Victorian Agate Jewelry

Morning Glory Collects…

things we love to buy, wear and share

VICTORIAN and other, SCOTTISH, PEBBLE & AGATE JEWELRY
Agate ~ Malachite ~ Scottish ~ Pebble ~ Cairngorm

Victorian jewelry is as complex in it’s symbolism, sentiment and
design as the fashion, architecture and decor of the time. Worn as an
ornament, a love token or a remembrance, both the costume and fine jewelry
of the era not only completed the well-dressed lady’s attire but also denoted her position in society,
her marital status and her sense of self.

Since the Victorian era stretched over six decades, many types of jewelry
came and went in vogue. Mass production made jewelry available to the
widest number of buyers in the broadest range of designs ever seen
before in history. When it came to formal occasions, the "more is
better" theme of the Victorian era carried over into how jewelry was
worn by royalty and the aristocracy. Paintings of Queen Victoria and
other royals at state occasions show multiple brooches, swags, earrings,
bracelets and hair ornaments. But the jewelry of the everyday woman is
collectible, fascinating and a lesson in history that enchants us even
today.

The
popularity of Victorian stone or "pebble" jewelry was encouraged by Queen
Victoria and it began as a souvenir of her trips to Scotland. From the
mid-1800s Queen Victoria frequented Scotland and her Scottish castle, Balmoral. Scotland became a popular place to view the sites,
with Scottish dress and jewelry being fashionable, too. By the later
1800s it was being made in England and Germany as well. I have read that
the stones used included orange, red and mustard Campsie Fells jasper from Stirlingshire,
green Isle of Rum bloodstone and glass citrines and amethysts simulating
Cairngorm citrines and Sutherland amethysts.

British souvenir jewelry came along with the easier transportation that
began with the early decades of Queen Victoria’s reign
when the English were riding on trains to see parts of their country
that were farther away and harder to reach traveling by horse.
Public transportation made vacations within the British Isles more
available to the masses, and along with that came the souvenir
jewelry from some of the different vacations spots.

Agate comes in
many colors and the lovely or unusual striations can add to their
desirability. Usually set in silver, pieces were also made in karat
gold as well. The stones
included jasper, bloodstone and other agates, and some were also set
with Cairngorm citrines and amethysts. Worn with everything from
Levis to the typical plaids,
these cannot be beat as a wonderful accessory still today.

<<< RE: Maker of the brooch to the left

VICTORIAN Scottish granite
pebble brooch set in sterling silver, in the same style as the popular agate brooches,
2-1/2" by 2-1/4".
View #V34396

VICTORIAN M Rettie & Sons, Aberdene,
antique Scottish sterling silver and granite brooch finely made and with
carved and polished flush set granites, circa 1880-1890, size 2-5/8" by
2" and a heavier brooch that you might think, more substantial. This is
by far the very best of this type that I have ever seen! Even the
pierced and beaded edge adds such precise detail.
View
View #V40982

The jeweller Middleton Rettie established his business at Aberdeen in 1824.
The business became styled as M. Rettie & Son (c.1839) when William Rettie
joined the firm, and later another son, James, also became a partner
(c.1845). Rettie and Son worked between 1824 and 1892 and were well known
for their jewellery using the local granite.
Exhibited their granite work at the Great Exhibition of 1851

VICTORIAN Scottish agate
silver brooch with cairngorm center, center stones tests quartz range, 1-1/3" by 1-1/4".
View

VICTORIAN Scottish pebble
style agate bracelet
with silver fittings and pad lock fastener, circa 1880, 7" by 7/8" with a 1-1/4" padlock.
See Romero’s "Warman’s Jewelry" Ed. 3, page 47.
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View #V31563

VICTORIAN Scottish
pebble style agate and sterling
silver buckle bracelet, circa 1880, total length 10-1/2" by 1" wide, wearable by a
7-1/2" to 9" wrist.
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View #V31562

VICTORIAN Scottish
pebble style agate and sardonyx silver bracelet with padlock, circa 1880, 6-3/4" by 3/4".
See Romero’s "Warman’s Jewelry" Ed. 3, page 47.
View
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View #V31535

