This is an unusual and possibly quite rare gilded sterling silver griffin brooch by William B. Kerr, better known for softer Art Nouveau flower and maiden designs. The griffin was a popular late-Victorian motif, suggesting this is an earlier (1880-1890) Kerr brooch.

The detailing is wonderful – textural and intricate – from the horned back to the tiny scales on the griffin’s curling tail and gnarly talons. As you can see, the brooch has not been cleaned in some time but despite this, the raised areas are bright and gold – evidently gilded.

The brooch is quite small – 2.5 cm (1″) wide and 3.5 cm (1 3/8″) high – but being very dimensional has a strong presence. It is fitted with a simple hinge and c-clasp, with an extended pin stem. A cartouche on the reverse is marked with the William B. Kerr maker’s mark of an axe, “STERLING” and the design (?) number “162“.

The brooch is in excellent condition with no damage of any kind. The pin stem rises up to about a 45 degree angle only, not all the way – presumably made this way – and remains very secure in the c-clasp.

The stones are a bright sapphire blue, prong-set and foil-backed, with a lively sparkle typical of Czech rhinestones.

The brooch is quite dimensional, with puffy petals and curvaceous leaves, nicely detailed throughout. It is quite large, measuring 6 cm (2.4″) across by 5 cm (2″) high.

It is fitted with a simple c-clasp and marked “MADE IN CZECHOSLOV” on a plaque fixed to the back. It dates to about 1920, possibly earlier.

It is in excellent vintage condition – about the best possible for a brooch of this type and age. The goldtone is very fresh and bright, with just a small dark area on the bottom left of the right hand flower and top centre on the back (see pics) but otherwise remarkably intact. The rhinestones are undamaged and the clasp holds securely.

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Back views (click pictures to enlarge)

This is a vintage pair of sterling silver earrings by the Kalo Shop, the leading Chicago-based silversmith of the American Arts and Crafts movement.

They have a simple design of smooth-polished domes trimmed with five balls or “beads” at the base, set within open circles of silver. Although very simple there’s an attractive play of light on the rounded surfaces.

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The earrings are 2.5 cm (1″) across and 6 mm (0.25″) deep, and fitted with screwbacks which are also sterling. They are marked “STERLING” and “KALO” on the reverse. The screwback turns are also marked “STERLING.” I would estimate they date to between 1915 and 1920, possibly earlier.

They are in very good vintage condition with some slight age-consistent surface scratching but no dings or dents. The screwbacks in good working order.

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The earrings are shaped like large flames or leaf fronds with the design outlined in silver and filled with a glossy guilloche enamel of brilliant turquoise-sky blue over a dotted bed.

They are a full 4 cm (just over 1.5″) high by about 2 cm (0.75″) at their widest and fasten with screwbacks. The screwbacks are positioned so that when worn most of the bottom swirl remains below the ear lobe with the remainder curling up the ear.

Only one of these Miguel Arias earrings is signed. It is stamped with the number “5402” and two largely illegible circular marks, one of which has “925” at the centre with “ARIAS” just readable above and the top of the “X” and “CO” of Taxco visible below. The other circular mark has “[HE]CHO E[N]” at centre with “MEXICO” just readable below. There is no eagle mark or “T” number on either earring indicating they date to before 1948.

These vintage Taxco earrings are in excellent vintage condition with no damage to the enamel – it is bright, glossy and intact with no scuffing (any odd-looking areas are reflections). On one of the earrings (the one on the left) there are two very tiny dark spots at the very tips of the enamel which are tiny “missed spots” – not at all noticeable but mentioned for accuracy.  The screwbacks are in very good working order, holding securely. There is quite heavy tarnishing on the backs – the earrings have not been cleaned.

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Back view and Miguel Arias marks (click to enlarge)

The scarab is set on a high base of silver, like a little museum exhibit, secured by a broad flat prong at each end. It is a deep mottled turquoise colour and very tactile, made from a pottery-type material with a crackled surface, and lightly glazed.

There are symbols stamped into the back of the scarab. I don’t know if these are a sign the scarab is authentically “ancient,” or not. The glaze on the underside is not discoloured at all but may have been applied when it was made into a brooch.

I am certain the setting is sterling silver – it is has a scratch mark of “S/S” and has the right feel and tone, and is not magnetic – but it has not been tested.

The brooch is 2.7 cm long (just over 1″) by 2 cm (o.75″) wide, and 1.7 cm (0.7″) high, fitted with an old-style safety clasp. From the style and hardware, it dates to about 1925, just after Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered in 1922.

