A pair of cut and polished, hexagonal, plum red rubies encased in green zoisite with unusual reaction rims around the crystals, in white card tray with handwritten label reading: 'Ruby in Zoisite, Pakistan'. See Bonewitz, Dr. Ronald Louis, Rocks & Minerals, 2008, p.150-151. 10 grams total, 24mm (1"). From Pakistan; from the historic ‘Victorian Museum’ or later collection of Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's); formerly Gregory, Bottley & Co. (1932-1981) and previously J. R. Gregory & Co. (1898-1932); originally James Reynolds Gregory (1858-1898"). This item is part of a historic collection of fossils and minerals which has recently been reviewed by leading geological expert Dr. Ronald Bonewitz. The firm Gregory, Bottley and Lloyd (Gregory's), was acquired by TimeLine Auctions in 2016. London-born James Reynolds Gregory (1832-1899) founded the company, which is the second longest-running gem and fossil dealership in the world. James was educated at Archbishop Tennison's School, and afterward found employment in a jewellery company on Regent Street. In 1858 he established his own business in King William Street. A few years later he moved to ‘very extensive premises’ in Golden Square, Covent Garden. He was one of the best known dealers in London, exhibiting at major commercial shows throughout the world and winning awards for excellence in Paris in 1867, Sydney in 1879 and London in 1862, 1883 and 1884. James primarily bought his stock at auction, from collectors and other dealers, and supplied many major collectors and scientists of his day. He built superb personal collections, a selection going to the British Museum. He wrote many papers and was a member of several learned societies including the Society of Arts. The business became known as J.R. Gregory & Company in 1896, still under James' management with the assistance of his son Albert Gregory (b.1864"). When James died three years later, the business passed to Albert. At the end of the 19th century most London dealers had folded or retired, many selling out to J.R. Gregory & Co. Albert continued by acquiring Russell and Shaw (Est. 1848) in 1925 and Francis H. Butler (Est. 1884) in 1927. Percy Bottley (1904-1980) took over the company in 1931, renaming it Gregory, Bottley & Company with respect to his predecessors. Percy’s company survived the 2nd World War by buying out all of its competitors, including the supplier to Pitt-Rivers, Samuel Henson (Est. 1840) and G.H. Richards (Est. 1897) in 1936. Percy also added many important collections to his stock including those of Rev. F. Holmes in 1940, and the Graves collection in 1943. Following Percy's death in 1981, the business was sold to Brian Lloyd, whereupon it became Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd. Brian had been Sotheby’s main Natural History expert in the 1960s and 1970s, and subsequently traded from Pall Mall. The business continued to thrive, and Brian purchased the Joseph Neeld (1789-1856) collection in 1974 and the historic gold collection of H.S. Gordon, first exhibited at the Empire Exhibition, South Africa in 1936. Brian moved the business to 12-13 Rickett Street in 1982, and to 13 Seagrave Road in 1993. He carried on the company's specialization in historic collections, most recently acquiring that of Robert Ferguson (1767-1840) in 2000. The business moved to Walmer in Kent in 2008, and was acquired by TimeLine in April 2016. Trading History Est. 1858 (59 Frith Street, Soho) 1859 - 1861 (3 King William Street, Strand) 1862 - 1866 (25 Golden Square, Covent Garden) 1866 - 1874 (15 Russell Street, Covent Garden) 1874 - 1895 (88 Charlotte Street, Fitzroy Square) 1896 - 1906 (1 Kelso Place, Kensington) 1907 - 1926 (139 Fulham Road, Chelsea) 1926 - 1981 (30 (Old) Church Street, Chelsea) 1982 - 1993 (12-13 Rickett Street, Fulham) 1993 - 2007 (13 Seagrave Road, Fulham) 2008 - 2016 (59 Liverpool Road, Walmer, Kent) 2016 - (363 Main Road, Harwich, Essex) Extremely fine condition. [2, No Reserve]
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Pair of Victorian ruby glass lustres and one other taller forming a composed Garniture, with enamelled and gilt decorations, each fitted with cut glass droppers, the tallest lustre measures 41.5cm high One of the lustres from the pair has a chip to the rim. The large single lustre has a foot chip. Very minor nicks to the edges and points of the rims generally. The droppers have small chips to the edges and points. There is rubbing and wear to the gilt.
Ruby line bracelet, oval cut interspersed by point diamonds, in indistinctly marked 18ct gold, length 19.5cm; together with a synthetic ruby five stone ring, ring size P, gross weight 16.7g (2) Condition report: This lot does not have a gem laboratory report. Approximate characteristics of the bracelet rubies: dense fibrous inclusions and a lack of transparency also some black inclusions; colour is fairly even and pinkish; even size ≈3.87 x 4.83 x 1.93mm; hallmarks indistinct, "18K" is also picked out with pin pricks. Overall the bracelet is in good, clean condition. The ring shank has worn claws and some thinness at the bottom.
AN EMERALD, RUBY AND THREE COLOUR GOLD BRACELET, 19TH C composed of eight square foliate chased panels, 39.3g ++Stones with slight wear on the facets consistent with the age, minor dents and knocks on the back of several of the panels consistent with occasional wear, the hinges all operating correctly, no distortion or play, no repair
FOX HUNTING. A GOLD BROOCH AND A PIN, C1900 the knife wire of the brooch set with a rose diamond pavé set foxhead with ruby eyes, the terminal of the pin with an enamel of the head of a fox ++Enamel undamaged, all stones present on the brooch. The silver twisted stem of the pin somewhat bent. The diamond fox head probably originally from a stick pin and remounted
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