Spooky Antique & Vintage Jewellery for Halloween!

What better way to greet trick or treaters than dressed up in beautifully creepy jewels? Here are some spooky and unique, vintage and antique jewels from our collection.

Beautiful Creepy Antique & Vintage Jewellery

Amethyst Spider Brooch

This creepy crawly is bedazzled with one 1.62 carat amethyst and one 0.11 carat blue sapphire in a 14 karat yellow gold spider setting. A unique vintage brooch for your collection.

Diamond Spider Earrings

Luxurious black diamond spiders for your ears. This pair of 18 karat white gold earrings have four brilliant cut diamonds and 152 round brilliant cut black diamond!

Emerald Salamander Brooch

Slimy salamanders are perfect for Halloween. This Victorian style emerald brooch is of the late 1890s and houses one-hundred and nine mixed cut and polished emeralds combining to 8 carats. Two round brilliant cut and polished diamonds are in place as eyes of the salamander (SI, H - I 0.81 ct.).

Vintage Bat Pendant with Chain

Startling yet stunning sterling silver bat holding a red 6 star ruby cabochon will hang on your neck by a 18 karat, 23 inch yellow gold chain.

Enamel Bat Pin

Scream with delight at this emerald and diamond 18 karat yellow gold bat brooch. Two emeralds (0.03 carats), 139 round brilliant cut diamonds (1.48 carats: SI clarity: H-I colour).

More spooky and fantastic vintage and antique items can be found in store, visit us at 284 King Street West this week for the best Halloween Creepy Crawlies to add to your wardrobe!

Georgian Sterling Silver Hallmarks

Find Out How To Identify A Beautiful Georgian Sterling Silver Piece From Their Hallmarks.

It is easy to identify a beautiful Georgian piece, we discussed Georgian jewellery and how to take care of it in a previous blog. Georgian silver pieces are often hallmarked, this was a constant practice by all silversmiths and manufacturers to assure the quality of the fabrication, guaranteeing that the sterling grade was 92.5% silver. Sterling silver is a popular gift item for any occasion, check out our collection of sterling silver items and sterling silver flatware.

There are five types of marks which are present on English sterling silver:

A Date Mark

A date mark depicts the year a piece was tested. A letter of the alphabet is used, this letter is assigned to a year – acute attention should be paid as letters were used in both lowercase and capital form as well as in different shapes of punches, fonts and backgrounds. (a) in the zoomed photo of the Sterling Silver Salver shows the datemark.

Georgian Sterling Silver Salver, London, 1777, Robert James & John Schofield, mark registered 1776

A Makers Mark

The silversmith has a mark that was derived from the creator’s initials, this is the maker’s mark.

Georgian Silver Goblet, London 1811, Samuel Hennell, mark registered 1811

A Duty Mark

The duty mark is related to tax, George the third applied a silver tax in 1784 during the time of the American War of Independence. A duty mark can be found on pieces from 1784-1890. The duty mark displays the mark of the ruling sovereign and insured the buyer that there was tax paid on the piece.

Antique Georgian Sterling Silver Wine Funnel.  Hallmarked London 1819,  made by Charles Fox, of 139 Old Street, Goswell Street, London UK. 183.4 g
6 1/2" long by 4 1/8" diameter at the base.

Town Mark

The town mark sometimes referred to as the assay office shows the location where the silver was tested for its quality.

In the Georgian era silver was assayed at London, Birmingham, Chester, Dublin, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, New Castle, Sheffield, Tory. Today offices are still operating from London, Birmingham, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Sheffield.

Assay Mark

The assay mark, a “lion passant”, confirms that the item has met the qualifications of sterling silver standard.

Contact us for more info.

Pristine Georgian Sterling Silver 5 piece table garniture set. English hallmarks stamped for London in 1812. Created by Silversmith John Houle.

Priced at $29000

How To Clean Antique Vintage Jewellery & Engagement Rings

Care and Cleaning Tips For Your Open Backed Antique Vintage Jewellery & Engagement Ring!

Care Kit Checklist:

- mild liquid soap (if you can find salt free, that is best)

- ammonia based jewellery or window cleaner  diamonds, sapphires, and rubies only

- small brush with soft bristles

- water

- bowl 

- lint-free soft fabric or clean eyeglass cloth

How to:

1. Place the antique jewellery item in warm water or the ammonia based window cleaner in a bowl. Be wary of using sinks, make sure all drains are closed!

2. While holding the antique jewellery over the bowl use the soft bristled brush, soap or cleaner to gently brush all crevices and underneath. Repeat this after rinsing if necessary.

3. Soak your antique jewellery overnight if it is coated with dirt, then follow step two.

4. Rinse the antique jewellery while holding it over the bowl with warm water, this will prevent losing any loose stones

5. Dry your antique jewellery on a soft, lint free cloth or clean eyeglass cloth. Make sure to inspect the item once it is dry.

When in doubt, please contact Cynthia Findlay. Other titbits on cleaning your jewellery:

i) Ultrasonic cleaners should not be used on any vintage or antique jewellery

ii) Liquids should never be used on sensitive materials like hair, photographs or portrait miniatures – often these are found in vintage, antique lockets. Instead just use a cloth.

iii) Opals, pearls, turquoise are common porous and soft gems which should only be cleaned with water and a mild liquid soap. Never soak overnight, and only immerse in liquids for a few minutes. It is important to rinse well before drying your antique opal, pearl or turquoise jewellery.