It is in very good vintage condition. There is a little stone-coloured spot just above where the wings meet at the head end, and a small dark spot between the wings, towards the bottom end. These seem to be original flaws, not damage. The only issue is a few paler patches on the wings (mainly the right) where the glaze is either scuffed or very thin to begin with, but they blend in nicely with the overall mottled look. The clasp is in good working order.

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This is a fun little antique Art Nouveau flying bat brooch. It has lots of detail including facial features, a notched tail and little toes, as well as webbing on the wings.

The bat’s belly is set with a glass cabochon of blue with iridescent green. The metal appears to be a silvered base metal rather than real silver as there are hints of gold showing along the bat’s arms, face and wing ridges, although the brooch is not magnetic.

It is 3.2 cm across and 2 cm high (1.25″ by 0.75″) and fitted with a c-clasp and long pin stem extending beyond the brooch, dating it to about 1900. It is not marked or signed.

It is in good vintage condition. There is some slight wear to the silvertone as mentioned that gives a slight gold tinge to the raised areas, and doesn’t (in my opinion, anyway) spoil the look of the brooch. Otherwise there is no damage or flaws. The glass cabochon is bright and unchipped and the clasp is in good working order.

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The buckle is dimensional, rising up from the brooch, and very nicely detailed with a little gold rivet in the strap and dainty stamping around the buckle itself.

The flowers and leaves appear to be applied solid gold while the buckle looks to be gold-washed only. There are three different colours of gold altogether – yellow gold, rose gold and a coppery gold. The edge of the brooch is scalloped with a hand-stamped decorative border.

As with most mid to late-Victorian jewellery the design motifs are symbolic. The buckle represents “strength and protection” and the dainty flowers are most likely forget-me-nots, for “true love” and “remembrance” – perhaps a gift from a loved one who was often away?

The brooch is 3.1 cm (just over 1.25″) wide with a period tube hinge and c-clasp, and weighs 5 grams. It has a full set of Chester hallmarks on the reverse with the date letter “H” for 1891 and the maker’s mark “CE & FD” for Constantine & Floyd Ltd. whose mark was registered at Birmingham and London as well as Chester.

It is in very good antique condition with a slightly wobbly (but secure) pin stem but no damage and very little surface scratching for a brooch of this age. It has not been cleaned.

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This is a tiny vintage brooch by James Fenton in sterling silver and white enamel depicting a Tudor rose.

James Fenton also made the same (and similar) booches around 1900 – the Tudor rose was a popular Arts & Crafts motif.  It has since reappeared several times since, including in 1952 when Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne.

This particular brooch is hallmarked for 1956.  The white rose is also associated with English cricket – perhaps 1956 was an important cricketing year?

It is just 2cm (5/8″) across – probabably meant for a collar or lapel – and fitted with a simple c-clasp. It has a full set of Birmingham hallmarks including the date letter “G” in script for 1956 and the maker’s mark “J.F” for James Fenton.

There is some damage to the enamel – a surface chip on one petal edge, but it does not go as deep as the silver beneath, and slight surface chipping at the centre of the rose. There are a few dark specks mixed in the enamel. The clasp is tiny but in good working order.

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Dating to about 1900, it has an unusually large glazed art pottery cabochon (or “plaque”) of foamy sea green with hints of turquoise and soft russet marbling. On close inspection the colouring is complex with light crazing – typical of Ruskin-type glazes.

The plaque is set in a pewter mount textured with a petal-like design. The pewter folds over the edges of a base metal backplate, most likely brass. It is 5.8 cm (2.25″) wide and fitted with a c-clasp, and not marked at all.

This ‘Ruskin’ brooch is in very good antique condition with no damage to the art pottery plaque. The pewter mount and backing are slightly raised up in one place but this is only (slightly) noticeable on a side view. There’s a also a fold in the rim holding the plaque but I believe this is an original flaw – just the way it was made. The c-clasp does not have very much of a curl to it but holds the pin stem securely enough when worn.

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More information:

To learn more about Ruskins, this wonderful article – Ruskins: Wearable Jewels of the Arts & Crafts Movement – provides detailed information with photographs, and is a pleasure to read.

This is a pretty and delicate-looking antique Art Nouveau brooch by Charles Horner of Chester.

It features an open entrelac design of sterling silver with an enamelled flower and turquoise cabochon.

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