Victorian 14K Gold Romeo & Juliet Cufflinks by Bippart

A very rare pair of Victorian 14K gold bean-back cufflinks, the round faces depicting a young man and woman in Renaissance dress. The face with the man is marked “Romeo” near the border and the lady is marked “Juliette.” Note the French spelling of her name. These same medals occasionally appear in French jewels of the period. Lacking very many good Art Nouveau designers here, American designers sometimes commissioned Parisian jewelers to make certain elements such as the faces of these cufflinks that were later assembled in the U.S. as completed piece of jewelry. At others times, they simply copied the French version. The sharpness in the design, including the lightly stippled background texture, confirms that the faces were made by the original artist in Paris. The connectors are marked with Bippart, Griscom & Osborne’s 14K hallmark.

• Origin: faces, France, ca 1903; remainder, America, ca 1905
• Condition: very good, sharp detail, a small seam separation on one connector bar that doesn't detract from the appearance or utility
• Dimensions: 9/16" diameter
• Weight: 6.4 grams