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Antique Australian 15ct Rose Gold Heart Cut Citrine & Seed Pearl ‘Jabot Pin’ By Willis And Sons

Sale price$1,200.00 AUD

Laybys welcome! Contact Us today to secure your dream piece.
Please note boxes are for display only unless otherwise stated.

Quite a marvellous early Australian 15ct yellow gold ‘Jabot’ sword style pin by Willis And Sons circa 1900 and hallmarked as such.

Crafted from rich and bright 15ct yellow gold and set with fourteen natural half seed Pearls, all original, and unusually this example suspends from two trace chains an absolutely stunning heart-cut Citrine.

Designed and made by one of our renowned early Australian jewellery firms Willis And Sons - Melbourne, and hallmarked beautifully with their symbol of the ‘Unicorn’, 15ct and the guarantee mark a ‘Hanging Fleece’ used by the Manufacturing Jewellery Association.

Quite a large example at 7.5cm this lovely and scarce piece is perfect the way it is however it could also be very easily converted to a horizontal pendant with the addition of loops and a gold chain by your jeweller.

In almost pristine condition for its approximately 120 years this splendid piece is a collectors dream.

STONES
Heart-cut Citrine
Natural Half Seed Pearl

MEASUREMENTS
7.5cm Length

WEIGHT
4.51 Grams

MARKS
Fully hallmarked for manufacture by Willis And Sons - ‘Unicorn’ / 15 / Hanging fleece M.J.A guarantee mark for 15ct gold

CONDITION
Very good to excellent antique condition. This piece is almost pristine for its age, all Pearls original, no replacements or re-glues. Citrine is lovely, no chips or abrasions.
Jabot opens and closes very securely, does not ‘slip’ open like some! All original, no repairs, absolutely stunning.

HISTORY OF WILLIS AND SONS

Originally established in Melbourne in 1858, the partnership between brothers Richard & Thomas Willis is remembered as one of Australia's most renowned jewellery partnerships that would span decades.

By 1868, R. & T. Willis were listed in the Melbourne directory as manufacturing jewellers as well as importers.  In London, they were also recorded as V.J Manufacturing jewellers, the partnership being dissolved in 1874. By 1875, the firm was T. Willis and Co., under the control of Thomas and V.J. Willis.

Willis and Co. continued to trade as wholesaler jewellers and importers of watches, clocks, silver and electroplates wares. Additionally, the firm was listed as gold and silversmiths.

T.Willis and Co. were members of the M.J.A of Victoria, and in the 1890s used their mark of the 'Unicorn' in conjunction with the guarantee stamp of the Association. The Unicorn was derived from the Willis family crest.

The twentieth century marks of Willis and Sons Pty Ltd have been in use from 1904. By then their standard marks were 'Unicorns' a numeral expressing the gold standard plus the capital 'W'. The 'Unicorn' was also used with the abbreviation 'STG.SIL' to mark silverware.

For some 50 years after the closure of their manufactory, the company continued to trade as wholesaler jewellers, manufacturers, agents and importers. Arguably, their mantle as leading jewellery manufacturers in Australia was taken over in the 1930s by G. & E. Rodd.

Credit: Australian Jewellers: Gold & Silversmiths Makers & Marks. Cavill, Cocks & Grace