Ruser was known for his figural jewelry with freshwater pearls and for his celebrity clientele.
Gold Jewelry from the Iron Age Found in Britain
Two men with metal detectors unearthed what is thought to be the oldest Iron Age gold work ever found in Great Britain.
Leekfrith, England--Two men who were metal-detecting in a field in Leekfrith, a civil parish in Staffordshire, England, managed to dig up some important buried treasure.
Mark Hambleton and Joe Kania found what is being referred to as the “Leekfrith Torcs”--three gold necklaces and one bracelet that date to the Iron Age, approximately 2,500 years ago.
The British Museum believes the pieces to be the oldest Iron Age gold work ever found in Great Britain, estimating the work’s origin to date to about 400-250 BC.
“Iron Age jewelry is rare,” Lori Ettlinger Gross, a jewelry author, historian and MA candidate in the History of Design and Curatorial Studies at The New School, said in an interview with National Jeweler.
Gross also noted that much will be learned from where the jewelry was found.
“The thing that is most significant about this discovery is the evidence that it supports,” she said. “As people, as a culture and as individuals, jewelry was an apparent display of the self. It was made and worn because someone wanted to have the world see them a certain way, and in a way that perhaps stated wealth, beauty, or power.”
Julia Farley, curator of British & European Iron Age Collections at the British Museum, told the BBC: “Piecing together how these objects came to be carefully buried in a Staffordshire field will give us an invaluable insight into life in Iron Age Britain. The torcs were probably worn by wealthy and powerful women, perhaps people from the Continent who had married into the local community.”
Both Farley and Gross commented on the excellent condition in which the torcs were found.
Farley told National Jeweler, “I was completely stunned when I saw the torcs for the first time. They’re beautiful objects, and the skill which has gone into making them is incredible.”
Each torc was found about one meter (3.28 feet) apart and not far below the ground.
“As people, as a culture and as individuals, jewelry was an apparent display of the self. It was made and worn because someone wanted to have the world see them a certain way, and in a way that perhaps stated wealth, beauty, or power.” --Jewelry historian Lori Ettlinger GrossHambleton and Kania had permission from the property owner to search the fielded area and upon discovery, turned their finds in to the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
An investigation determined
The torcs have a precious metal content of 80 percent and weigh between 1 and 8 ounces apiece.
All treasure is property of the Crown in Great Britain, but Hambleton and Kania will still receive some sort of finder’s fee that, according to the BBC, they will split with the property owner.
The Leekfrith Torcs are currently on view at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke but will then head to the British Museum for valuation, before becoming available for sale to museums, the finders or landowner of the field where they were discovered.
Gross concluded, “Finding such early jewelry that dates to pre-history is akin to finding a needle in eons of haystacks.”
In 2009, the largest stockpile of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found, dubbed the Staffordshire Hoard, was also located by metal detector some 50 miles from where the Leekfrith torcs were discovered.
The Latest
The “Rebel Heart” campaign embodies rebellion, romance, and sensuality, the brand said.
Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff shares the standout moments from the education sessions she attended in Austin last week.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
The overhaul includes a new logo and enhanced digital marketplace.
The money will go toward supporting ongoing research and aftercare programs for childhood cancer survivors.
A new addition to the “Heirloom” collection, this one-of-a-kind piece features 32 custom-cut gemstones.
For over 30 years, JA has advocated for the industry, fought against harmful legislation and backed measures that help jewelry businesses.
Last month in Dallas, David Walton pushed another jeweler, David Ettinger, who later died.
The move will allow the manufacturing company to offer a more “diverse and comprehensive” range of products.
From now through mid-May, GIA will be offering the reports at a 50 percent discount.
De Beers’ rough diamond sales were down 18 percent year-over-year in its latest round of sales.
Sponsored by the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show
The Patek Philippe expert will serve as personal curator for the brand-focused company.
The 553-square-foot shop is aboard the Carnival Jubilee cruise ship.
NDC filed a complaint against Skydiamond for use of phrases like “diamonds made entirely from the sky.”
John Carter received the AGS’s highest honor Tuesday afternoon at Conclave in Austin, Texas.
LVMH said the company performed well despite an uncertain geopolitical and economic environment.
B&D Sales and Service held a ribbon-cutting event for its new location in Cranston, Rhode Island.
It’s ultra-feminine and filled with gold, pearls, and soft pastels.
Emily Highet Morgan and Emily Bennett have joined the agency’s team.
Its updated book for mountings is also now available.
She has been with the organization since 2010, most recently serving as its chief officer of PR and industry relations.
Joyce’s Jewelry sued the bank after cybercriminals drained its accounts of nearly $1.6 million through a series of wire transfers.
He is remembered by loved ones for his loyalty, integrity, and kindness.
Hosted by Freeman’s | Hindman, the sale will take place May 7-8.
The auction house said all 24 timepieces offered in its underground sale of rare and avant-garde watches quickly found buyers.