VICTORIAN banded agate pendant
set in gilt silver with a nice ribbed frame, circa 1870, 2-1/4" by 1-1/8".
View #V37286

VICTORIAN boxed 15 carat
and banded agate earrings with a gold filled set brooch. The earrings are 1-1/2" total length from
hook to point, and the oval brooch is 1-1/4" The French box has the impressed mark "Depose 612"
and it is 3-1/2" by 2-1/4" by 1-1/4". The box flips open
part way, holding the jewelry at just the right angle for displaying!
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#V37206

VICTORIAN 15
carat yellow gold and banded
agate brooch with pearl starburst center and beaded edge,
presented in a vintage turtle-back box that is perfect for it, 1-3/4". This
lovely brooch tests as 15 ct but has no marks.
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#V33685

VICTORIAN 18ct banded agate and foil backed quartz cabochons locket, c.
1870. Lockets like this came in several sizes, but this is a smaller version
at 1-1/8" by 1-1/4". The back of this lovely locket has a removable
glass covered oval compartment with a piece of wine colored fabric inside. It could
hold
a memento of your choosing, a photograph or a small lock of hair, to combine
the past and present in the perfect timeless expression of love. It may also
be used as a striking mourning or sentimental locket.

View

View #V39870

VICTORIAN 15 k gold and banded agate brooch with a double halo of pearls
accented by black enamel work all the way around. And if that isn’t good
enough, it comes with it’s own perfectly fitted Victorian box! The brooch
has no marks, but it tests 15k gold and the pearls are genuine. The brooch
is in excellent condition.

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View #V39737

VICTORIAN 15 ct karat
yellow gold memorial banded agate and diamonds set: pendant, brooch and
earrings dated 1867. The pendant has a seed pearl in the middle, the pin
has seven small rose cut diamonds, pendant and pin both engraved "In
Memory of E. Johnson, Obt 24 June 1867", pendant 1-7/8" earrings 2" pin
1" , 22" chain marked "JS 375".
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View #V35458

VICTORIAN agate oval pendant and gold chain, 28" chain and 1-7/8" agate.
View #V33977

VICTORIAN Scottish banded
agate beads drop earrings with 9ct findings, total length 2-1/3".
View #V35588

VICTORIAN 15k banded agate brooch with
gold leaves and black enameling, locket compartment on the back for a
lock of hair or a photo,
1-1/2" by 1-1/3".
View #V38296

VICTORIAN 15k banded agate brooch with
gold leaves and black enameling, locket compartment on the back for a
lock of hair or a photo,
1-1/2" by 1-1/3".
View #V38296

VICTORIAN bulls eye banded agate locket brooch
with a large center stone and 9 smaller surrounding stones. There are some scratches on the center
agate, not terribly noticeable except under close examination, 1-1/2" by 1-1/3".
View
View #V38366

VICTORIAN antique sterling
silver snake earrings with black and white banded agate
cabochons and teardrop-shaped banded agate drops, circa 1870. They have 14k yellow gold wires
and are
2-5/8" total length. The snake motif is one of my very favorites and
these are just wonderful in excellent condition.
View
View #V31982

VICTORIAN Scottish
agate locket, a 7/8" locket on a 28" chain with no fittings inside.
View
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#V32777

VICTORIAN banded agate
locket with a covered back compartment for hair or a photograph, and with banded agates all
around the edge and a gold tone chain. The locket is 1-5/8" by 1-1/4",
the chain 30". This
is a high quality piece and a delight to wear.
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View #V33362

VICTORIAN agate ornate
expansion bracelet with opals set in gold tone, 5-3/4" relaxed size, stretches
up to fit a 7" wrist, 1/3" wide. The sides backs of each link are also
decorated. The opal links slide in and out of the agate links to create the give
that makes this bracelet adjustable. A similar bracelet can be seen, 4th down,
in the

1892 RCF & Co. Catalogue.
View #V33327

VICTORIAN banded agate oval
brooch with gold filled dental edging, circa 1880, 1-5/8" by 1-1/3".
View
View #V33026

VICTORIAN Scottish agate
bracelet with banded agates set in yellow gold washed jeweler’s metal, hinged
links make this so comfortable to wear, 7-1/4" wearable length, 1-1/4" wide at
the front and the band is about 3/4" wide. The agates are really lovely, each
with a slightly different design.
View View
View #V36895

