Kentshire, which is located at a luxuriously appointed salon on the seventh floor of New York’s most prestigious department store, Bergdorf Goodman, and by appointment at their private offices, specializes in everything from antique and vintage costume jewelry to high-end signed pieces from the mid-20th century and all periods in between. However, the shop is widely recognized for its late Georgian/Victorian sentimental styles in pristine condition. For the holidays, Kentshire has curated a swoon-worthy selection of poignant and meaningful pieces that will make your heart flutter.
Before we get into the jewelry, here is some background on the company. It was first established in 1940 as a furniture business under the name Kentshire Galleries, Ltd. and later expanded into jewelry under the direction of 2nd generation co-owners Marcie Imberman and Ellen Israel and their husbands. Carrie and her brother Matthew Imberman (Marcia’s children) are the third generation of the family to lead Kentshire. They continue to refine the gallery’s founding vision: buying and selling outstanding jewelry and objects of enduring design and elegance and offering authentic, original pieces they travel the globe and various trade fairs to find.
And now the selection of heartfelt antique sentimental pieces:
Victorian pavé old mine diamond witches heart locket, in sterling silver and 18K gold, circa 1870. Witch’s hearts were initially used to protect babies from evil in ancient times. In Scotland, they were called Luckenbooth hearts. Then during the Georgian through Victorian period, they came to represent bewitched by love.”
An antique gold and platinum ring comprised of two unique interlocking rings in the form of serpents, one in platinum with a diamond-set head and one in 18Kgold with a ruby-set head. Serpent jewelry dates back for centuries and had many good and bad meanings; however, when Prince Albert proposed to Queen Victoria with a snake ring, it began to signify enduring love.
A Victorian turquoise, diamond, ruby, and gold necklace in the form of an articulated snake, the pavé turquoise head featuring cabochon ruby eyes with diamond-set brows, with a graduated and scaled body, in 15K gold. Made in England, circa 1880. After Queen Victoria received her snake engagement ring, serpents became one of the most popular motifs of the 19th century—with their symbolism of enduring love. The turquoise is for luck, diamonds for indestructible love and rubies for passion.
An Antique Carlo Giuliano gold bangle bracelet, suspending seven carved citrine heart pendants, in 18K. Carlo Giuliano. circa 1880. Hearts came in all shapes and configurations and stones in the 19th century and all had some association with romance.
A Georgian Regard brooch in the form of a half-pearl lyre set with rubies, emerald, garnet, amethyst and diamond, in pinchbeck metal, circa 1820. In acrostic jewelry, the first letter of each gemstone is used to create a secret word or message that traditionally conveys endearment. “REGARD” and “DEAREST” were among the most popular words spelled out in stones during the Georgian through Victorian periods. One of the lyre’s meaning is poetry and it the motif was used often in 19th-century jewelry.
An antique gold, diamond, and opal ring comprised of juxtaposed carved opal hearts in an old-mine diamond surround, in 14K, circa 1890. A double heart ring in Victorian times signified two hearts together as one.
An early Victorian blue enamel and seed pearl necklace comprised of a baton link chain suspending a pendant in the form of a bird with an articulated heart locket in its beak and rose diamond embellishment, in 18K gold, circa 1840 , of French origin. In Victorian times, the French “Saint Esprit” dove seems to be descending from heaven with wings spread. It is a symbol of faith. When it holds a heart in its beak, it represents having faith in love.