modemodern vintage and antique jewelry accessories and decorative arts
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1980 item #1103029
modemodern
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Very interesting vintage French statement size cuff bracelet in what feels like black suede (or possibly Ultrasuede) with large prong set stones, tiny gold glass beads at each end, and fine gold metal chain weaving between the stones, and with embroidered edges. With a magnetic clasp in goldtone metal with tiny brilliant strass stones on each end. The large stones feel like Lucite...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1960 item #1090424
modemodern
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Beautiful unusual French sautoir necklace with large dark violet blue and white translucent glass beads, opaque molded glass beads simulating carved lapis, small brilliant faceted blue and lavender purple glass beads, and large ornate stamped goldtone metal beads, all wired in dark goldtone metal. Spring ring clasp. 55 inches long and 5/8 inch wide at the metal beads. Excellent condition. One metal bead has some loss to the finish; pictured but not noticeable when worn...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Designer : Pre 1980 item #1103026
modemodern
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Glam statement size vintage Yves Saint Laurent necklace in black Lucite beads with a very large asymmetric pendant in black Lucite set in goldtone metal. Goldtone metal clasp and extender. Marked YSL on attached tag and on the back of the pendant. 1970s. 19 inches wearable length and the center drops 2 3/4 inches and is 7/8 inch deep. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail. Display form is life size.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Designer : Pre 1980 item #1214716
modemodern
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Huge statement necklace in silvertone metal with a thick flat "gaspipe" or snake chain closing in the front at a heavy dark blue enameled center element, with a very unusual double snap closure. Marked MONET. 1970s. This "utility modern" look originated as part of the Machine Age style of the 1930s and enjoyed a revival in the 1970s and 1980s, and has been interpreted various ways in costume and fine jewelry, including by such makers as Cartier. Wearable length is about 19 inches...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1980 item #1277849
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Stunning statement vintage 1970s French necklace with five strands of poured glass beads in translucent jewel tones, marbled topaz, and opaque carnelian, with repousse flower decorated dark goldtone metal beads, chains, and openwork terminals with a French screw barrel clasp. Very weighty and substantial. Wearable length on inside strand is 30 inches and the center drops about 4 inches. Excellent condition. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Designer : Pre 1980 item #1330335
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Fabulous signed Gucci goldtone metal and blue guilloche enameled link long necklace which can also be worn as a belt. Marked GUCCI and MADE IN ITALY. Each link is also marked S in a lozenge shape. 1970s. An iconic vintage Gucci piece, these were also made in shorter (18 to 20 inch) but otherwise identical versions to be worn as necklaces only. The enameled links are slightly convex and curved. They alternate with heavy twisted connecting rings. With a toggle close. Total length is 39 inches...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Deco : Pre 1910 item #697957
modemodern
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A beautiful and early sterling pin in the form of a salamander or lizard, with green and colorless paste stones. Marked STERLING and with an illegible additional mark. Circa 1900 or 1910, with an early C catch and safety closure. Possibly French.

A classic collectible Art Deco piece, and currently perfectly of the moment as well...

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Mexican : Pre 1940 item #1063917
modemodern
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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...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1950 item #1207639
modemodern
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Vintage long necklace of graduated Gripoix poured glass beads in green and purple, wired with dark goldtone metal, with ornate filigree caps, and cylindrical stamped dark goldtone metal beads, with a screw barrel clasp, circa 1940. Marked MADE IN FRANCE. 37 1/4 inches wearable length. The largest center bead is just under 3/4 inch wide or 17mm. Excellent condition. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1980 item #1336403
modemodern
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1970s chic statement size runway link necklace in heavy sculpted cast metal, in silvertone with goldtone accents, with foldover clasp. Top couture quality, possibly an unsigned Les Bernard. This necklace can be found with the Les Bernard signature. Substantial at 162 grams. Wearable length is 18 1/4 inches and width is just under 1 1/2 inches. Excellent condition. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Designer : Pre 1970 item #1078491
modemodern
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Fabulous signed French necklace in dark silvertone metal with brilliant pink, green, lemon, and colorless glass stones. Circa 1960, and possibly for Dior by Countess Cissy Zoltowska (Cis) or by Francis Winter. Slide clasp. It appears that there originally was a signature tag on the back of the clasp (pictured). I am also listing separately the matching earrings, which are marked very faintly MADE IN FRANCE and with another mark on each earring. The additional mark is very faint...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Designer : Pre 1980 item #1243755
modemodern
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Lovely 1960s or 1970s French necklace and matching earrings with pinkish beige glass based faux pearls, goldtone metal rings, and rings constructed from prong set rhinestones wired together. Dark goldtone metal mounted. Clip backs and spring ring clasp...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1980 item #1277839
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Gorgeous huge vintage 1970s three strand bracelet in antiqued goldtone metal with black openback unfoiled stones that feel like Lucite, held in ornate Byzantine style "cages." In the French style; I've seen Dominique Aurientis jewelry with this same type of motif and stone setting. Great size -- 2 3/8 inches wide and 7 3/8 inches long. Excellent condition. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Mexican : Pre 1950 item #790686
modemodern
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Early vintage Mexico sterling bracelet with fabulous graphic impact. Circa 1940, made before the eagle assay mark was introduced in 1948. Marked R. RIVERA, 925 SILVER, and TAXCO in a cartouche. These marks are listed on page 56 of "The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks" by Bille Hougart. Classic sinuous feather form design with decorative oxidized detail in the recessed areas. It weighs 51 grams. With slide clasp and safety chain. 1 3/8 inches wide and 7 3/8 inches...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1970 item #813763
modemodern
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Luminous vintage glass beaded necklace in pale blue transparent glass beads clustered in groups, with large and small silvertone metal hollow beads, and melon shaped blue glass beads at the ends, with small silvertone spacers. Circa 1965. This piece is French; the shapes of the poured glass beads and the wired clustered construction are distinctively French. A fabulous piece in a great statement size and perfectly of the moment; the statement necklace is the "it" accessory of the season. Weara...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Designer : Pre 1970 item #1078493
modemodern
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Amazing huge vintage bracelet in dark silvertone metal with faux pearls and glass stones in shades of pale blue, some with a pinkish aurora borealis finish, and palest lemon. Definitely French, circa 1960, and possibly for Dior by Countess Cissy Zoltowska (Cis) or by Francis Winter. I am listing a very similar necklace and earrings which are marked France. With distinctive French construction elements such as "piecrust" settings and dogtooth prongs. The slide clasp, metal finish, and openwork el...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Arts and Crafts : Pre 1920 item #704934
modemodern
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Beautiful long necklace in silver with 60 graduated genuine moonstone oval cabochons in open settings. 1900 - 1910. Not marked but tests positive for sterling silver. Classic Arts & Crafts form and materials. It is a continuous strand but can be worn doubled as shown on the necklace form, by using a necklace shortener clasp or an extender chain clasped. I can provide a shortener or extender if you like. The stones have fabulous luminous opaline color which is not completely captured in the ...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Costume : Unsigned : Pre 1980 item #1244619
modemodern
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Stunning very unusual vintage 1970s pendant necklace in antiqued heavy cast goldtone metal, in the form of a crocodile with articulated links, suspended from a large ring with scale pattern texture, on a double chain with spring ring clasp. The crocodile has opaque black glass stones as eyes. Top designer quality, possibly French. Great size -- the pendant is 7 1/2 inches long including the ring. Wearable length is 17 inches. Excellent condition. Display form is life size. Photos enl...