Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

A 19th century harlequin riviere necklace, 1860s-1870s, composed of graduated mixed-cut blue and purple sapphires, chrysoberyls, demantoid garnets, peridots, aquamarines, topaz and pink spinels, each pinched collet set in ropetwist surround, spaced by flowerhead links with wirework detail and set with seed pearls, mounted in yellow gold, in gilt tooled brown leather fitted case, the interior silk signed ‘Rowlands & Frazer, 146 Regent Street, London’, with accompanying contemporary handwritten note from the jeweller, on headed paper, identifying the different gemstones, necklace length 41cm. £15,000-20,000

The stones running clockwise from the clasp are: chrysoberyl (clasp), golden topaz, pink/red spinel, chrysoberyl, blue sapphire, pink/red spinel, golden topaz, pink spinel, peridot, aquamarine, demantoid garnet, purple sapphire, chrysoberyl, blue sapphire (central stone), chrysoberyl, demantoid garnet, aquamarine, peridot, blue sapphire, golden topaz, demantoid garnet, pink spinel, golden topaz, pink spinel, golden topaz and red/pink spinel.

The firm of W. B. & A. Rowlands was established in the first half of the 19th century, moving from 92 to 146 Regent Street. Thomas Henry Frazer joined the partnership, and when, in 1860, W. B. Rowlands retired the name of the firm was changed to Rowlands & Frazer. The firm continued under this name until 1906.