VICTORIAN banded agate
earrings set in yellow gilt, total length, 2-1/4" by 1". The
larger agate balls swing freely in their frames, and the hooks are 9ct
yellow gold.
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#V35134

VICTORIAN banded agate oval
brooch with gold filled dental edging, circa 1880, 1-5/8" by 1-1/3".
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View #V33026

VICTORIAN Scottish agate
disks expansion bracelet with clear pastes (unfoiled rhinestones), a
very
small size at 5-3/4" by 3/4".
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View #V32776

VICTORIAN bug or fly pin of banded agate, diamonds and red
rhinestones
eyes set in 15 karat yellow gold
setting. The yellow gold setting tests as 15k, and the pin back
was replaced years ago, 3/4" by 5/8".

View #V37864

VICTORIAN 9 ct
banded agate ball drop earrings for pierced ears, each ball is slightly over
1/2" and the entire length including the hooks is 1-1/2". One earring is lightly
marked "_75" which I think is 375 for 9 carat yellow gold.
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#V37988

VICTORIAN brown and cream banded agate brooch in chocolate, caramel and cream
colors set in gold
tone metal, 1-5/8" wide.

View #V37923

VICTORIAN letter opener with
agate handle, mother-of-pearl blade, silver fittings, 7-1/2".
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View #V31978

VICTORIAN 9ct yellow gold
and Scottish pebble
bracelet, multi-colored geometric shapes of agate set in 9
carat yellow
gold, 6-1/2" by 3/4" with a 1-1/3" padlock. This has the most
varied colors and the highest quality of workmanship I have seen.
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View #V32051

VICTORIAN cut steel brooch with banded agate center, 1-1/2".
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#V31881

VICTORIAN Scottish agate silver bracelet with 6 shaped agate links and
an agate heart-shaped padlock, bracelet 7" by 1/3", heart
1" including the hoop by 1/2" wide.

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View #V38488

VICTORIAN Scottish agate dirk brooch in box, lovely agates, jasper,
bloodstone and cairngorms, 2-1/4". A similar piece can also be
seen in the book, "Warman’s Jewelry" 2nd Edition by Christie Romero on page
29, where she dated it 1850-1860.
View
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View #V36938

VICTORIAN Scottish agate and sterling buckle bracelet with engraved
foliate design, wearable sizes 7" or 8" and 1-1/4" wide buckle5/8" wide
band. View
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View #V36955

VICTORIAN agate target brooch with brown banded agate and gray Montrose
agate with a green half-ball center, marked on the back "Made In England
silver", 2-1/8". View
#V35324

VICTORIAN Scottish buckle bracelet with carngorn stones, total
length 9-1/4", wearable sizes 7" and 7-3/4", buckle 1-5/8" wide and band
3/4" wide. Carngorn (also spelled cairngorn) is smoky topaz color of
quartz and these are faceted and a lovely rich color.
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View #V35323

VICTORIAN Scottish agate
earrings set in lightly etched scroll designs silver, total length 1-3/4".
View #V35590

VICTORIAN silver agate
pebble hinged bangle bracelet, maker "JC&S" hallmark for Birmingham 1918, one
very old and stable crack, 6-2/3" by 5/16".
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View #V33612

VICTORIAN silver and
agate bracelet with padlock closure, 7-1/4" by 1-1/3" front.
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View #V33613

VICTORIAN silver and agate
pebble earrings, total length 1-5/8" by 3/4".
View #V33614

VICTORIAN silver and
agates pebble bracelet with garter motif, 7" by 1-1/3" front and 3/4" band,
engraved initials on the back "MC". A
similar bracelet can be seen in "Scottish Jewellery A Victorian Passion" by
Diana Scarisbrick on page 69.
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View #V33615

VICTORIAN Scottish sterling and Montrose agate bracelet in a lover’s
knot design circa 1880, well made with wonderful stones, 8" long with a
1-3/4" front and 3/4" wide links. A bracelet like this can be
seen in "Scottish Jewellery A Victorian Passion" by Diana Scarisbrick on
page 47.
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View #V35235

VICTORIAN sterling and grey
agate garter motif bracelet, 6-3/4" by 1-1/4".
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View #V33617

VICTORIAN banded agate earrings in soft creams and browns with yellow
gold settings, total length with hooks 1-1/4", each agate 5/8". Wonderful
earrings similar to these are shown in the book "Victorian Jewelry:
Unexplored Treasures" by Davidov & Dawes, page 76, where they date them to
the 1850s.

