Sweet springtime jewels from A La Vieille Russie.

April 11, 2023

I’m so happy that spring is here! And I’m not the only one enjoying the season: high-end antique and vintage jewelry store A La Vieille Russie has curated the prettiest spring-themed edit of jewels for us to enjoy.

There’s even a tiara!! It’s incredible.

1920's swan brooch and circa 1905 starburst brooch from A La Vieille Russie

Sweet springtime jewels from A La Vieille Russie

I’ve had the honor of visiting A La Vieille Russie‘s NYC brick and mortar store twice, and both occasions were extremely memorable – even though one visit was just a frantic 10 minutes before I had to go catch my train home. If you ever have the chance to go visit them IRL, definitely do it.

I haven’t met these spring-themed pretties in person, but the lovely folks at ALVR were kind enough to send over these photos for us to enjoy.

Antique ruby and diamond butterfly brooch pendant from A La Vieille Russie

This beautiful butterfly is an antique that can be worn as either a brooch or a pendant. It features rich, red rubies and sparkling antique diamonds.

Up at the top of the post, we have a French 1920’s diamond swan brooch by Hartz. I paired it with this Howard & Co starburst brooch from 1905, because the two together make me feel like I’m taking a sunny walk by a lake.

A gold and enamel orchid brooch, circa 1900, and a demantoid garnet frog brooch from A La Vieille Russie

What’s a fictional springtime stroll without lots of glorious green?

Here we have the prettiest a gold and enamel orchid brooch, circa 1900. How lovely is that delicate, exquisitely detailed enamel? It’s not a flashy design, but its subtle beauty is quietly stunning.

And, of course, a darling demantoid garnet frog brooch to keep the orchid company. Demantoid garnets are one of my favorite green gems, and this little amphibious fellow is just too adorable to resist.

Antique micromosaic earrings and a Jean Schlumberger caterpillar pin with sapphires and turquoise, circa 1950. From A La Vieille Russie

Who said creepy crawlies can’t also be chic?

Here we have a pair of exquisitely detailed antique micromosaic earrings with a motif of flowers and two beetles. If you’re not familiar with micromosaic jewelry, it’s literally a tony mosaic: those images are formed from countless itty bitty fragments that are fitted together to form images. It’s a very tricky technique that requires skill and patience. It blows my mind to know someone made these over 100 years ago, by hand, with no computer-generated schematics to follow.

The earrings are accompanied by an exceptionally charming critter, a caterpillar pin by Jean Schlumberger. I’m not a fan of real life caterpillars (they’re one of the only insect-like creatures that gives me the ick) but this one is welcome to my shoulder anytime. It features sapphires and turquoise and dates to 1950.

Magnificent antique Victorian oak leaf tiara, circa 1850. With emerald leaves and natural pearl and diamond acorns. From A La Vieille Russie

I promised you a tiara and here it is!!! I have a weakness for foliate tiaras and this one is a perfect example of why I love them: it’s so romantic and whimsical and dramatic and elegant. It’s giving major Titania vibes, with its emerald oak leaves and natural pearl and diamond acorns. Put this on and you’re an instant fairy queen.

This one-of-a-kind English tiara is from the Victorian era, circa 1850. It has been in the same family since the 1970’s, when it was previously sold by A La Vieille Russie to a father who was buying it for his daughter to wear on her wedding day. Now it has returned to ALVR’s collection and is looing for a new owner!

Antique French wasp brooch, circa 1875, with diamonds and emeralds and an Art Deco dragonfly brooch by Janesich, circa 1940. From A La Vieille Russie

Two final winged blings to see us out! Here we have antique French wasp brooch, circa 1875, which might actually be my favorite non-tiara piece here. I just love the drama of its wings and its delicate antennae. It’s accompanied by an Art Deco dragonfly brooch by Janesich, circa 1940.

And that’s it for today! What did you think of this collection, my darlings? Do you feel like you’ve been strolling through a bejeweled meadow?

Thanks to A La Vieille Russie for putting together this delightful spring-themed collection of beauties for us to enjoy! You can see these treasures in person at the upcoming Philadelphia Show.

Images c/o A La Vieille Russie.

GemBank1973: antique jewelry that collectors love.

February 28, 2023

If you spend much time on antique jewelry Instagram, you’ve already seen GemBank1973’s posts. They’re always sharing beautiful jewelry close-ups and eye-catching themed group shots.

But have you ever looked at their online store? Because I hadn’t until last week, and it totally blew me away.

