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According to
Antique Paste Jewellery by Malcolm David Samuel Lewis, paste is "glass which
has been cut into gem-like forms". Pastes were used
extensively from the 1700s to the early 1900s and were a desired
material in themselves, not a replacement for diamonds and gem stones. Invented by
Georges Frederic Strass (1701-1773) in 1730, they could be set in
silver, sterling or gold and could have been foiled or unfoiled
(although 18th century paste was always foiled). Foiled pastes were
usually seen in closed-backed
settings where the foil provided added reflection and brilliance. Pastes
could be much more readily cut and shaped than diamonds, making a
close-fitting pave look achievable, and a variety of shaped and sized
stones makes a paste piece more desirable.
Perfectly round stones will
not be found in the early and best paste jewelry, nor will claw settings
and knife-edge work. Cut down settings gave way to the coronet setting
only in the 19th century. Paste could be fashioned in different colors,
including an opaline cabochon similar to opals. Most paste came from
France, England, Germany, Spain or Portugal. Some later pieces were hallmarked.
The introduction of paste in 1730 made the term "Age of Paste"
applicable to the 18th century and their shimmer is as appealing today
as it was when they were made. According to
Antique Paste Jewellery, paste was only made from circa 1700-1865 but
the term has been more generalized to include pieces up to the 1930-40s,
and for some it is used to describe jewelry even later than that.
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PASTE early clear rhinestones
monkey on a bar pin with coral ends, silver hallmark on the back, 7/8" by 1-1/3" circa
1900. View #Q32444 |
CLEAR "SCP England" sterling silver and clear pastes flower pin,
articulated in three sections so it has nice movement when worn. Look at how
beautifully the back is made, with unfoiled stones and open backs. It is
almost as lovely on the back as it is on the front. It has a safety closure
mechanism and is in excellent condition.
View
View #Y28704 |
STERLING silver and clear paste (rhinestones) fish brooch. In
addition to the dazzling clear rhinestones it has a green rhinestone eye and
an elongated
c-catch. It looks like it is European and it is 3-1/3" long. He’s
a great catch for sure and in excellent condition!
View #Y24352 |
CLEAR rhinestone paste dangle
earrings with screw backs, circa 1920, 3". #Y32764 |
STERLING and paste floral
brooch with Georgian-style cut down setting on the larger stones, marked
"sterling silver" on the back, circa 1920, 2-1/3".
View #Y32779 |
SILVER girandole
clear rhinestone paste screw back earrings, 2-1/2".
View #Y26224
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PASTE
star brooch with maker’s mark "SCP" and "England", 1-1/2".
I have heard that the Ciro Company made jewelry with this mark for the
English market, but haven’t found documentation that proves this yet..
View
View #V35928 |
STERLING and clear paste
rhinestones brooch in a
Cartier-looking style with green ribbed glass beads, poured glass
gripoix red and blue commas and clear rhinestones, 2-1/4". View
#Q35358 |
RF STERLING Halley’s comet pin
with clear paste rhinestones, 2-1/2", signed on the back.
View #Q35349 |
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PASTE 1920s red paste and
marcasite silver bow pin in maroon box, brooch 1-7/8", box 2-3/4" by
1-1/2". View
View
View #Q36530 |
KNOLL & Pregizer
German sterling silver and clear paste Deco style bow pin in
box with the marks "935 KP" on the back, 2" by 1/2".
View
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View #Q37938 |
PASTE bird pendant with pearl
drop, 16-1/3" with 1-1/4" wide bird, marked 925 on the back and the clasp,
boxed. View
View
View #Q34518 |
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PASTE pendant with pastel blue
oval center stone and clear pastes surround, chain clasp mark illegible
(830?), chain 14" and pendant 2",. There are tiny chips on the blue stone,
visible only under 10k magnification .
View #Q35303 |
VICTORIAN HUGE silver gilt and paste starburst brooch in box, brooch 5" by
2-5/8". The pastes are set in silver tone and the entire back of the brooch is
gold washed. The pin back has tube and c-catch closure, and the pin portion
extends 1/3" past the catch View
View
View #V35370
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PASTE
pendant on sterling chain with clear pastes and artificial pearl circa 1910,
18" chain and 1-3/4" pendant.