View #V37954

VICTORIAN Scottish agate buckle bracelet set in sterling with a safety
chain, wearable lengths are either 6-1/4" or 7" by about 5/8" wide on the
agate and 1" at the widest part of the buckle. The variety of agates are
lovely together.

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View #V38243

View #V38223

VICTORIAN
agate bracelet set in silver with etched designs on the links, safety
chain present, 7-1/3" wearable size, center agate is 1-1/8" by 1"
wide. The subtle colors and striations are just lovely in this agate,
both the center and the side pieces, and it’s extra depth gives it
wonderful stepped dimension. Circa 1880s.
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View #V36316

VICTORIAN Scottish agate and stone brooch set in silver tone leaves,
simple c-catch clasp, 2-1/3".
View #V35806

VICTORIAN Scottish Montrose agate buckle bracelet, 6-7/8" wearable
length, 1-1/3" buckle width and 3/4" band width.
View
View #V35266

VICTORIAN Scottish agate
links bracelet with heart-shaped lock, 7-1/2" by 3/4" padlock total
1-1/4" by 3/4". View
View #V32615

VICTORIAN agate and banded agate and silver buckle
bracelet, can be worn 5-3/4", 6-1/3" or 7" and 1" wide, safety catch.
Bracelets similar to this can be seen in
"Scottish Jewellery A Victorian Passion" by Diana Scarisbrick on page
74.

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View #V32569

VICTORIAN agate links
bracelet with citrine (tested) set lock, 1-1/4" by 3/4", 7-1/2" by about
5/16". Similar pieces can also be seen in the book, "Warman’s
Jewelry" 2nd Edition by Christie Romero on page 29, where she dated them
to circa 1860. View #V32612

VICTORIAN Scottish agate and sterling buckle bracelet, wearable lengths
7" or 7-5/8", buckle part 1-1/3" by 1-1/3" and the back is 5/8" wide. Circa
1800s. More bracelets like this can be seen in that wonderful book,
"Scottish Jewellery a Victorian Passion" by Diana Scarisbrick on page 70.

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View #V38615

VICTORIAN antique snake
earrings in carnelian and turquoise and set in yellow gold, total length 2". The
wires test as 14k gold but I cannot find a place to test the earrings tops
without scratching them, so will assume they are gilt over base metal. The earrings are in excellent condition. These
came to me in an earring box marked "Herbert Dinsdale, 98 Stricklandgate,
Kendal", but it always hard to tell for sure if this was the original box.
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View #V32109

VICTORIAN Scottish
pebble agate and
silver buckle bracelet with a lovely etched design, wearable lengths are 6-1/3", 7" and 8"
and the total
length is 8-5/8" with a 1-1/2" wide buckle 5/8" wide band.
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View #V33361

VICTORIAN agate
bracelet set in rolled gold, each links of the chains is beautifully faceted, 7-1/3" by 2".
Lush and gorgeous, this feels lovely on the wrist.
View #V33520

VICTORIAN agate bracelet in
lovely rolled yellow gold setting,
agate catch with star and beaded edge and rhythmically designed links,
substantially made, 7" by 2".
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#V33054

VICTORIAN silver and banded agate brooch with lovely pierced frame
circa 1880,
2-1/2" by 1". View
#V36993

VICTORIAN Scottish agate plaid oval brooch set in silver, 1-3/4" by 1-1/3".

View

View #V37878

VICTORIAN 9 carat yellow
gold and banded agate bar pin with prong set half pearl, 1-1/2" wide.
View #V37345

VICTORIAN large banded agate brooch with loop on the back for a
chain, set in silver, a large 2-1/2" by 1-7/8".

