cufflink disks measure 3/4" across and are attached to each other with elongated s-hooks. Very good condition.
DH222-07
- $55
1960s Mens Sterling Engraved Cufflinks. These c1960s cufflinks are all sterling. The measure 3/4" across the top and have a nice weight. The face is engraved in a combination of leaves, stars, and geometric pattern. The finish is both shiny and matte. The stems are marked "sterling" and with the maker's mark "T2". DH277-07 - $38
Signed Man's Sterling Scrimshaw Ring of Whaler Essex. Ahoy! The "Essex" is an infamous whaling ship that left Nantuckut, Massachusetts in 1819 and was struck and sunk by a sperm whale in the South Pacific. The survivors made it to an uninhabited island where they suffered great hardship until rescue. Herman Melville used this story when penning "Moby Dick".
This vintage sterling ring depicting the Essex is a size 10. The setting is handmade, hefty to last a lifetime, with a sturdy double shank and closed back. The scrimshaw is delicately executed and is signed DL. DH303-08 Another View
- $70
Vintage Signed Mexican Bolo/ Lariat Necktie of Aztec Sun God. This exquisite necktie has a 33 inch dark brown braided leather lariat with a 1 3/4" tall sterling slide. The slide is highly detailed, depicting an ancient Aztec god, possibly Tonatiuh, a sun god. The surface is almost entirely hand engraved. The face looks cast.
The reverse is signed, forming a triangle, "Hecho en Mexico 925 ACE Gaudalahara Sterling." This maker is noted in "The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks" by Billie Hougart. This piece is in excellent condition. DH339-08 Another View
- $165