View #Q35325 |
RING 9ct and silver clear paste ring size 7-1/2"
and 5/8" long at the front as it lays on the finger. Marked inside "9ct &
sil", early 1900s.
View
View
View #G33515
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VICTORIAN six-pointed star, an amazing 4" wide paste star brooch in
sterling silver. It is heavy has an unusual blunt-ended pin (see the photo of the
back), so must have been worn either as a buckle or on a loosely woven
fabric. I have worn it on a chain and through a button hole, as well as on
my woven shawls. It is interesting also in the way it was made. There is a
base plate, but the top portion that holds the stones was a thick piece of
sterling, and the collet settings for the stones were carved out of that
rather than soldered on. The paste stones are all original but they are a
combination of European and mine cuts. On the back is a tube hinge and
c-catch, typically Victorian. What a beautiful celestial piece of antique
jewelry circa 1860.
View
View #V39839 |
RING 9 ct yellow gold band ring
with green and clear pastes set in sterling top, size
9+ marked "9ct & sil", early 1900s, lays on the finger 3/4" long.
View
View #G33516
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PASTE lavaliere pendant necklace with clear pastes and green
center cabochon in a bow top teardrop-shaped silver setting. The three
layers with which it is made allow for movement when it is worn. It is
marked with the European silver "800"mark on the back and the sterling chain
is 18" long. Made in 1920-30, the pendant portion is 1-5/8" total length.
View #Q33017 |
PASTE bracelet, hinged at one
side with "patent 17119" on safety catch, original box "Poile & Smith from
Pickett’s Court Jewellers, 620 Oxford St. W.", bracelet 7" by 1/4".
View
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View #Q33007
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DECO clear paste earrings circa
1925 with new wires, earrings 1-1/3" total length 2".
View #Q32988
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VICTORIAN crescent moon brooch with clear cushion cut pastes set in silver,
1-5/8" . The crescent is reminiscent of the mysteries of the moon, often
symbolizing rebirth.
View
View #V38430 |
PASTE
necklace with rhinestones in blue, pink, green, gold and yellow. The
necklace is 17" wearable length and the stones portion at the front is about
4-1/4" wide by 7/8". This is in excellent condition with no flaws.
View
View #Q38803 |
GERMAN sterling tiny basket pin with chartreuse, deep green, topaz and
purple pastes, marked on the back "Germany sterling", 1-1/2" by 1-1/4".
These are sometimes called "giardinetti", or little gardens.
View #Q38572 |
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BASKET Germany
sterling and paste rhinestone basket brooch, marked on the back "Germany
Sterling", 1-1/2". Sometimes called "giardinetti", or little gardens.
View #V26747 |
BASKET pins showing
size comparison. View
View |
BASKET silver
and paste rhinestone basket brooch, marked on the back "900", 1-1/3". Sometimes called "giardinetti", or little gardens.
View #V26748 |
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BASKET
brooch with multi-colored paste stones set in sterling, marked on the back "900", 1-1/4". Sometimes
called "giardinetti", or little gardens.
View
#V20918 |
BASKET brooch with red, green
and blue paste rhinestones set in sterling, 1-5/8".
View
#V20917 |
BASKET
brooch with multi-colored paste stones set in sterling, mark on the back
is illegible, 2-1/3". Sometimes
called "giardinetti", or little gardens.
View
#V20919 |
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BASKET
brooch with multi-colored rhinestones set in sterling, 1-1/2". Sometimes
called "giardinetti", or little gardens.
View #V20920 |
EDWARDIAN clear, green and
purple paste rhinestones set in
silver basket pendant with artificial pearl drop, 2" pendant on 15" sterling chain.
View
View #V31324 |
PASTE basket brooch with pink, orange, purple, blue and
green stones set in silver tone, 1-5/8". These pins are sometimes
called "giardinetti", or little gardens.
View
#Q33519 |
PASTE clear stones basket pendant necklace
with leaves atop, 1-3/4" pendant on a 17" chain,
hallmarked but illegible. View #Q33562 |
CLEAR rhinestones
set in silver tone basket brooch with European trombone catch, 2-5/8" by 1-1/4".
