modemodern vintage and antique jewelry accessories and decorative arts
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Mexican : Pre 1950 item #1063926
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Beautiful earrings in classic MATL style. By Matilde Poulat of Mexico City. Circa 1950. Marked MATL in script, 925, and MEXICO, and both earrings are marked with eagle 129, which is the correct number. The screwbacks, which are original, are marked ALPACA, which is of course a white metal alloy. With detailed baroque wirework, tiny turquoise cabochons with beautifully aged green color, and pyramidal amethysts. 1 1/2 inches long and just under 1 inch wide. Excellent condition...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Designer : Pre 1950 item #818308
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In the signature Chanel colors of red and green, and marked MADE IN FRANCE on the screw barrel clasp, this fabulous necklace is probably by Chanel. Circa 1940, in moghul style, with aged brass chains, large and small glass based faux pearls, red glass beads, and huge teardrop shaped green glass beads. 15 3/4 inches wearable length. The sides are 1 1/8 inches wide. The drop is 4 1/2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Deco : Pre 1950 item #850068
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Beautiful matched pair of white gold eternity rings, one ruby and one sapphire. Both have square cut stones mounted in 14KT white gold. The gold tests positive for 14K with jeweler's acid. Both are from the same estate. The stones on both are just under 2 millimeters square. Together they weigh 3 grams. Both are ring size 6 1/4 and are 2 mm wide. Excellent condition...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Period : Pre 1950 item #769701
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Stunning and very substantial vintage Chinese bracelet with five sections connected by hinges, in gold washed silver filigree backed with solid silver panels, each with a charming carved genuine apple jade Buddha figure. Not marked but tests positive for sterling silver. Circa 1940. It weighs 71 grams. With a slide clasp and safety chain. Great size -- just under 1 1/4 inches wide, 1/2 inch deep, and 7 3/4 inches long clasped. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Strands : Pre 1950 item #1207448
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Stunning statement vintage 16 strand necklace of undyed natural Mediterranean salmon to red coral beads, with a large goldtone metal sliding element with cannetille wirework, and a matching goldtone metal hook clasp. Circa 1940. 17 1/2 inches long and about 1 inch wide. It weighs 126 grams. The beads are about 1/8 inch wide or 5mm by 4mm. Excellent condition. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Modernism : Pre 1950 item #790710
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Chunky heavy early modernist ring with a large faceted genuine amethyst stone. With two tiny marks on the outside of the shank. One is 800 or 900 (I can't be sure which), for silver content, and the other is a tiny hallmark or maker's mark in a cartouche. Circa 1940. Most likely European, based on the silver content and the other mark. Very well worked, with deep parallel ridges, in a great Deco/modernist design. Heavy for its size at 20 grams. Ring size 6...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Mexican : Pre 1950 item #691471
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Outstanding vintage Los Ballesteros Mexican bracelet in solid sterling silver. Marked with the Los Ballesteros mark, also marked HECHO EN MEXICO, STERLING 925, and with design number 39. An early piece, circa 1940. With slide clasp and safety chain. Very substantial at 87 grams/3.1 ounces. Very flexible and drapes beautifully because of its weight. A stunning and super wearable collectible piece.

1 1/8 inches wide by 1/8 inch thick and 7 inches long clasped. Excellent condition...