View #V38012

VICTORIAN agate and gilt buckle bracelet, total length 8-1/2, wearable sizes
6-1/4", 6-3/4", 7-1/4" by 1-1/2" wide at buckle and 5/8" wide band.
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View #V34078

VICTORIAN Scottish
agate gilt cross pendant necklace, 14-1/2" and cross 2-1/4" by 1-3/4".
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View #V35502

AGATE bead necklace with what looks like hematite spacers and a hook and
eye closure. These are heavy and beautifully colored, total length 18" and
each bead is 3/4" wide.

View #Q41688

VICTORIAN malachite
Scottish silver knot bracelet, 7" by 1-1/2", brooch 2" & earrings,
1-3/4", circa 1870.
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#V31766

VICTORIAN Scottish silver and agate buckle bracelet, buckle ornamented
with etched scrolls and leaves, band with thistle designs, total length is
9-3/4", wearable size 7-1/2" and 7-7/8", buckle 1-1/4" wide, band 3/4" wide.
Bracelets similar to this can be seen in
"Scottish Jewellery A Victorian Passion" by Diana Scarisbrick on
page 74.
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View #V33776

VICTORIAN Scottish agate,
cairngorm and sterling bracelet with a
padlock locket, circa 1890. It’s a 7-1/2" long bracelet with a 5/8" by
3/4" padlock
that works. The padlock has a lovely etched design in the sterling on one
side and an open crystal faced compartment on the other. Cairngorm is a form
of smoky quartz.
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View #V39929

VICTORIAN Scottish agate
bracelet with heart lock, bracelet is 8-1/4" by 3/4" – VERY large size
and
could be made smaller by removing a link. On one link is a slight chip.
View #V32774

VICTORIAN malachite set in sterling silver butterfly brooch, hallmarked
London 1890, 1-5/8".
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View #V32085

VICTORIAN agate box with 5
stripes of different agate, 1-1/3" by 3/4" high.
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View #V32195

VICTORIAN Scottish small silver/malachite pin, 1-1/4".
A whole set like this can be seen in Davidov & Dawes "Victorian Jewelry"
on page 73.
View #V32205

VICTORIAN Scottish
pebble pin, maker marked "JC&S", 1-1/4".
View #V28065

SCOTTISH agate and sterling silver
target brooch
with topaz-colored center stone, 1-1/8".
View #V31341

VICTORIAN Scottish sterling
and agate garter brooch, hallmarked.
View #V29147

VICTORIAN Scottish silver
pebbles circle or target brooch with segmented agate and a scalloped edge,
circa 1870, 2". The natural colors in this are particularly
lovely, and the size perfect to wear. A brooch like this can be seen in
Romero’s "Warman’s Jewelry" Edition 2 on page 29. Target
brooches like this can also be seen in "Scottish Jewellery A Victorian
Passion" by Diana Scarisbrick on page 64. A similar piece can
also be seen in the book, "Warman’s Jewelry" 2nd Edition by Christie Romero
on page 29, where she dated it 1860-1870.
View #V31966

VICTORIAN silver and gray agate
Scottish small brooch in the shape of a ship’s wheel, 1".
View #V32680

SCOTTISH bloodstone
and jasper and silver with etched design shepherd’s hook ear
wires earrings, 1-3/4".

See a similar earrings in Davidov & Dawes
"Victorian Jewelry" page 85.
View #V31788

STERLING and large
citrine Celtic brooch with Birmingham hallmark and date 1959, 2-5/8".
This style was popular form the Victorian era onward, and similar pieces can
be seen on page 32 of Davidov & Dawes "Victorian Jewelry".
A brooch like this can also be seen in
the illustration "Scottish Jewellery A Victorian Passion" by Diana
Scarisbrick on page 9.
View
View View #V31213

CHARM bracelet with watch key, granite roller, turquoise baby ring, mop drum,
"Mary Louise" engraved heart locket, agate fobs, sterling vermeil baby shoe
and other charms. #Q29419

