Greek silversmith Sotirios Voulgaris arrived in Rome in 1881 and set up his own shop there in 1884, calling it Bulgari, an Italianization of his last name (in the brand's logo, it's styled BVLGARI, using the classical Latin alphabet in a nod to ancient Roman culture). In 1905, he opened the company’s flagship boutique on Rome’s Via dei Condotti. Since then, Bulgari has looked to Rome as a source of reference for its fanciful and decidedly romantic designs for necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other accessories.
Although the iconic jewelry house found success with its silverwork and Art Deco designs, popular through the 1920s, Bulgari’s signature style — bold, often using yellow gold embellished with big colorful gemstones — began to emerge when Sotirios’s sons inherited the business, in 1932.
The brand truly hit its stride in the dolce vita era of the 1950s and ’60s, when the founder’s grandsons Paolo, Gianni and Nicola Bulgari decisively departed from demure traditional styles to develop the house’s exuberant multi-gem looks, attracting celebrity collectors like Elizabeth Taylor.
In the 1940s, Bulgari debuted perhaps its most famous design, the Serpenti bracelet watch. The piece’s snakelike coils were made possible by the tubogas jewelry technique, which links a flexible series of thin horizontal bands. Both the sleek, modern tubogas construction and the sinuous snake motif continue to be synonymous with the Bulgari brand.
On 1stDibs, the collection of vintage Bulgari jewelry includes rings, pendant necklaces, watches and other accessories.
Antique 19th Century Victorian Solid Silver Four Piece Tea Set, London c.1854
By Bulgari
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th Century Victorian solid silver four piece tea and coffee service. The set comprises a teapot, coffee pot, sugar bowl and cream jug. Each piece is raised on cast scroll f...
Silver
$972Sale Price|40% Off
H 4.73 in W 8.27 in D 4.73 in
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Walnut Veneer Parquetry Tea Caddy
Located in Reading, Berkshire
A 19th Century Antique English Victorian Ebonised Walnut Veneer Tea Caddy With Brass Handle & Lining A Charming tea caddy with decorative walnut veneer parquetry. A tea caddy...
Brass
19th Century Paul Storr Silver Tea Urn
By Paul Storr, Rundell, Bridge & Rundell
Located in New Orleans, LA
This extraordinarily rare and masterfully crafted tea urn is by the hand of the master Georgian silversmith Paul Storr. Created by Storr while working for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, Jewelers and Goldsmiths to the King, this magnificent piece truly represents the sophisticated style of the renowned firm and the enormous talents of Paul Storr. Applied and engraved decoration envelop this masterpiece equipped with a carved handle, lion's head spigot and spectacular lion's paw supports. The piece bears the arms of the Neave Baronetcy with those of Digby, for Sir Thomas Neave and his wife Frances Caroline, daughter of the Hon. William Digby, the Dean of Durham. Though he held no formal title, Storr enjoyed patronage from the most important and powerful figures of the period including King George III and the Prince of Wales, the future King George IV. His first major work was a gold font commissioned by the Duke of Portland in 1797, and in 1799 he created the “Battle of the Nile...
Silver
Antique Four-Piece Silver Plated Tea Set by Christofle
Located in Tarzana, CA
An Antique 4-Piece Silver Plated Tea Set by Christofle Period: Post 1900 Origin: France Large Pitcher Height: 8" Width: 9" Medium...
$769 / set
H 4.34 in W 4.73 in D 7.09 in
Quality antique Victorian silver mounted three piece Jasperware Wedgwood tea set
Located in Ipswich, GB
Quality antique Victorian silver mounted three piece Jasperware Wedgwood tea set having a quality antique Victorian blue and white Jasperware Wedgwood...
Ceramic
41-Piece 19th Century Vieux-Paris Coffee & Tea Service
Located in Dallas, TX
41-Piece 19th century Vieux-Paris coffee & tea service is a stunning collection that will let you entertain in style! Each piece is carefully crafted from fine porcelain, then hand-p...
Porcelain
Victorian Sterling Silver Four-Piece Tea and Coffee Service
By Robert Hennell III
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive, composite antique Victorian English sterling silver four-piece tea and coffee service/set; part of our silver teaware collection. This exceptional antique Victorian four-piece sterling silver tea and coffee service consists of a coffee pot, teapot, sugar bowl and cream jug. Each piece has a pear shaped form onto a circular spreading foot. The pieces of this Victorian tea and coffee set are embellished with embossed panels in a swirl design, accented with bright cut engraved segmented quatrefoil leaf motifs on a textured background. One side of each piece incorporates a circular cartouche displaying the engraved initial 'B'. The upper rims are encompassed with plain applied moulded borders. The teapot and coffee pot are fitted with domed hinged hallmarked covers reflecting the identical decoration as that to the body. Each cover retains the original hallmarked cast sterling silver finial embellished with scrolling leaf ornamentation. The components of this antique silver tea set...
Silver, Sterling Silver
19th Century French Faience 8 Piece Hand-Painted Tea Service
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French faience 8 piece hand-painted tea service represents the remarkably unique and definitively French porcelains produced in the fabled region around Rouen! Hand-made...
Faience
Antique Sterling Silver Four-Piece Tea and Coffee Service
By Walker & Hall
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A magnificent, fine and impressive antique George V English sterling silver four piece tea and coffee set; part of our silver teaware collection. This magnificent antique sterling silver tea and...
Sterling Silver
Victorian Sterling Silver Three Piece Tea Service
By Fenton Brothers
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian English sterling silver three piece tea service, with Zodiac influence; part of our silver teaware collection This exceptional antique Victorian silver tea set...
Sterling Silver, Silver
Antique William IV Silver 4 Piece Tea & Coffee Set London, England 1834 - 1836
Located in London, GB
A beautiful Antique William IV Silver Tea & Coffee Set comprising of a Coffee Pot, a Teapot, a Sugar Bowl & a Cream / Milk Jug. This 4 Piece Tea & Coffee Set has a gorgeo...
Sterling Silver
SAVORY and Sons - 9pc. 19th Century Victorian (British) Sterling Silver Tea Set
By Maison Odiot Paris, A. B. Savory
Located in Wilmington, DE
Direct from a private mansion in Paris, a stunning 9-piece antique Victorian sterling silver tea set by one of Britain’s premier silversmiths “Savory and Sons” professionally refinis...
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
Antique Indian Silver Tea Service, 3-Piece Set - Circa 1890
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A exceptional, fine and impressive antique Indian silver three piece tea service; an addition to our diverse silver teaware collection. This exceptional antique Indian silver tea se...
Silver