We’d
like to thank all of the folks who’ve been so generous with their compliments
and positive feedback.We work hard to be worthy of our
100% rating and always try to provide 5 star service…so to that end we are pleased to offer free
U.S. shipping of these
earrings.
This auction is for a fabulous pair of genuine Victorian era coral earrings.
The oval earring face has a wonderful scalloped framing edge with a deeply scalloped, three dimensional top, all laid out in the form of a Maltese cross. Centered in the middle is a vertical “twig” of genuine branch coral, held in place with a tiny golden belt. We think it’s remarkable that even this slim strap has been decorated with fine embossing. The Victorian’s were a sentimental lot who assigned meaning to every flower and gem. They thought coral promoted good health and longevity, and it certainly worked for the earrings themselves! The earring faces were made circa 1880, 130 years ago, in 10k rolled gold plate; the vintage style ear wires are solid 14k yellow gold .
Overall, the earrings have a unique and eye catching style.Branch coral jewelry commonly has a golden “knot” form which makes this unique pair of earrings so very striking. The 1860’s were a time of austerity and ladies wore simple dresses (albeit with huge hooped skirts) and quite severe hair styles that usually covered the ears. As the 1870’s came on, and the money of the new industrial revolution poured into the economy, styles became fancy and uber feminine with new fabrics, lace and bows. Ladies began to sweep their hair back from their ears and dangling earrings were a must have. We’ve pictured a couple of lovely ladies of the era wearing their similar coral set earrings.
The earring faces measure a feminine 18.6mm long by 14.3mm wide and hang 1 and 3/16th inches long overall in the ear. They weigh 4.8 total grams or 2.4 grams each, light and comfortable for all day. For reference, a US dime measures 17.9mm in diameter and weighs 2.3 grams. They are in excellent, ready to wear condition with no dings or dents in the metal.
We are professional jewelers who specialize in antique jewelry repair and restoration. For the last five years, we have been making jewelry from the forgotten treasures of the last century. Antique cufflinks, buttons, pins and bracelet links…all have become one of a kind pairs of earrings. This pair of striking earrings started out as a pair of collar buttons. There was a time when difficult to launder clothes were protected by wearing removable linen collars and cuffs; decorative, removable buttons were the most efficient and elegant was to hold them in place. It’s a shame that they sat in a drawer all of these years: unwearable when we now use fixed cuffs and collars. Look close at the gal ion the last photo: she’s wearing a removable collar with two collar buttons!
After removing the pillar and button back, we attached the 14k ear wires and catchers using our laser welder. We always use solid 14k so you have good gold for your ears…I wouldn’t have anything less, why would you? The vintage style shepherd hook and catch are so easy to use…no fumbling with (or losing!) little ear nuts and they give the earring a bit of eye catching swing. It’s the laser welder that makes these and all of our earrings possible. This $30,000 machine literally generates a laser beam which welds the metals together…no messy solders and none of the heat and flame which ruins the coral. Every pair of our earrings are signed with a “A” in a diamond shape…we’re very proud to stand behind our work and the “Ace of Diamond” trademark is the proof.
Who once owned these wonderful earrings? Were they a anniversary gift from a husband to his pretty wife? What is it about the antique pieces that are so captivating? For us, we love the mystery that will never be solved. 130 years after they were made, they have a new life lease ready for the next one hundred years. If you love the romance of the Victorian era and have been looking for a pair of special earrings, perhaps something to compliment the antique pieces you already own, hesitate no further. These genuine, antique Victorian collar buttons, now earrings, are everything we promise and more.
For our international bidders:We get such a thrill knowing that we
have successfully shipped to England, France, Holland, Italy, Germany, Japan and
China…even to Tuktoyatuk, Canada which is ABOVE the Arctic Circle! If you are
interested in our auctions, please feel free to ask for a shipping quote. We
ship as inexpensively as your country’s import rules allow…IF they allow!
Some countries have very restrictive or even prohibitive shipping
rules.
Import duties, taxes and charges are not included
in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer’s
responsibility.
Please check with your country’s customs office to
determine what these additional costs will be prior to
bidding/buying.
These charges are normally collected by the
delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up – do not
confuse them for additional shipping charges.
We do not mark merchandise values below value or
mark items as ‘gifts’ – US and International government regulations prohibit
such
behavior. And finally, customs inspections can hold up a package
for additional days before it will deliver…we have no control over that
delay. A recent first class mail package to the Netherlands took 7 WEEKS to
appear and customs added $46.00 to a $167.00 pair of
earrings.
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