View
View #Y29741 |
BASKET pin with pink, aqua,
blue and purple pastes and marcasites, European 800 silver circa 1900, 1-1/2".
Sometimes called "giardinetti" or little
gardens. View
#Q33105 |
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STERLING necklace
with clear rhinestone florets and dangles, sterling mark and illegible
maker’s mark on the back of one drop, 18" by 2" front drop .
View
View #Y29276
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COLORFUL paste parure with pink, purple, green, clear and topaz
colored pastes set in fold-over settings in silver metal. The bracelet has a
safety chain and it is 7-3/4" by 7/8"; the 4-piece articulated brooch is 3"
by 1-1/4" and has dangling sets on each level; the earrings are screw-back
earrings are jointed in 2 places for lovely movement and they are 2-1/2"
long and 7/8" wide; and the ring is a size and is 1" by 3/4" across the
face. The settings are in the Georgian style, rubbed-over style, but the
screw backs on the earring date this to the early 20th century. What an
amazing set this is, and the back is as beautifully made as the front, all in
excellent condition in every way.
View
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View #Q39064 |
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DECO green and clear paste bracelet set in 12 links and mounted in sterling,
6-1/4" by 1/2".
View
View
View #Q38484
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GREEN and clear marvelous paste necklace or brooch set in sterling silver.
It can also be
worn as a brooch without the chain. The clear stones are brilliant, not grayed like the photos
make them look. The pendant is marked "925" on the back,
partially obscured by the loop, and the chain is 17" and has a spring loaded
catch, rarely seen before by me. The brooch/pendant itself is 2-1/2" by 2".
There is something bewitching about this lovely necklace and it is in
excellent vintage condition.
View
View
View
View #Q37939 |
STERLING bracelet set with many tiny colored rhinestones that are red,
blue, green, purple or topaz in a flowers and leaves design, marked
"320PD TPI" hand engraved on the clasp back and "920" on the back of the
center element, with it’s safety chain. It is 7" long and with 11 segments that
are from 3/4" to 1/4" wide.
View
View #N38485
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GREEN and clear paste lavaliere necklace set in 800 silver, pendant
including loop is 2" by 7/8", marked "800" on the back.
View
View #V38316 |
FRENCH clear paste hallmarked sterling silver bird earrings with
red eyes and wire clip backs, 1-1/3". The hallmarks are the French eagle
mark and a maker’s mark, but they are so tiny it is hard to read them.
View #V38304 |
PASTE pink and clear pastes heart-shaped lavaliere set in silver. A tiny
fleur-de-lis ornaments the top of the heart. #Q37974 |
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PASTE
and sterling ring set in it’s original original box with 5 paste
unfoiled stones that slip into the setting interchangeably, creating 5
different rings in red, aqua, purple, green and yellow, complete with
instructions. The ring is a size 8 and runs 1/2" along the finger, the
box is 4" by 1-3/4" wide and 1-1/4" deep. The slip with instructions and
the box it is all in are both original
View
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View #Q35501 |
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PASTE and sterling silver swallow brooch
set in heavy silver setting, marked "925" on the back, 2-1/2".
View #V33727 |
PASTE and artificial pearl
hinged bangle with lovely fleur-de-lis design on both sides, safety chain,
6-2/3" by 1/4".
View #V33683 |
PASTE earrings with green and
clear stones, earrings 1-1/4" by 5/8".
View #Q34050 |
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PASTE
green and clear bow pin set in sterling and marked "935", 2-1/8".
View
View #Q63854 |
VICTORIAN gilt photo pendant set with clear pastes, with photo compartment,
circa 1900, locket 1" and
loop 1/3". View #V35749 |
PASTE French paste dog pin with
green collar set in sterling, marked on the back "Bank France" and an
illegible hallmark, 1-5/8".
View
View #Q63836 |
PASTE clear paste earrings with patent numbers, total length 1-1/8",
paste alone 5/8". There is a patent number on the back "patn 48340" or
something close to that. It is hard to read.