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Strands : Jewels : Pre 1950 item #1305342
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Beautiful vintage genuine Baltic translucent honey amber necklace with graduated faceted beads. Guaranteed tested, genuine, untreated, natural Baltic amber. 1940s. It has been professionally restrung with new goldtone spring ring clasp. It weighs 46 grams. The largest center bead is 16mm and the smallest beads are 6mm. Wearable length is 31 inches. 5/8 inch wide at center. Excellent condition with some slight age related crazing that is typically found in these beads. Display form is life size...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1950 item #1207575
modemodern
$175.00
Lovely necklace with black glass beads and groups of dark blue melon beads with pale blue ruffled beads, all wired in dark goldtone metal. Circa 1940, probably French. 58 inches wearable length. The large melon beads are 3/8 inch wide. Excellent condition. One of the small light blue flower form beads is missing a petal -- this is very hard to see and does not show when worn. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1950 item #637422
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Outstanding vintage Art Deco/Retro Moderne horse form figural brooch in ebonized carved wood with inlaid silver detail. Circa 1945...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Designer : Pre 1950 item #818298
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Fabulous vintage bib necklace which is most likely a Frank Hess design for Miriam Haskell, from the 1930s or 1940s. With graduated sizes of beautiful solid glass dark blue beads in lily form, mounted on chains in a characteristic Hess for Haskell style, and with long dimensional brass leaves. The color is warmer than the photos depict. Slide clasp. 16 inches wearable length. The center drops 3 1/2 inches. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Rhinestone : Pre 1950 item #1043866
modemodern
$545.00
Fabulous articulated bracelet in silvertone rhodium plated white metal / pot metal with large and small square emerald cut invisibly set blue openback unfoiled glass stones and tiny colorless strass stones. Examples of this type of French bracelet are pictured in "European Designer Jewelry" by Ginger Moro. Slide clasp with safety chain. Wearable length is 7 1/2 inches. 5/8 inch wide. Excellent condition. Some colorless stones are dark but all are better than the photos depict. Some s...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Strands : Pre 1950 item #1132649
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Sumptuous vintage necklace with two strands of graduated oxblood red undyed Mediterranean coral spezzati, or branches, with a gold washed silver clasp. The color is a true red and darker than the photos depict. Best representation of color are the photos on light background. Circa 1940. The clasp is not marked but tests positive for at least 900 silver. 18 1/2 inches wearable length on the inside strand. It drops 3 1/2 inches in the center. Excellent condition. Some wear to gold wash on ...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Mexican : Pre 1950 item #1063924
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Beautiful dimensional bracelet with repousse work in pre-Columbian style motifs. Circa 1940. Marked STERLING 925 TAXCO MEX and signed CP or OP. It weighs 51 grams. This piece and most of the other Mexican silver I have listed came from one long time collector's estate. 3 3/4 inches wide in front and with a wearable length (when the edges meet) of 6 1/2 inches. Overall excellent condition. The tips of the longest "fronds" have some very slight unevenness which is most likely from the ...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Strands : Pre 1950 item #1298457
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Lovely vintage 1930s or 1940s genuine butterscotch egg yolk honey amber necklace with graduated oval beads and silvertone spring ring clasp. All the beads are about half opaque and half translucent. Professionally restrung on silk cord. The clasp has an early collar opening, without the thumb tab. It weighs 24.5 grams. Guaranteed genuine amber. Wearable length is 19 1/2 inches. The largest center bead is 18mm by 7mm. The smallest end beads are 10mm by 7mm. Excellent condition with some miniscule...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Period : Pre 1940 item #992060
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Lush vintage angelskin or salmon coral beaded necklace with a 14KT white gold engraved slide clasp. Circa 1930. Clasp is marked 14K. The color is warmer than the photos depict. The beads range in size from 6 mm to 3 mm. The shortest strand (wearable length) is 16 inches and the longest strand is 20 inches. The center drops about 2 1/2 inches. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail. Display form is lifesize.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Strands : Jewels : Pre 1940 item #1260748
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Stunning early vintage butterscotch egg yolk amber necklace with 42 matched large round beads hand knotted with matching amber silk thread, and with goldtone spring ring clasp. It weighs 58 grams. 1930s, all original. The beads are variegated in color and range from opaque to semi translucent, with great markings. 24 inches wearable length and the beads range from 12mm to 13mm or 1/2 inch wide. Excellent vintage condition with some slight crazing on some beads and some naturally occurring openin...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Bakelite : Pre 1940 item #763963
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Amazing vintage necklace with very big deeply carved Bakelite beads in apple juice and cherry amber color, strung on handknotted dark brown cord, with a brass spring ring clasp with a thumb catch. Circa 1935. Both the apple juice and cherry amber elements test positive for Bakelite. Guaranteed vintage and original. The center apple juice bead is 32 mm in diameter and the large cherry amber beads are 35 mm long. A stunning and unusual piece.

Wearable length is 21 1/2 inches and the...

