Silver Collectibles and Curiosities

This beautiful snuff box is made from gold-plated sterling silver. The lid is embellished with a nice little graphic of a church surrounded by generous floral motives and ornament. I...

circa 1950s evening clutch by Cribout of Paris, made in France. Woven microscopic silver, gold & platinum beads. Silk lined. Lightly tarnished except under flap. Wear commensurate wi...

Dimensions: 4 5/8 x 3 1/8 x 3/8 in c. 1919.

Late 20th century sculptural trout or salmon fish tie tack. No markings, but looks to be artist studio made, cast silver with tiny areas of gold overlay on ta...

A silver-gilt and enamel Austro-Hungarian horse drawn carriage model Austro-Hungarian, Early 20th Century Case: 28cm high x 89cm wide x 44...

A finely decorated iron & mixed metal tsuba, showing a dark-brown iron ground decorated in low relief with organic inspired motifs in gold, silver & copper.

Handmade silver and gold mezuzah case. Made in a Damascened technique, the case is inlaid with silver and gold, to create a beautiful, primitively crafted...

Exquisite Shiebler sterling silver match safe / vesta case in gold vermeil in beautiful leaf design from the late 19th / early 20th century. Rare han...

An authentic Q. Titius, silver denarius coin (Rome, circa 90 BC), set in a custom 22-karat gold bezel, suspended within a squared bezel with gold bead ac...

Early 20th century made in Russia silver cigarette case with a gold monogrammed central medallion.

Marked Carol Fugmann and sterling. Sterling silver and gold beads.

Artist-signed illegibly on band. Sterling silver and 14-karat gold. Ring size: 5.5.

Antique baroque church liturgical vessel, open Ciborium, sanctuary lamp, Aspersoria. Late 18th century Italian Baroque open Ciborium, Sanctuary lamp ...

Wearable work of art by Jacques Jarrige. These earrings are hand-sculpted and hammered in silver sterling and gold-plated with 18-Karat, five microns. This wearable sculpture unmi...

Oriental Saber, called Shamshir Ottoman Empire, late 18th century Handle in horn, steel mounted, Damascus blade, scabbard garnished of black leath...

Hallmarked Carol Fugmann and sterling. Sterling silver and gold.

A Spanish silver cob coin (circa 1500's), 2 Reale, Phillip II, set within a custom rounded 22 karat gold bezel with roped accent and a 22 karat gold bail. Thi...

A large and unusual Himalayan bronze and mixed metal nine prong vajra featuring wrathful faces. In the style of the Tangut (Western Xia) Kingdom (1038 to 1227), but probably later, most likely 15th-16th century. The body of the vajra crafted from a copper alloy, with five wrathful faces on either side and gold and silver inlays to the center. The prongs crafted of iron, with each side having eight prongs arcing outwards around a central prong before coming back to a copper alloy point. The vajra is meditational tool...

Silver and gold Torah crown, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1925. On silver base decorated with a small gold Stars of David. The lower ribs decorated with applie...

An authentic Greek Apollonia Pontika, AR Drachm Coin (Thrace, circa 450-400 BC), set in a custom squared 22-carat gold bezel and 22-carat gold bail, wi...

Italian holy water stoup. Second half of the 17th century.