GemBank1973: antique jewelry that collectors love.

I knew from Instagram that GemBank1973 had great antique jewelry, but I didn’t realize that they were a family-owned business that has specialized in jewelry for three generations. That’s some serious history, the kind of background that brings connections and knowledge. They’re also an established member of LAPADA, a very well-respected UK Association for experienced antique dealers.

And, of course, there was the jewelry itself! There were so many things that caught my eye on GemBank1793’s website that we’re going to look at categories of jewelry rather than individual pieces.

Let’s start with a personal favorite: chains.

Chains

As any serious antique jewelry lover will tell you, chains are an invaluable part of a jewelry collection. They’re beautiful on their own, with their finely wrought links of old gold, platinum, or silver, but they also allow us to wear charms, pendants, brooches, and more in so many fun ways.

GemBank1973’s chain section features over 100 chains, ranging from delicate chokers to sturdy trombone links and ample longuards. If you’re on a budget, they also have a dedicated page for chains under £500.

Celestial jewelry

Is there anything more whimsical than a jewel that reminds us of the heavens? These twinkling star and moon beauties are romantic and timeless, whimsical designs that dreamers of any era can appreciate.

GemBank1973 has a dedicated page for celestial jewelry, which is something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before! Click through and you’ll find sparkling starbursts and crescent moons from the past 200-300 years.

Charms

GemBank1973’s robust charm section offers a wonderful variety of these delightful little treasures in all shapes and styles. Most are around $150, but there are a few under $100.

I think my favorite of this batch is the little mouse with the articulated tail. Or maybe the skier with the pearl head? But I also love the baby sputnik and that teeny tiny corkscrew.

My first Fellows jewelry auction.

November 3, 2022

I have a confession for you, my darlings: I’ve never bought jewelry from an auction house. Shocking, I know. But it’s true! I find auctions intimidating and I’ve never managed to push through the fear…until now.

I’ve partnered with my friends at Fellows in England to have my very first jewelry auction experience and share it with you here so that we can all become auction aficionados together!

Three antique rings recently sold in a vintage jewelry auction at Fellows Auctions.

My first Fellows jewelry auction.

You might associate jewelry auctions with either eBay tchotchkes or very very very expensive museum pieces, but that’s a misconception. A huge number of the lots in the Fellows jewelry auction I’m currently browsing have starting bids under £100 and auction estimates under £500.

Yes, it’s in GBP, not dollars. Don’t get scared! We can do this! Current exchange rates mean that the dollar and the pound are very close in value. Use any online currency converter to be sure you have your numbers straight.

The exchange rate is a big part of why we’re talking about this today: do you know how rare it is for the dollar and the pound to be this close?? We Americans have to snap up that sweet across-the-pond jewelry while the currency is in our favor.

Beautiful vintage and antique pendants and a ring listed in recent Fellows jewelry auctions.

Why would I want to buy jewelry at auction?

Auctions are an opportunity to score great jewelry at good prices because it’s a purchase point close to the beginning of the retail food chain. Most jewelry stores source jewelry from dealers, who acquire their jewelry from collectors, other dealers, or auctions.

Each time a piece changes hands in this process, its price goes up. When you buy from an auction house instead of from a retail store, you skip two whole stages and therefore two levels of price increase.

Auction houses also have quality control procedures in place that simply don’t exist in more casual jewelry buying situations. Every piece in a Fellows jewelry auction has been evaluated and authenticated by Fellows’ in-house jewelry specialists.

A late Victorian 9ct gold portrait miniature locket pendantrecently sold in a vintage jewelry auction at Fellows Auctions.

How does bidding work?

The key mechanics of auctions are the same everywhere: bidders say how much they’re willing to pay for an item and the person with the highest bid at the end of the auction wins the item. Don’t forget that once you win an item in a jewelry auction, you’re obligated to buy it for that amount; a bid is a binding promise.

To place a bid, simply scroll to the item’s listing in the current Fellows jewelry auction, type the amount you’d like to bid, and click “place bid.” If someone outbids you, you’ll receive an email notification and then you can decide if you want to add a higher bid or accept defeat.

If someone places a bid within the last 30 seconds of a Fellows auction, the auction will extend the bidding time for that item by an additional 30 seconds so that anyone who wants to place a higher bid may do so.

A late 19th century 15K gold turquoise double heart brooch sold in a jewelry auction at Fellows Auctions.

How do I know what I’m buying?