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Deco : Pre 1940 item #697976
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Beautiful sterling articulated necklace with many glittering crystal round and baguette stones and a pendant with a huge brilliant peridot green glass openback and unfoiled stone. Marked OTIS STERLING. Circa 1940. Substantial at 49 grams. The green color is much more intense than the photos depict.

A classic collectible Art Deco piece, and currently perfectly of the moment as well. The fashion world is in the midst of a major Art Deco revival, with top houses such as Marc Jacobs, Lanvin...

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Strands : Jewels : Pre 1940 item #1288104
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Lovely Art Deco pools of light necklace circa 1920 or 1930, made from 14 genuine rock crystal orbs, undrilled, held in sterling silver wire, with dainty decorative connecting links, and a hook close. Guaranteed genuine rock crystal; images viewed through the orbs are shown upside down and backwards. The orbs are 13mm in diameter. Nice size -- 18 inches wearable length. The stones are in excellent condition with no chips. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1940 item #1362911
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Beautiful vintage 1930s bib necklace in dark goldtone metal with festooned chains with solid metal drops with a cross hatched design, with hook clasp. Most likely French, based on quality and construction. Substantial and very well made. No missing elements. 18 1/2 inches wearable length and the center drops about 1 5/8 inches. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Mexican : Pre 1940 item #1063917
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Vintage necklace with large openwork drops with incised decoration alternating with smaller drops with silver hemispheres. Circa 1935, with early pre-eagle marks. Marked E BARENA (the R, E, and N are obscured), TAXCO, MEX, and 925. This name is listed in "The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks" by Bille Hougart. This piece and most of the other Mexican silver I have listed came from one long time collector's estate. Substantial at 72 grams. 15 inches wearable length an...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Strands : Jewels : Pre 1940 item #1255298
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Beautiful early vintage Chinese carnelian beaded necklace with graduated large oblong beads with silvertone spring ring clasp. 1930s. The beads have great surface variations and shaded colors. 88 grams. This necklace has been professionally restrung on silver color soft flex wire for security. 22 inches wearable length and the largest bead is 22mm by 15mm. The smalles beads are 8mm by 7mm. Beads are in excellent condition. The clasp is slightly off center from the large center bead a...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Gold : Pre 1940 item #1123699
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Beautiful early vintage Chinese apple jade beaded necklace with a very finely carved and pierced oval element mounted with prongs in a 14KT gold setting with a slide clasp. Circa 1930. Marked 14K and tests positive for 14KT gold. The beads graduate from large to small and back again to large at either end of the center element. 15 inches wearable length and 1 inch wide at the center. The carved gold mounted element is 1 5/8 inches side to side and 1 inch top to bottom. The beads graduate...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1940 item #1262498
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Stunning 1930s Art Deco riviere necklace in silvertone metal with large brilliant bezel set openback faceted glass crystal stones. Marked GERMANY. The stones are held by prongs at the front. The backs of the bezels are decorated with a finely detailed flower form motif. The stones have pointed backs. Spring ring clasp. Wearable length is 16 1/2 inches and the stones and settings are 7/16 inch or 12mm. Excellent condition. Some tiny flea bites on some stones; most are only visible with a loupe. D...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1940 item #1258738
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Beautiful unusual vintage 1930s Art Deco necklace with multi color beads wired in dark goldtone metal, in a bib design. With large opaque cube shaped black beads, and small faceted transparent beads in green, pink, red, aqua, pale blue, and yellow, arranged in single drops and in sprays of four. A fabulous little statement. 15 1/2 inches wearable length and 1 1/4 inches wide. Excellent condition. No missing elements. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Designer : Pre 1940 item #1115004
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Fabulous unusual early vintage necklace made from marbled Bakelite beads in honey amber with a hint of cherry and butterscotch/egg yolk colors, and carved black wood beads, all wired in darkened brass with brass caps and clasp. Marked MADE IN FRANCE, and MOD DEP, which stands for Modele Depose. Circa 1935. The honey/cherry and butterscotch beads test positive for Bakelite using Simichrome. It weighs 84 grams, but that of course includes the wood beads and the metal findings. Wearable length i...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Pre 1940 item #1141280