Mellerio Paris, A French Gold, Diamonds, Silver-Gilt, Rock-Crystal, Jade, Mother-Of-Pearl and Smoky Quartz, Carved Horse Sculpture, Jeweled Mounted Object. An extremely rare and unique, one of a kind French gold, diamonds, Silver-gilt, rock-crystal, jade, obsidian, mother-of-pearl, and smoky quartz carved jeweled sculpture "CHEVAUX DE LEGENDE", "A Legendary Horse" by Mellerio, Paris, circa 1991. Sitting on black obsidian base, the solid rock-crystal slab is finely applied with a carved smoky -quartz and jade horse with a harness mounted in 18k gold, brilliant -cut diamonds, rubies, turquoise, and amethyst chains and pendants. The top columns adorned with 18k gold and brilliant cut diamond pendants, the bottom with gold and mother of pearl plaques. The obsidian base with a plaque engraved: CHEVAUX DE LEGENDE" / N° 05 / MELLERIO DITS MELLER / PARIS / 5003 D The piece is in excellent condition and comes with a custom made wood case made for transport. It's very elegant and has French hallmarks throughout. A truly magnificent piece. Measures 10.5" high x 8.5" wide x 4" deep Founded in France in 1613 by the descendants of Italian immigrants from the Vigezzo Valley in the north of Italy, Mellerio is one of the oldest jewellery houses in Europe. The family business soon attracted the attention of the Royal Court and Marie Antoinette herself reportedly purchased a precious bracelet featuring 7 cameos surrounded by rubies in 1780. Later on, in the 19th century, Mellerio became the official supplier of the French Royal family and the Court of Netherland. Mellerio creates many jewellery items, all set with rare gems such as peridots, amethysts, aquamarines, citrines and topaz, applying for a patent, the flexible stem, a very supple and light jewellery mechanism. Mellerio remains also well known for their spectacular series of Art Nouveau jewels, created at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as for the creation of trophies rewarding some of the greatest footfall and tennis players of history. In 1993, the jewellery house launched their first watch collection. Today, Mellerio has stores in Paris, Japan and Hong Kong. July 14, 1789: this date is known throughout the world as the beginning of the French Revolution. According to a ledger belonging to House of Mellerio, this was also the day that the jeweler sold a golden key to the Comte de Coutance for 10 livres. This ledger, as well as inventories dating as far back as 1768, are the jeweler’s oldest archives. These archives have continued to grow over the years, as the House, established on rue de la Paix in Paris, still lives on today, still in the hands of the same family from Craveggia, in the North of Italy. The tumultuous history of the Mellerio family in France probably goes as far back as the Italian wars of the Renaissance, but the first official document proving their commercial activity in Paris dates back to 1613. This document is the famous royal warrant awarded by Marie de Medici to a number of Italian families established along the rue des Lombards, including the Mellerios, allowing them to sell “small jewelery items”, therefore granting them a small exception to the traditional monopoly enjoyed by Parisian jewelers. At that time, powerful corporations regulated the operations and customs of Parisian business, but thanks to this exceptional warrant, the Mellerios managed to escape the confines of this framework. Today, this wax-sealed document is kept at the city hall of Craveggia. From 1613 to the Revolution, the Mellerios lived between France and Italy. The corporations tried many times to put an end to their trade privileges, but all in vain, as a dynasty of sovereigns renewed the warrant. Always marrying and often retiring in Craveggia, the Mellerios continued to maintain their jewelry business in Paris. At first, they did this without a shop. Wearing backpacks (wooden boxes divided into small compartments where jewels were kept), they would tour town fairs around Paris and royal castles. This is how Jean-Baptiste Mellerio (1765-1850) is said to have sold a bracelet set with rubies and Antique cameos to Marie-Antoinette, which still exists today. Many elements seem to prove the veracity of this anecdote. The queen was particularly fond of cameos, which cover the entire background of her famous jewelry cabinet, and ruby was her favorite stone after diamond. The famous bracelet, reacquired a few years ago by the House of Mellerio, is indeed an 18th century jewel, set with antique cameos representing the profiles of Roman emperors. Two branches of the family were operating in Paris during this time, under the reign of Louis XVI: that of Jean-François (1746-1828), the paternal ancestor of the current Mellerios, and that of Jean-Baptiste (1765-1850). The French Revolution forced them to return to Italy. However, both Jean-Baptiste and François Mellerio (1772-1843), who was the son of Jean-François, were eventually able to return to Paris after the founding of the Consulate. Jean-Baptiste opened a shop at the Iron Crown of rue Vivienne, and François opened his at the Palais des Tuileries, rue du Coq Saint-Honoré. His well-organized order books give an idea of his high-ranking clientele during the “Old Regime”, among which were the Comte and Comtesse Octave de Segur, the Marquise (later Duchess) de Tourzel, former governess of the royal children, and her daughter, the Comtesse de Bearn, the Craufurds -who organized the flight to Varennes, the Duc and Duchess de Gramont, the Comtesse de Boigne, and Madame de Souza, Talleyrand’s mistress. We also see the names of the imperial family: Empress Josephine, the Queen of Holland, Princess Elisa, Caroline and Pauline. At that time, the House of Mellerio specialized, among other things, in the trade of antique cameos, a newly fashionable genre of jewel that captured the imagination of all the princesses and noble women of the time. The years of the Restauration and July Monarchy were among the most glorious. The Bourbons were back on the throne, and the clientele of the House of Mellerio had regained its former wealth. Mellerio supplied Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, as well as his mother, wife and sister, with sumptuous jewels, including a set of emeralds made piece by piece, while the Duke of Bourbon, last prince of the House of Condé, offered diamonds to his mistress, the scheming Baronne de Feucheres, and Monsieur de LaFayette also bought cameos for one of his granddaughters. For the first time, Mellerio ventured into the world of arts in 1815, when Carlotta Grisi, a famous dancer who created Giselle, as well as an actress named Rachel, bought jewels at the Mellerio store on rue de la Paix. 1848 marked a new turning point. France once again became a Republic. François Mellerio handed the company over to his son, Jean, and the latter decided to travel to Spain to build a new clientele. He later became one of the jewelers of the royal family, and met Eugénie de Montijo, who remained a faithful client when she became empress of the French people. The Imperial years were lavish. During the Second Empire, Paris was a pageant of crinoline dresses designed by Worth, while jewels by Mellerio, Worth’s neighbour on the rue de la Paix, adorned the noble women of the Tuileries court. The Empress bought pearls. Mathilde Bonaparte...

Hell-III Ring, in sterling silver with 18-karat gold insert. From the "Cantos" series. Designed and made by Anne Fischer, 2011. (Size 6.5, also available for custom order).    

Untitled ring in sterling silver, 18-karat gold, rubies, and sapphires. Includes the following text carved on the verso of the ring band: "Whither goest thou, America, in thy shiny car in the night - Jack Kerouac." Designed and made by Anne Fischer...

A beautiful pair of vintage designer earrings by Asch Grossbardt, circa 1990s. Earrings are inlaid and comprised of 18-karat gold, sterling s...