Historic jewellery: as the recent highlights of the market reveal, remarkable historic jewels are still coming to light. Collectors should be aware that many of the finest pieces are sold by dealers rather than at auction

Although connoisseurs have lengthy been lamenting the dearth of genuine antique jewellery, a shut up look at the international art market above the past two years provides evidence that things of quality from the renaissance to the First Empire do continue to advance up for sale, either end private transactions or through the auction rooms

Unfortunately, the authenticity of the sixteenth-century figurative jewels which are considered the summit of the goldsmith's craft is difficult to establish, thanks to the number of nineteenth-century forgeries and revivalist versions. Hence the importance of a cameo portrait of Philip II (1527-98) in armour, inscribed with his name and title, which has survived in the original setting (Fig. 1) and was freshly sold by D.S. Lavender, London. The frame is studd with eight table-cut diamonds, and the back is enamelled with a black memorial of conquest of arms alluding to Philip's part as military leader of his tribe and champion of the Catholic cause against the forces of Protestantism. As might be awaited from the greatest art patron of an art-loving hundred the jewel perfectly embodies a calm, majestic ideal of sovereignty. Since the art of cameo cutting is of that kind a difficult one, these hardstone royal images were regarded as the greatest in quantity prestigious of gifts, reserved either for a shut up relation of the monarch or a somebody of the greatest political importance. Philip II's sister Done Juana of Austria is depicted with a jewel of this mark on her funeral monument by means of Pompeo Leoni in the chapel of the abbey of Descalzas Reales, as is his daughter, the Infanta Clara Eugenia, in a portrait by dint of Alonso Sanchez Coello of about 1580 (Museo del Prado, Madrid). This example would have been worn upon a chain round the neck proudly displayed like an order or badge of loyalty.

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level rarer is a jewel of about 1670 representing St Jerome in Penitence, the brow with a diamond frame, the back enamelled with flowers in relief, sold by the agency of S.J. Philips, London. It combines the fervour of the reckoner Reformation, the growing interest in botany and the passion for the diamond at a time when supplies were increasing and exhibitions in the techniques of faceting were releasing more light and fire than the earlier point and table chops (Fig. 2). Although this great discovery has no provenance, it is likely to have draw near from Spain, since so many of the country's sixteenth and seventeenth-century gymnasiums and churches were dedicated to the early Christian scholar who translated the Bible into the Latin Vulgate. Indeed, the Infanta Clara Eugenia wears a St Jerome jewel pinned to the feathers of her hat in another portrait through Alonso Sanchez Coello, of 1579 (Museo del Prado, Madrid).

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Indisputably English is the clump of jewels associated with Neil Gwynn sold by means of her descendant the Duke of St Albans, and shown by dint of S.J. Phillips of London at the Grosvenor House Fair in June 2003 Now dispersed, it comprised diamonds said to have been given to her through Charles II, later set into a pin for the hair and a comely cluster ring, and other items of royal Stuart interest: memorial jewels of Charles I and Charles II, a ring plant with a fine cornelian cameo bust of Charles I wreathed and wearing armour, and a highly important crystal pendant enclosing a carved thicket painted and gilt bust of Charles I wearing rise sash and badge of the Order of the Garter, attributed to Nicholas Briot (1579-1646) Of no intrinsic value on the other hand nonetheless very evocative of the Stuart court was an oblong locket enclosing a silver thread ribbon knot upon a plaid fragment, the back inscribed 'A PIECE OF THE RIBBON WORN by dint of CHARLES 2ND ON THE DAY OF HIS MARRIAGE'.

Also interesting upon account of its provenance is the grand Sevigne or breast jewel place with an emerald cameo in a diamond frame by means of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell in 1829 for Charlotte Florentia, wife of Hugh 3rd Duke of Northumberland (Fig. 3) Whereas jewellery made through Rundells--world-famous at that time--is rare enough, level more so is the 558 carat emerald cameo, which the Duchess had inherited from her grandfather, Robert Clive (1725-75) 1st Baron Clive of Plassey. The greatest in quantity successful of all the nabobs who acquired fortunes in India, following a drawn out tradition he transferred much of his wealth domicile to England in the form of gemstones, a certain number of of which he sold, on the other hand kept others, such as this cameo, and the diamonds surrounding it, for the women of his family. This fine example of seventeenth-century Mughal court engraving put in a late Georgian jewel was sold for 1181250 [pound sterling] by the agency of Christie's, London, last year. (1)

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As the Empres Josephine, who had of the first grade taste, bought jewellery for her daughter-in-law Augusta, Princess of Bavaria, wife of Eugene de Beauharnais, viceroy of Italy, a pearl necklace with that provenance evok memories of the Empres and the splendours of her court. From Princess Augusta, who wears them with pride in a portrait, the pearls were passed to her daughter Josefina, who married the futurity Oscar I of Sweden in 1827 and thereafter come downed through various generations of the Swedish royal family. The necklace was sold through Phillips in New York in 2002 for $200000 (2)