The jewelry that was produced by Henry Birks and Sons has always been admired for its high quality and lavish luxury. The company’s designers never neglected the classical dazzle of the diamond for any other types of precious stones and made the brand renowned for its outstanding brilliant jewelry. The designs of the platinum, white and yellow gold diamond rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and pendants have always had a classical form with the gemstones being the centerpieces of each item focusing the attention on their perfection and unmistakable sparkle.
Read the full story »Georgian, Edwardian, Victorian, Art Nouveau and Art Deco antique jewelry.
Boxes, trunks, coffers and caskets of and influenced by the Art Nouveau period.
Antiques and collectibles from the Georgian era.
English silver hall marks and maker marks.
The world of art and design has always been influenced by the work of notable individuals who have used their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to produce remarkable art forms that become the standard for the following generations. The most famous silver and jewelry makers in Canada – Henry Birks and Sons have been renowned for over 130 years for their unique luxury designs that have become synonymous for high class and prestige. The company is the leader in the production of decorative items and fine, vintage and diamond jewelry including wedding jewelry, and watches. It is also the most worldwide celebrated Canadian jewelry maker with numerous international achievement awards.
An early 20th century antique Victorian brooch made from enamel, diamonds and pearls by Henry Birks & Sons
The silverware designs of Henry Birks and Sons exclusively followed the principles set by the previous Birks’ generations. The silverware items were and are still made from the finest sterling silver that allows for various forms and ornamentation to be created with the pieces having the highest quality and durability possible. The company was set up at a time when in Britain the eclectic Victorian style was still widely admired and some of its most notable models were inspired by the best aspects of the antique decorative arts. The wavy shell-like miniature forms of the Rococo, for example, were used to create fantastical silver flatware. The gentle scroll motifs borrowed from the Neo-Classicism highlighted the elegance and sophistication of the works from other collections. With the beginning of the 20th century and the appearance of the technological innovations in communication and mass production the fashionable trends in all aspects of the decorative arts gained a worldwide validity. The silver works of Henry Birks and Sons naturally became influenced by the Art Nouveau and its artistic and elaborate natural forms. Some of the most beautiful silver plates and cutlery designed by the company are ornamented with exquisite floral and leaf ensembles with the flatware pieces also taking a gentle plant-like form. The Art Deco also had an influence on the silverware designs, which became straighter, clean cut and geometric with a focus on the massiveness of the forms.
The jewelry that was produced by Henry Birks and Sons has always been admired for its high quality and lavish luxury. The company’s designers never neglected the classical dazzle of the diamond for any other types of precious stones and made the brand renowned for its outstanding brilliant jewelry. The designs of the platinum, white and yellow gold diamond rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and pendants have always had a classical form with the gemstones being the centerpieces of each item focusing the attention on their perfection and unmistakable sparkle. The Birks 3-stone rings have become a real classic with their sophisticated design and elegant outline. The art movements have influenced the Henry Birks and Sons designers through the years to create jewels with a remarkable and unique style. The elegant and profoundly artistic forms of the Art Nouveau inspired the gentle leaf and flower forms of the jewels made ever since the beginning of the 20th century. The geometrical and glossy designs of the Art Deco inspired quadratic, hexagon and even octagon forms and motifs made from the steel-resembling precious metals with some of the pieces dazzling with small diamonds. In the Birks jewelry these ornaments were usually combined to create outstanding rectangular long earrings and sophisticated bracelets. As the trends took new courses, the company remained among the innovators and leaders in jewelry making with the introduction of new ingenious diamond cuts and the use softly colored precious metals to highlight the gracefulness of their works.
At present Henry Birks and Sons offers a wide range of silverware products and jewelry collections. The works of the company designers such as ESTY are highly valued for their fine artistic qualities. Birks has been appointed the Official Jewellery Supplier for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver, which is a great honor and recognition for their work.
The jewelry masterpieces of Giuliano were sold trough established companies at the time such as Hancocks and Phillips and were popular with aristocrats and even the Royal family. The Castellani jewelry designers produced remarkable works inspired by the ancient world in line with the aspirations of the Victorian Era. Famous artists of the Arts and Crafts Movement such as Charles Robert Ashbee with his fine silver designs and Nelson Dawson also produced fine Victorian jewelry.
The art forms of the Victorian designs were curvilinear and sweeping with the ornamentation being an essential part of the works. The Rococo S curves and the more stylized Neo-Classical forms were masterly complemented to create a distinct decorative design. The ornamental motifs were stylized in accordance with the traditional Gothic forms, but were still inspired by the natural world and its forms with the plants and flowers being primarily depicted. Colors and their role in the design became significant in Victorian art.
The Victorian era is given the general time frame of the 63-year reign of Queen Victoria in Britain from her coronation in June 1837 to her death in January 1901. The period is characterized by a remarkable social and political change that was accordingly reflected in the art forms and types as well.
When buying an antique piece of silver or when discovering one to be stuck in the closet of your own home, you can find or guess more about it by considering the hallmark. It can help you authenticate and identify your item. The hallmark is a mark struck or impressed on silver which indicates the precious metal’s karat and fineness.
The jewelry made by the company was also primarily designed by Jensen himself although the other designers contributed to the creative process. The founder of the company worked mainly with silver in the beginning of his jewelry making career, although he later presented remarkable gold, white gold and platinum pieces as well. The designs of the necklaces, earrings, bracelets, pendants and brooches were also inspired by the natural world. The gentle and exquisite floral and leaf and simplistic beautifully curved organic forms …
Very often it’s in the very fine details where you discover whether or not your find is an antique treasure or a modern reproduction. Hallmarks and makers marks are often worn or quite small on fine, delicate pieces of silver, pottery or jewelry. This is when a good magnifying glass or, most often even better, a quality jeweler’s loupe …
To him who loves to quicken the dry bones of collecting into something pulsating with life, the salt cellar provides a delight which is not easily equaled. It was an honoured guest at every feast. It was the social thermometer which marked the exact degree of rank of the sitters. Persons of distinction sat above the salt, and between it and the head of the table.
At that time a sort of small gold medal was fashionable upon which it was customary for noblemen and gentlemen to cause to be engraved certain devices and fancies of their own, and they commonly wore them upon their caps. I made several things of this sort, but found such works very difficult : the celebrated artist Caradosso would not take less than a hundred crowns for one of them, because they contained numerous figures.
This mark used to be called sometimes the Liberdes Hede, sometimes the Liberd Heed, and sometimes the Catte’s Face. The stamp itself was known as the punson, and it was most zealously guarded.
The company that changed the trend and created its own unique and iconic style, which became influential not only in America, but in the entire world, was Tiffany & Co. Founded in New York City in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and Teddy Young, Tiffany and Co. was a stationary and fancy goods emporium and specialized in the sale of fine glass and porcelain decorative objects.
