Georgian Archives

Off to Miami! Tell me what kind of treasures you want to see.

February 8, 2017

Good morning, darlings!

I know I just got back from the AGTA GemFair, but I’m jetting off again – to Miami this time, for the legendary Original Miami (Beach) Antique Show.*

When I come back, I’ll have my fully edited recap of the AGTA GemFair‘s glories ready for you, and shortly after that I’ll have the results of my Miami treasure hunting to share with you as well! I’m having a very busy, extremely sparkling February.

A rare and exquisite portrait bracelet with family portraits. Dedicated to a wife from her husband for their wedding anniversary in 1864. Spotted at OMBAS 2016.

Now, for my favorite question:

Is there anything you particularly want to see from the Original Miami (Beach) Antique Show??? Are any of you on the hunt for a particular piece, or is there something you’d especially like to ogle?

Let me know in the comments, and I’ll do my best to bring you pictures of what you’d like to see!!

xoxo,
Becky

*The show has temporarily moved from its usual location on Miami Beach due to construction, so “Beach” has temporarily been dropped from the name.

Leslie Hindman’s December Important Jewelry Auction.

November 29, 2016

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers has another glorious jewelry auction coming up, and it’s right around the corner: the December Important Jewelry Auction. The Chicago preview starts on Wednesday, and the auction itself is next Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

I’ve combed through the literally hundreds of auction lots and picked out my favorite pieces to give you a starting point to decide what you can’t let get away next week when the bidding starts.

I had a little help, actually: Alex, Meredith, and Jamie of Leslie Hindman’s jewelry department spent nearly an hour on the phone with me, giving me the inside scoop on the most noteworthy pieces coming up in the December Important Jewelry Auction. And oh my goodness, there are some good ones.

If you’ve never bid in a Leslie Hindman auction before, this is a great one to start with. They have a wonderful introductory page here to walk you through the particulars of getting started. There are some really great pieces spanning a variety of price points. It’s their second-biggest sale ever, which means there’s a whole lot to love.

Let’s dive in!

Lot 34: A Fine Renaissance Revival Gold, Silver, Multi Gem and Polychrome Enamel Pendant, Augusto Castellani, Circa 1860.

We’re starting out with this delicious jewel right here: a colorful, eye-catching specimen of Renaissance Revival jewelry crafted by a master of revival jewelry, Augusto Castellani. If that weren’t enough, this piece also bears a strong resemblance to a piece in the British Royal Collection that is also attributed to Augusto Castellani and is believed to have been acquired by Queen Mary.

Beautiful, historically significant, and dazzlingly well-preserved? Sign me up.

Lot 6: A Pair of Egyptian Revival Yellow Gold Micromosaic Hoop Earrings, French.

I’ve seen some cool micro-mosaic pieces in my jewelry adventures, but I’ve never, ever seen anything like these hoop earrings.

It’s even Egyptian revival micro-mosaic; look at those colorful scarabs near the top!! I love the rope detail edging on the sides, too. A fascinating, unique pair of treasures in exquisite condition. Also…the low auction estimate is $500, which blows my mind.

Lot 20: A Georgian Gold and Garnet Lover’s Eye Ring.
Lot 21: A Georgian Rose Gold and Seed Pearl Lover’s Eye Brooch.
Lot 23: A Georgian Yellow Gold Lover’s Eye Locket.
Lot 24: A Georgian Yellow Gold, Pink Gemstone and Seed Pearl Lover’s Eye Brooch.
Lot 25: A Georgian Glass and Seed Pearl Lover’s Eye Pendant.

One of the first things I noticed while perusing Leslie Hindman’s December Important Jewelry Auction is that there a whole lot of delicious little Georgian pieces in day 1. I know a some of my antique jewelry Instagram buddies are going to go gaga for these – and with good reason, since many of these little pretties have auction estimates that start below $1,000.

Lot 1: A Pair of Georgian Yellow Gold and Emerald Convertible Pendoloque Drop Earrings, Spain/Portugal.

Oh, hello, you magnificent beauties.

Look at those chased, bezel settings, those rich green emeralds, that perfect articulation. Even better: one of the pendants has a removable brooch fitting, so it can be worn in more than one way.

A remarkable rose cut retrospective.

September 23, 2016

Some weeks ago, I was chatting with the lovely Nicole from Lang Antiques (as I often do) and she said had something good to show me. Something rose cut and remarkable.

If you’ve paid attention to any of my posts on Lang Antiques’ pieces ever, you know that something noteworthy from them is always, always worth paying attention to.

Are you familiar with rose cut diamonds, my darlings? They are most commonly found in antique pieces, as it’s traditionally an older diamond cut, but I’ve been seeing a resurgence in new rose cut pieces lately in contemporary and I’m totally into it. It’s a gentle, romantic cut that shimmers with an endless luminescence, a soft contrast to the cold fire of the meticulously engineered modern round brilliant cuts.

Well, the fabulous Lang Antiques has recently come into possession of a most remarkable collection. It was the property of a curious individual identified only as “an intrepid traveler with a passion for rare and wonderful rose cut diamond jewelry.” And oh my goodness, did this person have good taste.

From rings to brooches to bracelets (and even some hair bling) this wonderful mystery person amassed rose cut diamonds of every shape and size. Can you think of anything more satisfying than having an interest this specific – rose cut diamonds, mostly antique – and also having the funds and time to pursue it?

I think that my own tastes are too eclectic to ever concentrate my buying power in a niche this specific, but I’m sure that if I had enough money in my jewelry buying budget I could come up with some pretty fabulous mini-collections. Something to daydream about!

I’ve known about this rose-cut goodness for a while, but I couldn’t figure out how to write about it…I’ve decided that just presenting you with an overview of alllllllll of the beauty is the best way to go. Without further ado:

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Please peruse the slideshow for an overview of what the collection has to offer, or just click straight over to Lang Antiques to see all the rose cut deliciousness for yourself.

You’ll notice there’s also a bonus tiara in there – a real Victorian era stunner. I don’t know who this rose cut collecting world traveler was, but they were a jewelry lover after my own heart.

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