BRACELET of 14k yellow gold
embossed solid links
with small
watch fobs as charms, circa 1890, 7-1/2" long. Fobs include from top, a
7/8" fob with no initials; a Masonic purple glass 3/4" intaglio; a gold
filled 5/8" fob with engraved initials "EP"; a gold filled 3/4" fob with
seed pearl and garnet, 2 missing; a 3/4" glass Roman warrior intaglio; a
1/2" gold filled fob with no initials; a 3/4" gold filled fob with topaz
colored rhinestone; a 1" gold filled and citrine intaglio of initials; a
5/8" gold filled fob engraved "K"; a 3/4" gold filled fob engraved "TFK"; a
3/4" gold filled fob engraved "JDE"; a 5/8" gold tone fob engraved "S"; an
Etruscan work gold filled 5/8" fob with florets and a 5/8" gold key. #Q22940

VICTORIAN men’s agate double watch fob, 4" by 1-1/4".
#V29420

VICTORIAN lady
wearing a vulcanite cameo pendant, agate bracelet, coin charm bracelets,
heart lock and key bracelet and multiple rings including a memorial ring.
Cabinet card marked "Bushby, 13 Temple Place, Boston" on the front.
View

BRACELET made of
turn-of-the-century enameled, agate, mother-of-pearl, engraved and embossed cuff
link and button covers and a padlock designed end link, 7-1/3" by 5/8". View
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#V18690

VICTORIAN banded
agate in oval rolled gold setting brooch, 1-3/4".
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View #V29754

VICTORIAN jet
and banded agate
cross, as is with small chip on front (see picture), 3-1/8" by 1-7/8".
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View #V27207

VICTORIAN Whitby
carved jet earrings
with banded agate centers, 1-3/4".
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View #V29292

VICTORIAN gold bangle with banded agate center, 6-1/4" to 6-3/4" by
5/8" to 1-1/4" wide.
View #V31797

STERLING silver hinged hollow bracelet with banded agate on top,
etched foliate design on the front, hallmarked
Birmingham 1960s, 7" by 3/4".
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View #V31342

VICTORIAN carnelian cabochon bar pin set in silver, 2″.
View #V26079

VICTORIAN large yellow gold
filled bloodstone fob with Egyptian symbol and initials "CT", 1-1/2′ high
and 1" face.
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View #V29733

VICTORIAN 9
carat 1-1/8" flip fob of banded agate and carnelian on a 16" chain.
View #V23421

MOSS AGATE Victorian pin of moss agate with wonderful marbling set in gold filled frame,
1-1/4".
View #V14585

14k VICTORIAN oval agate
brooch, 1-1/8". View
#V23364

VICTORIAN agate pin in gold fluted setting, 2".
View #V27248

VICTORIAN banded agate oval brooch set in gold, 2-1/3".
View #V25992

AGATE oval
set
in sterling brooch, 1-1/3".
View #V10053

VICTORIAN deep
brown banded agate pin in gold setting, 2".
View #V27241

VICTORIAN
photograph showing a woman wearing an agate brooch. Marked on the back "Murray Kambell Successors to D.S. Hayes, 68 Princess Street, Edinburgh".
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View #Phagate

VICTORIAN agate
or carnelian brooch in fluted gold tone setting, 2".
View #V28779

VICTORIAN round agate disks in gold filled settings strung on elastic
bracelet, graduated from 2/3" to 1-1/2", 7" when not stretched.
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View #V29633

VICTORIAN oval carnelian cabochon brooch
in gold tone setting,
1-3/4". View
#V28202

AGATE cabochons set in sterling brooch, 1-3/4".
View #N60497

DWECK Stephen
Dweck "O.A.K" (sone of a kind) bracelet, chalcedony and agate set in
bronze (an alloy of copper and tin or other metals), 7" by 1-3/16" at
front and 1/3" bead at back, marked on the back of the center stone "Stephen Dweck" dated
2004, numbered "19424, 19".
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View #X32232

VICTORIAN banded agate
hearts, jade cross and mother-of-pearl inlaid heart charms bracelet. #V29263

AGATE REFERENCES:
~

Types, Formations & Characteristics on Wiki

"Agate;
Banded Beauty", a web site that is no longer available

Warman’s Jewelry a book by Christie Romero, pages 47-48

Victorian Jewelry: Unexplored Treasures book by Davidov & Dawes
"Identifying Agate", a web site that is no longer available"

"Fascination: British & Continental Jewelry 1785-1885" on page 103