Garnet as a gemstone had its heyday in the Victorian era when other dark "anti-gems" such as pyrite and jet were also popular. Garnets were thought to be a malady for blood disorders or anger. Pyrope is the name of the deep red, orange-red or purplish garnet. The major source of garnet gems from the Renaissance through the Victorian Era were the "Bohemian " pyrope deposits in the vicinity of Trebenice, Czechoslovakia, thus the name Bohemian garnets.
Bohemian Garnets are real garnets (often imitated in glass) that were mined from a certain mountain region in Bohemia, now long exhausted of its garnets, never to be found again. They are characterized by their intensely rich deep red color.
Today's garnets range mostly in the lighter orange reds to watery reds and come mostly from India. Garnets are very plentiful today but the quality of Bohemian garnets has never been matched.
Today the most sought after gem garnets are the rare green variety of andradite called demantoid. The most important garnet deposit in the U.S. is at Gore Mountain in New York.
Below are some wonderful examples of antique Victorian Bohemian garnet jewelry and Czechoslovakian Bohemian garnet jewelry.
[Click on the thumbnails for larger, more detailed images.]
15 Karat Antique Victorian Garnet Suite. This one is for the books! A rare find. A totally awesome 15 karat (tests) c. 1870's Etruscan Revival garnet carbuncle pendant brooch with matching earrings. brooch: length: 2-5/8", width: 1-1/4"; earrings (exc wire): length: 1-7/8", width: 13/16"
Victorian Bohemian Garnet Pendant Earrings. Superb pair of genuine Victorian gilt metal intense red rose cut garnet screwback pendant earrings. The surmount set with five tear-drop shaped garnets surrounds a central round garnet to form a star. Hanging from the surmount is a "ship's wheel" made up of three layers of round rose cut garnets. overall length: 1-7/8", width: 1-1/16"; star surmount: 7/16"; wheel: diameter: 1-1/16"
Victorian 14 Karat Rose Gold Garnet Earrings. Gorgeous delicate pair of antique Victorian 14 karat rose gold garnet earrings. A red/orange 5 mm garnet is prong set and hangs from a shell-shaped surmount with dotted engraved ledge with two balls beneath studded in front only. The pierced hoop has a swing arm closure. length 5/8", width: 1/4"
Antique Victorian Bohemian Garnet Intaglio Cameo Bangle Bracelet. Without a doubt one of the most outstanding bracelets I have come across. This superb c. 1890 to 1900 gold-plated brass Victorian Bohemian garnet bangle bracelet has a central intaglio cameo of the goddess Diana with the half moon in her hair bezel set in a frame with a twisted rope surround and accented on the quadrants with semi-circles set with faceted garnets flanked by a row of three garnets, then two and then one large oval faceted garnet followed by faceted round garnets. [The cameo bezel and surround may be 14K, not tested.] V-spring closure; safety chain. inner circumference: 6-3/4" back, sides
18 Karat Antique Victorian Garnet Bracelet. Superb c. 1890 Victorian 18 karat rose gold antique garnet link bracelet with four clusters of nine rose cut circular Bohemian garnets forming flowers on either side of an elongated central flower head flanked by a tapering group of round and pear-shaped rose cut garnets in millegrained bezels. The engraved box clasp, v-spring closure is flanked on each side with a cluster of three rose cut garnets. Safety chain. length: 7", width: 11/16"
1920 Bohemian Garnet Victorian Revival Necklace. Gorgeous 1920 Victorian Revival necklace with Bohemian garnets set in gold-plated brass with one large central starburst topped with a floral cluster and another floral cluster hanging from it flanked by graduated floral clusters alternating with chain links with a v-spring and box clasp. Marked CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Safety chain. [See "Warman's Jewelry, 3rd Edition" by Christie Romero, p. 72 for necklace of similar design.]
Victorian Bohemian Gilt Garnet Brooch. Fabulous 1880 to 1890 late Victorian gold on brass domed brooch with five layers of deep reddish-purple antique Bohemian rose-cut garnets. The bottom layer is scalloped with small garnets, topped with a layer of larger round garnets, that topped with a layer of small round garnets, topped with a layer of tear-drop shaped garnets all beneath a triple layer centerpeice with a large round garnet surrounded by two tiered rows of small round garnets. diameter: 1-9/16", depth: 5/8"
Victorian Bohemian Gilt Garnet Pin. c. 1870 to 1880 Victorian bar pin of deep ruby red rose cut Bohemian garnets set in gilt metal. The pin has a tiered center section of three flowers raised over an open undulating frame/border. c-catch, tube hinge.
Victorian Bohemian Gilt Garnet Star Pin. c. 1870 to 1880 Victorian eight pointed three-layered star-shaped pin of deep ruby red Bohemian rose cut garnets set in gilt metal. c-catch, tube hinge. diameter: 1-1/2"
Victorian Bohemian Garnet Crescent Moon and Star Pin. c. 1880 to 1890 gold over silver Victorian Bohemian garnet crescent moon and star pin. width: 1", length: 1-1/4" [See "Old Jewelry, 4th Edition" by C. Jeanenne Bell, p. 75.]
18 Karat Victorian Garnet Ring. This spectacular antique Victorian 18 karat (tests) garnet ring has a center 8 mm cabochon garnet surrounded by two tiered rows of rose cut garnets. size 6-1/2 to 7
c. 1890 Late Victorian 14+ Karat Rose Gold Garnet Ring. Beautiful c. 1890 late Victorian 14 karat rose gold plus (tests) crossover ring of Bohemian rose cut garnets in the shape of flowers. size: 8-1/2
15 Karat Victorian Cross-over Garnet Ring. Deep ruby red color in the two 6 mm garnets claw set in a 15 karat rose gold setting in this late Victorian cross-over ring. Hallmarked with what appears to be an N and H in a fish logo. size: 6-1/2
18 Karat Victorian Garnet Ring. This gorgeous antique Victorian 18 karat (tests) rose gold ring has a superb deep ruby red 8 mm faceted garnet in a rose gold claw setting. [There is a small chip in the girdle at 2 o'clock.] size 4-1/2
Late Victorian 10 Karat Rose Gold Garnet Ring. Gorgeous deep color in this chaton cut 8 mm round garnet claw set in a 10 karat gold setting in this late Victorian ring.
Victorian Garnet and Seed Pearl Ring. Beautiful engraved detailing on the sides of this 14 karat (tests) Victorian rose gold garnet and seed pearl ring. Inscribed to MK ET. Impressed with a B touchmark (maker unknown)
18 Karat Victorian Garnet and Pearl Ring. Beautiful vintage 18 karat rose gold ring with a center of six pearls surrounding a garnet atop a layer of garnets . size: 6-1/2; top: diameter: 1/2"
Victorian Silver Ring with Garnets and Pearls. Beautiful Victorian tiered silver ring with brilliant violet garnets and genuine pearl and seed pearls. Unknown European hallmarks inside shank. size: 5-1/2 to 6; head: length: 3/4", width: 11/16"
Antique Victorian Rose Gold Filled Telescoping Pencil. Gorgeous, exceptional Victorian rose gold filled telescoping pencil with vertical bands delineating the barrel into six segments each with a double row encrusted with antique Bohemian rose cut garnets. closed: length: 2-3/4", width: 3/8"; open: length: 3-3/4"
[Duplicates may appear as a result of an item being listed in more than one category in the catalogue.]
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