From the eight lots from a local private collection offered at Bearnes there was this 17th century gold and crystal memorial slide, illustrated right, with an enamelled skeleton motif, inscribed to the reverse
B.A May 24 1689. A near identical example had sold at £1350 at Bonhams London salerooms the previous week, but out in the provinces with a lower buyer’s premium this slide took £1750.
The more morbid the better is a
general rule in this market, hence the
discrepancy in price between two 18th century black enamelled gold rings, the more expensive example at £3100 had a skeleton motif under the sarcophagus-shaped crystal, while the other ring had a skull motif to the crystal and cost £1000.
Elsewhere, an 18th century ring with a skull and crossbones motif under an oval crystal in a garnet surround made £1350, and an 18th century heart-shaped pendant with a central hair plait and cherub motifs took £880.
Oh what a beautiful mourning
The fastest growing area of the jewellery market, mourning apparel has become “hot property in the past 12 months”, says Jethro Marles of Bearne’s. Pointedly excepting the sort of heavy black jewellery produced in large quantities during the post-Albert period, he says that the material that has doubled in value over the past year is the earlier, more delicate mourning jewellery of the sort shown right.
