Jewellery

While prices and interest have been declining in desk sets since computer laptops rendered them largely redundant, there are exceptions.

The appeal of this bracelet hung with eight enamel charms depicting Snow White and Seven Dwarfs lies in its Disney subject matter and its association with Cartier.

An episode of BBC Antiques Roadshow filmed at Windermere and broadcast in February included this 18ct gold and pearl necklace by HG Murphy.

The star of a recent Chiswick Auctions’ (25/12% buyer’s premium) Jewellery auction was an Art Deco diamond and rock crystal Cartier brooch, c.1925.

Here we feature a selection of very different brooches coming up for sale in the UK regions in July.

This liver bird brooch, hallmarked for 1943, appears to have been commissioned as a bespoke order for Margaret Hall, the daughter of a lord mayor of Liverpool who, from 1935-6, was herself the lady mayoress of the city.

In the thrifty years after the Wall Street Crash, many Cartier jewels used fewer large diamonds and more colourful secondary stones. What they lost in intrinsic value they more than made up for with the ‘wow’ factor.

These two fine examples of archaeological revival gold jewellery come for sale in the regions in July.

Kashmir sapphires have acquired a near-legendary status, due to their lustrous cornflower colour, soft velvety texture and extreme rarity.

The collection of about 800 engraved gems formed by the nobleman and politician George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739-1817), was the largest and most important of the age.

Halls’ (23% buyer’s premium) Summer auction in Shrewsbury on June 16 included a private collection of nine pieces of Boucheron jewellery.

The Fine Jewellery sale at Woolley & Wallis on July 15 includes this pair of Burmese ruby and diamond earrings with a family provenance to Edith Vane-Tempest-Stewart (née Chaplin), Marchioness of Londonderry (1878-1959).

The timed sale of jewellery and watches running at Hotlotz in Singapore until May 30 features 74 lots consigned from a private family collection.

For the famous English socialite Anne Parsons, Countess of Rosse (1902-92), appearances certainly mattered – and she was known to use eye-catching jewels to accentuate her own beauty.

How a firm of importers brought Jugendstil jewellery to Britain – with the help of a little German efficiency

The Islamic and Indian Art sale at Bonhams (27.5/25% buyer’s premium) in London on March 30 included this diamond and emerald set forehead pendant (chand-tikka) from the collection of Maharani Jindan Kaur (1817-63).

A spectacular parure of sapphires and diamonds, from the collection of Napoleon’s adoptive daughter, Stephanie de Beauharnais, Grand Duchess of Baden (1789-1860), is for sale at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva on May 12.

Kingham & Orme’s (23% buyer’s premium) first-ever specialist auction of Jewellery & Watches took place on February 19 with just over 200 lots.