An 1880 French bracelet with a 10.15 mm natural saltwater pearl and 8 carats of diamonds by Charles Fontana turned an $8,000 gamble into a $14,000 prize.
We’ve paid five figures for what looked like scrap—including Fabergé, platinum beakers, and rhodium. Bring it all in. Not everything belongs on the scale.
Three vintage Tiffany men’s rings—from ruby to black opal—reveal a century of evolving design, restoration challenges, and the timeless appeal of signed jewelry.
A client brought in a dazzling H. Stern citrine necklace, once a showpiece on tour. Despite its artistry, its resale value came down to gold weight and market demand – not beauty.
Today we showcase a few horse racing
collectibles. Horse racing motifs hold a special place in the collecting world. Steeplechase buggy racing and iconic Derby themes are highly sought after but also deeply woven into the fabric of our cultural heritage. The sport occupies our
hearts, minds and heritage.
People often ask me what I collect. The answer? Everything. Not really, but my collecting habit is what originally got me into this. Today, my collection consists of things that we overpaid on and things
that may have a bit of damage.
Perhaps you have heard of the expression, “keeping your powder dry.” While it was important to keep your matches dry in the 1800s, match safes, also known as vesta cases (things often worn on chains and kept in vests or pockets), were indispensable accessories from the
mid-19th century to the early 20th century.
I thought we would share some cool things from last week’s Hess Fine Art auction. Instead of boasting about the rare Patek that brought $40,000
or the rare mid-century print that brought $50,000, we thought it might be more interesting to share
some less valuable but still cool items of interest.
We will be featuring an unpretentious painting by Willie Earl Robinson in our worldwide auction
next month. We purchased it for $600. We’ve estimated it at a modest $700 to $1,000.
Jewelry depicting people of color has long been collectible. In the 19th century, Americans of color were
depicted in postcards, toys and other controversial in a disrespectful way.
Jewelry depicting “Moors” was often
done in a more dignified manner.
