Jewellery

This late Victorian Garrard & Co pearl and diamond tiara was described by Great Western Auctions in Glasgow as ‘the ultimate in metamorphic jewels’.

On June 23 Bonhams Hong Kong sold a version of Cartier’s first-ever mystery clock: the Model A.

This 19th century, c.1850, archaeological revivalist 22ct gold necklace by Carlo Civilotti of the Civilotti family of jewellers in Rome will feature in Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ wide-ranging three-day auction taking place in Maine on July 8-10

A look ahead to auction house and dealer highlights this summer.

The sale at jewellery auction house Elmwood’s (25% buyer’s premium) in London on May 19 included a remarkable family archive of antique items.

Sotheby’s is holding a month-long programme of exhibitions and events to mark the platinum jubilee.

This Georgian enamel and rock crystal mourning ring was formerly owned by Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.

A presentation diamond brooch given by Queen Elizabeth II to the Duchess of Norfolk for assistance prior to her coronation in 1953 is to be offered by Mayfair auction house Noonans on June 14, estimated at £4000-6000.

The Marine Sale at Bonhams (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) included a very rare gold and enamel ring marking the death of Admiral Lord Nelson in 1805.

The Islamic and Indian Art sale at Bonhams (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) on March 29 was topped by a diamond and emerald set gold pendant from the collection of Maharani Jindan Kaur (1817-63).

Toadstones are understood to be the button-like palatal teeth of lepidotes, an extinct genus of ray finned fish from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

The story of the Poniatowski gems provided one of the great art scandals of its day.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

Provenance adds cachet to a varied selection offered in regional sale after London first dibs

With the discovery of the intact tomb of Tutankhamun in 1923, an Egyptian revival swept through the decorative arts. Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels were among the first to design jewels that mixed Egyptian motifs with the geometry and bold colours of the Art Deco era. But other French, British and US ateliers soon followed.

The Select Jewellery & Watches sale at Lyon & Turnbull (25/20% buyer’s premium) on March 30 includes a number of pieces by the coterie of artist-craftsmen who led a revival of British jewellery making in the 1960s-70s. Like so much of post-war decorative arts, they have roared back into fashion.

The jewellery department at Woolley & Wallis has built up something of a reputation for selling cameos and intaglios.

A sale of royal memorabilia at Colchester saleroom Reeman Dansie (20% buyer’s premium) on February 15 included items from the estate of Miss Beryl Poignand (1887-1965), governess and confidante to HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.