View
View
View #V38284 |
PASTE
round locket pendant with clear pastes and a bow top, 1-1/4" by 1". The
photo shows a young man with chin whiskers wearing a high collar and on the
back is a hinged locket compartment.
View #V38220 |
PASTE
clear paste flower earrings set in silver tone metal, total length 5/8 and
flowers only are 1/3".
View #Y37984
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PASTE
sterling gilt
pendant with clear and blue pastes set in sterling and gilt sterling, 1-1/8" by
1-1/8". It has a flip-up loop for a chain so it can be worn as a
pendant. This looks like substantial piece of fine jewelry and I was
surprised when it didn’t test as karat gold. It is marked "sterling" on the lower back.
View #V37750 |
VICTORIAN paste
and gray pearl butterfly brooch set in gold in original box, 2".
View
View
View #V34679 |
GREEN and clear paste
teardrop pendant set in sterling, 1-1/3" pendant on a sterling 16" chain.
View #V34731 |
RING with green and clear pastes set in 9 carat yellow gold band and
silver setting, marked inside the band, " 9ct & sil", size 5/16" by 1/3"
top, weight .06 ozs. #Q37980 |
DECO
1920s half pearls and marcasite ring set in gold and silver, size 6 and 3/4"
along the finger. View
View #V36556 |
DECO Sydney Latimer boxed paste
purplish-red glass stones bar pin and ring in 9ct over sterling, the set in it’s
original box, pin 2-1/4", ring size 7-1/4, stone 3/16" .
View
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View
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View #Q36219 |
PASTE locket with clear oval
sides and bow top, hinged on the back to open easily, marked "935" on back,
circa 1900,
1-5/8" by 1" on original 16" chain marked "silver" on the catch, circa
1920. View
View #Q33008 |
PASTE locket pendant with bow top,
clear rhinestones and silver chain, bowed glass front, locket total length 3" by
1-5/8" wide, chain 17". This is larger than the usual paste locket and
will hold a nice sized photograph or two.
View
View #V34075 |
EDWARDIAN sterling
silver and paste photo locket with bow top, marked on back 925 and
an illegible hallmark, circa 1900, two-sided, 1-5/8" total length by 1-1/8" wide.
Lockets like this can be seen in Benjamin’s "Antique Jewellery" on page 70.
View
View #V32192 |
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STERLING paste set in sterling silver necklace with knife-edge links,
marked "925" with an illegible maker’s mark, circa 1910, 2-1/8" drop on a 14"
chain. View
View #Y32923 |
DECO lavaliere with clear
pastes and green cabochons, sterling 1-2/3" pendant on silver 16" chain, circa 1910.
#Q28134
The photo is a lady with BOBBED
hairdo wearing a
paste bow
pendant. View |
PASTE pendant with white
sapphire center stone surrounded by red pastes, bow top, set in at least 800
silver, circa 1910, 1-1/2" pendant on original 17" chain, illegible
hallmark on the loop. View
#Q33009
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PASTE pendant with bow, leaves and flowers motif. It is made with marcasites
and clear rhinestones set in silver tone and the wearable length 21" with a
1-5/8" by 1" pendant. The bottom teardrop-shaped element is separate so it
swings as you move. Even the reverse side is beautifully made on this necklace.
View #Q37702
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PASTE pansy or violet pin set with purple unfoiled rhinestones
petals in sterling with clear paste accents and a real pearl center ,
1". It is marked on the back with just the word "sterling".
View #Q37704 |
PASTE pendant with clear rhinestones set in silver tone with an applied gold
tone arrow, wearable length 19" with a 1-1/2" pendant.
View #Q37703
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BOW topped clear paste
pendant necklace with purple paste center and bow top, set in silver tone,
pendant 1-3/4" long, chain 16". View
View
View #Q37395 |
MARCASITE and blue
paste bracelet set in sterling silver, marked "935" for 935/1000
sterling, 7-1/4" by 5/8" at the widest.
View
View #Q37396 |
VICTORIAN 9ct gold and clear
paste dangle earrings, 1" without the hooks, 1-1/3" total length, tests 10k.