Every listing in a Fellows jewelry auction includes the key information about the item for sale, as well as photos. If you want more, you can contact Fellows to request more images or a set up virtual viewing.

A virtual viewing allows you to have a one-on-one Zoom meeting with a Fellows specialist to discuss and view any of the items in the auction that interest you. It’s basically free personal shopping. The Fellows auction specialist can also help explain the buying process to you, if you are a first-timer like me.

If you get confused by any of the terms in the listing, the handy Fellows Auction Terms Glossary is there to help.

Don’t auctions have hidden fees?

Auctions do have fees, but at a reputable auction house like Fellows, none of those fees are hidden. The vast majority of Fellows jewelry lots ship for free, and the ones that don’t offer free shipping are clearly marked.

If you win something in a Fellows jewelry auction, you’ll pay the amount of your bid (called the “hammer price”) plus a Buyer’s Premium, which is 30% of the bid. You can use the Fellows Bid Calculator to calculate the final price of your purchase at any time.

Now that we’ve discussed why one would want to bid in a Fellows jewelry auction and assuaged our fears, it’s time to get in there!

A midcentury vintage diamond cocktail watch sold in a recent Fellows jewelry auction.

How do I register to bid in a Fellows jewelry auction?

Signing up through the Fellows website is very straightforward. You enter your name, address, basic contact info, password, everything you would expect. I was happy to see that the registration form offers both “nonbinary” and “prefer not to say” as options for the gender field. Yay, inclusivity!

That gets you an account, but there’s one more step before you can place a bid: you have to verify your name and address through Fellows’ Identity Checker. I uploaded a photo of my Driver’s License, allowed the Identity Checker temporary access to my webcam to confirm that my face matched the image I uploaded, and I was in!

(Pro tip: the Identity Checker was initially confused because I was too far away from my webcam. I had to get close enough to the camera for my face to be the same size as it was in the Driver’s License photo I uploaded before it approved me.)

Lot 192 – yellow sapphire and diamond cluster ring.
Lot 946 – 18k gold and sapphire rainbow hoop earrings.
Lot 349 – late 19th century gold old-cut diamond cluster ring, with vari-cut diamond shoulders.
Lot 365 – early 20th century split pearl and amethyst pendant.
Lot 448 – onyx and diamond earrings.
Lot 884 – late Victorian gold ring with floral motif, circa 1887.
Lot 571 – early 20th century gold scarab beetle and garnet pendant on a gold fancy-link chain.
Lot 854 – rose cut diamond and garnet ring.
Lot 728 – midcentury gold, ruby, and cultured pearl clip earrings.
Lot 1 – early 20th century gold and enamel cat ring, with diamond eyes.
Lot 785 – old-cut diamond and cultured pearl dress ring with rose-cut diamond shoulders.
Lot 462 – early 20th century gold split pearl foliate brooch.
Lot 479 – diamond cluster ring.
Lot 255 – turquoise and diamond cluster ring.
Lot 526 – early 20th century peridot and split pearl pendant.
Lot 641 – emerald and split pearl earrings.
Lot 763 – floral diamond ring
Lot 512 – ruby floral cluster earrings.
Lot 732 – garnet and red gem cluster ring.
Lot 751 – early 20th century Russian Art Nouveau old-cut diamond and demantoid garnet floral pendant.
Lot 323 – Citrine ring.
Lot 2 – early 20th century gold pique tortoiseshell earrings.
Lot 604 – flower ring with rose-cut diamond accents
Lot 897 – sapphire, emerald and pearl earrings.
Lot 541 – early 20th century 9ct gold cube charm,
Lot 343 – early 20th century 18k gold rose-cut diamond and enamel stud earrings.
Lot 289 – early 20th century 18k gold old-cut diamond ring.
Lot 269 – early 20th century gold turquoise and split pearl heart pendant.

Here’s a peek at my own Fellows wishlist!! This slideshow is all of the lots I’m considering bidding on in the current auction. It’s an epic two day jewelry sale that just opened yesterday. Day 1 of the sale ends November 8th, Day 2 on November 9th, so go take a look right now!

Click here for Day 1 of the Fellows Jewellery Auction (ends November 8th, 2022)
Click here for Day 2 of the Fellows Jewellery Auction (ends November 9th, 2022)

What do you think, my darlings? Are you comfortable bidding in jewelry auctions, or is it new to you too? Do you have any advice for me on my auction journey? Have you ever bought anything from Fellows?

This sponsored post is brought to you by Fellows. All images c/o Fellows.