Clocks, Watches & Jewellery

After settling in to its new showroom in the West End, Koopman Rare Art has expanded its jewellery department.

The career course of Edith Robinson (1862-1929), a London art teacher and painter of chocolate box watercolours was changed in 1893 when she and her new husband, the Stamford artist Nelson Dawson (1859-1941) attended a series of lectures given by the enameller Alexander Fisher.

Fellows’ Fine Jewellery sale in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter on September 30 includes an extraordinary collection of 63 mourning rings.

His daring organic sculptural designs re-energised the British jewellery scene in post-war Britain, now Andrew Grima’s (1921-2007) creations are leading the revival of ‘60s and ‘70s designer jewellery on the secondary market.

It is difficult to replicate the occasion of a royal themed auction. Ergo not everything that resurfaces on the market from the fabled ‘Princess Margaret’ sale at Christie’s in June 2006 shows a great appreciation in value.

A selection of four upcoming jewellery lots including a necklace comprising 21 cameos and intaglios previously owned by the Duke of Wellington.

A selection of sapphires that drew interest at auction over the last two months

Sapphire mining at the Yogo Gulch in Montana began in 1895 after a cigar box of pale blue gems picked from a creek by a local rancher found its way to Tiffany’s in New York, where an appraiser pronounced them “the finest precious gemstones ever found in the United States”.

A recent sale at Wotton Auction Rooms (21.6% buyer’s premium) in Wotton-Under-Edge included this set of three yellow metal fobs set with carnelian intaglios.

The so-called Irish Crown Jewels or State Jewels of Ireland, were created in 1831 for the Sovereign and Grand Master of the Order of St Patrick. The order was established as an Irish equivalent of the English order of the Garter and the Scottish Order of the Thistle.

Combining technical mastery with recurring motifs derived from nature, Pierre Sterlé’s (1905-1978) style is instantly recognisable.

By the mid-20th century several design houses were taking a more playful approach to zoomorphic jewellery.

This Victorian snake necklace is one of the best of its kind to appear on the regional market in recent memory.

Stations, signal boxes and offices all depended on accurate timekeepers and just about every Victorian railway company commissioned clocks.

Watches with military associations carry a certain cachet with collectors.

It was second time lucky for a 17th century ring made to commemorate the death of King Charles I.

A rare early 18th century folding table and a William III clock were spotted at recent auctions by a Cambridgeshire dealer.

Maker, movement, case decoration, provenance, rarity and original condition are the factors that combine to create value in the clock market. Here Richard Fox discusses some of the best examples recently sold at auction with the views of specialists at Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams

Nearly 200 items of Al Capone memorabilia are coming to the market for the first time after being consigned to a California auction by his granddaughters.