These are marked "patent" with numbers on the back
View
View #V37475 |
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PASTE
dangle pierced earrings, silver and pastes with gold kidney wires,
circa 1900 European, 1-5/8". The larger center stones have the black
dot in the bottom of each and each earrings is marked with a lightly struck
"sil" on the back. A similar set can be seen in Deanna Cera’s book, "Jewels of Fantasy" on page 45, where she dates it to 1910.
Note the similar shepherd’s hook findings.
View
View #V29908 |
SILVER and
paste dangle pierced earrings, marked "800" in tiny letters on the
back, 2-1/4".
View
View #Q29844
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FRENCH paste blue earrings marked "sterling" on the back, made in 3
segments so they move beautifully, 1-1/2" total length.
View #Q38240 |
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PASTE hinged bangle with clear pastes set in silver tone, bangle 6-5/8"
wearable size and with it’s safety chain. The stones are brilliant and cut
with a smaller than usual top surface in the older style and although some
wear is visible on some of the stones, it is only visible under 5x
magnification and not with the naked eye.
View #V37279 |
PASTE ring set in sterling
silver with a 9 karat yellow gold shank and including it’s box, size 7-3/4
and 1/2" along the finger. View
View #Q36233 |
PASTE bracelet with clear and
dark blue rhinestones, marked "935", really nice quality, one tiny blue stone
missing where it is almost impossible to see, 7" by 1/3". This is one of the
nicest paste bracelets I have ever seen, a real quality piece.
View
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View
View #V36311 |
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GERMAN sterling silver and clear paste bracelet, hallmarked "935" and a
maker’s mark so tiny that I cannot quite read it, but it could be "AK". It
still has it’s safety chain and it’s 7-1/2" by about 1/2" at the widest.
This is just lovely with sparkling clear stones, in excellent vintage
condition.
View
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View #X38239
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PASTE clear rhinestones set in silver heart pendant, 1" heart and loop on a
16" hallmarked chain.
View #V38238
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VICTORIAN clear paste puffy heart pendant on a silver chain. It is
engraved on the back "LBH 1902". The heart itself is 5/8", and with
the loop the total
length is 1-1/16". The sterling chain is 16" long and marked "925"
next to the catch .
View #V37734
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PASTE sterling star paste
pendant, French sterling hallmark and "925" on the back, 1-1/8" pendant and
a 1/2" loop.
View
View #Q33323 |
PASTE French miniature
brooch, portrait in black and white on ivory set with clear pastes in silver
with safety chain, 1-1/3" by 1". She wears a powdered wig with flowers in
her hair and on her bodice, great detail.
View #Q33328 |
PASTE Deco silver pendant
with clear and blue pastes set in silver with a gilt back, 1-1/3" with a
1/2" loop.
View #Q33324 |
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VICTORIAN hair brooch, ornate
silver setting with pastes, palette work hair curls and seed pearls, 1-1/2".
This is an unusual setting for a hair piece.
View
#V27578 |
STERLING
and rhinestone moth brooch with cabochon body.
View #Y20812 |
CLEAR rhinestone flower earrings with artificial pearl centers, all set in
silver tone, probably European, circa 1930, 1".
View #Y32289 |
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PASTE silver and paste swallow pin circa 1900, professionally replaced
pin back, 2".
View #V33785 |
PASTE Deco brooch with
blue and clear stones set in sterling, marked "935" on the back along
with illegible hallmarks, 1-3/4" wide. It is boxed "F.W. Gibson Son Co. Ltd,
Newbury, goldsmiths, jewellers, opticians" but I do not know that this
was it’s original box.
View View
View
View #V34325 |
PASTE dangle earrings with red,
blue and green glass cabochons, 2-3/4".
View #Q35252 |
EDWARDIAN silver brooch
with pink and green pastes and marcasites, 1-1/4".
View #Q32999 |
VICTORIAN cabinet card of
a lady wearing a lovely paste parure, 4-1/4" by 6-1/2". Photographer
was W. Forshaw, 57 St. Giles, Oxford, England.
View #Vnph2 |
STERLING and paste lavaliere with
red cabochon and clear rhinestones, marked "sterling" on the back, 1-1/2"
pendant on an 18" sterling chain.