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Beautiful early vintage long sautoir necklace in small coral glass beads with larger lapis glass beads and brilliant strass rondelles. 1920s or 1930s. Such a fabulous contrasting color combination. Continuous strand. This has been restrung for security and one set of rondelles are new replacements but this is not at all noticeable. 64 inches long. The blue beads are 3/8 inch/10mm wide. Excellent condition. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1940 item #748507
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Beautiful vintage bib fringed necklace with long black glass rods and small marbled blue glass beads, and a huge heavy center fob pendant with a blue glass stone and faux pearls, all suspended from a brass bookchain. 1930s. This piece is most likely French; the long glass rod shaped beads and the fob form charm are French elements. A fabulous dramatic piece. Wearable length is 16 inches and it drops 2 3/4 inches in the center. Excellent condition with no damage to glass. Photos enl...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Bakelite : Pre 1940 item #761017
modemodern
$195.00
Fabulous heavy vintage Bakelite bangle in true black (did not start out as another color). Tests positive for Bakelite and guaranteed vintage and original. 1930s. Deeply carved in a classic Art Deco bubble motif. 1 inch wide, just under 1/2 inch thick, and standard 2 1/2 inches inside diameter. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Deco : Pre 1940 item #697979
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A fabulous fringed necklace, wearable for day or night, in sterling silver with very big glittering purple openback and unfoiled glass stones in prong settings. Circa 1935. The clasp is marked STERLING and the other elements test positive for sterling. The color is much more intense and slightly warmer than the photos depict. Huge stones, statement necklaces, and the color purple are all very significant current fashion trends. Also perfectly of the moment because it is a classic Art Deco p...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1940 item #818300
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Fabulous torsade necklace with a sliding pendant, in aged brass, with purple and jade beads and "Peking" glass accents. 1930s French. I have owned a signed French necklace with the same repousse enameled decoration. The necklace has a strand of purple glass beads wrapped around several strands of twisted brass wire in classic French style. The torsade ends in filigree caps, large green and purple glass beads, and a screw barrel clasp. The pendant has a huge openback unfoiled purpl...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Strands : Jewels : Pre 1940 item #1277829
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Lovely Art Deco pools of light necklace circa 1920 or 1930, made from 19 genuine rock crystal orbs, undrilled, held in silver plated brass tone wire, with a beautiful openwork flower motif slide clasp also in brass tone metal, with brass tone connecting jump rings. Guaranteed genuine rock crystal; images viewed through the orbs are shown upside down and backwards. The metal on the wires holding the rock crystal orbs is mostly still silver plated with some slight loss of plating. The clasp and co...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Deco : Pre 1940 item #705642
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A beautiful vintage sterling necklace with brilliant rhinestones in channel settings, in flexible links with detailed engraved decoration. Circa 1930. With a slide clasp and safety chain with a spring ring catch. Marked STERLING. Substantial at 53 grams and drapes beautifully. The links are connected at the inner edge and fan open at the outer edge.

14 1/2 inches long clasped and 1/2 inch wide. Overall excellent condition. All the stones are bright with the exception of three in one lin...

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Bakelite : Pre 1940 item #1022032
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Fabulous and unusual apple juice Bakelite bangle with applied chrome plated metal decoration, and inset brilliant colorless strass stones. This piece is French, circa 1930. Tests positive for Bakelite. Guaranteed vintage and original. 7/8 inch wide, 3/4 inch thick, and 2 1/2 inches inside diameter. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail. Display form is lifesize.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Strands : Pre 1940 item #1162948
modemodern
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Fabulous heavy vintage coral necklace of carved graduated rounded beads in soft pink and salmon colors, warmer than the photos show. Circa 1930. The coral is natural and undyed. Great to wear alone or to layer with other similar necklaces. Substantial at 78 grams. Wearable length is 16 1/2 inches. 5/8 inch wide at center. The largest bead is 15 mm by 11 mm and the smallest beads are 11 mm by 7 mm. Goldtone spring ring clasp. Excellent condition. Display form is life size. Photos enl...