View #Q29659 |
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EDWARDIAN
sterling and clear rhinestones bar pin with a pierced design,
2-1/2". The pierced design is lovely and this is circa 1920.
View
View #Q26216 |
EDWARDIAN sterling silver and clear rhinestones pierced bar pin,
marked "sterling" on the back, 2-1/2". Bar pins like this are fun to
wear in groups or alone, and it is from 1920.
View
View #Q26217 |
EDWARDIAN sterling silver and paste (clear rhinestone) bar
brooch, 2-5/8" and made in about 1920.
View
View #Q27632 |
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EDWARDIAN yellow gold
filled and paste necklace, pink and green pastes (rhinestones) and seed pearls,
maker’s mark "T+H", 16" wearable length with a 2" front drop, circa 1900.
View
View #Q33341 |
PASTE pendant in suffragette colors with white enamel,
purple and green stones and a pearl drop, 15-1/2" with 1-1/2" pendant.
The chain is marked "800" for European silver.
View #Q33716 |
VICTORIAN necklace with a
purple paste center, aqua glass and seed pearls, lovely fashioned chain
portion, 18" length with a 1-1/2" front drop.
View
View
View #V33256 |
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VICTORIAN paste brooch with
clear, rose and green pastes, hook on back, silver tone setting with
light gold wash, 1-1/2" by
1-1/4". Each stone has a flat bottom cutlet.
View
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View
View
#V34587 |
STERLING and clear
rhinestones 17″ necklace and 1″ earrings circa 1920.
View
View #Y24881 |
VICTORIAN black dot clear paste
stones pendant, wear and chips on stones can be seen under 10x magnification, 2"
total length by 1" wide. Each stone is cut in a slightly different way because
they were all done by hand. View
View #V34579 |
VICTORIAN (clear
rhinestones) bow brooch, 2" by 1-1/2", bowed in the middle for a
scarf to slip through.
View
View #V34764 |
PASTE earrings with clear
pastes and green Peking glass Asian figures set in silver tone, total length 2-3/4".
View #V34730 |
VICTORIAN paste pendant on sterling chain with clear pastes and
artificial pearls circa 1900, 18" chain and 1-3/4" pendant.
View #V35325
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LAVALIERE with pink and clear rhinestones set in silver tone all ready
for your own chain, pendant 3-1/3" top to bottom and with the last 4 stones
at the bottom dangling to catch the light.
View #Q33717 |
CLEAR paste rectangular brooch with a lovely pierced design of clear
rhinestones in a silver setting with detailed reverse, 2-1/4" by 1-1/3"
View #Y37985 |
PASTE pendant necklace with clear pastes jointed in 2 places for great
movement and hung on a silver
chain. The motifs are small flowers and leaves. The pendant is 3" from top of loop to bottom of pendant,
and the chain is 18". The back side is almost as pretty as the front.
View
View #V38429
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DECO white paste earrings, no marks, total length is 2", segmented in
two pieces with lovely movement. The clear stones are NOT gray, even though
they want to photograph that way.
View #Q38241 |
VICTORIAN or late Georgian clear paste brooch, possibly converted early in
it’s life from a buckle to a brooch. It has some of the most brilliant paste
stones I have ever seen. It is 2-1/4" by 1-1/2" and has a heavy well made piece
set in gilt silver.
View
View #V38464
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MONKEYS Art Deco monkeys figural brooch with clear pastes on the bodies
and red paste eyes, all set in silver. Both monkeys have a peach colored
enamel on faces and hands, and they are 2-1/2" by 1-3/8" and circa 1920’s.
The owner said that her mother purchased this at Neiman Marcus
Beverly Hills Estate Jewelry Department in 1994, but it was already an old
piece back then.
View
View #Y39011/39111 |
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FRENCH paste 14-1/2″ necklace in
silver washed brass, 14-1/2″ with slight finish wear
View
View #Y24880 |
PASTE salamander
brooch with green and clear rhinestones set in silver marked "800",
2-3/4", slight dent on the back. A similar piece can be seen in
Deanna Cera’s book, "Jewels of Fantasy" on page 145, where she dates it to
1900-1910 and attributes it to Germany.
View
View
View #Q37928 |
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