The Vaulted Shelf
The Vaulted Shelf: Rare antiques, real history, real value. Stories and insights on collectible jewelry from ancient Egypt to today.
Sep 14, 2026
Star Marks on Antique and 20th Century jewelry
A Collection of STAR marks on Antique & 20th Century Jewelry
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Aug 31, 2026
My Grandma's German (?) Pendant...continued - have pics now!
Hi Yvonne...I figured out how to resize my pictures to under 1MB however I do believe the compression took away some details in the pictures but it will
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Aug 28, 2026
18k gold maker's mark
What is the item? 18k gold cuff links/matching ring Can you please provide all background information? antique piece/estate/owner received through inheritance
Aug 27, 2026
Alabaster: From Ancient Stone to Modern Investment
Tutankhamun’s Alabaster Lamp, 1333 BC
The “Stone of Light” carved for eternity
The triple lotus design wasn’t just beautiful. In 1333 BC, alabaster meant purity, light, and protection for the afterlife. Tutankhamun’s lamp shows how ancient craftsmen turned translucent stone into functional art that’s still valuable 3,300 years later.
60 seconds: Why alabaster was called the "Stone of Light" in ancient Egypt
Alabaster Barque Perfume Vessel of Tutankhamun, 1327 BC
Royal boat form. Museum centrepiece
Shaped like a royal barque, this vessel held perfume for the gods. The boat form symbolized Tutankhamun’s journey through the underworld. Today it’s one of the Egyptian Museum’s centerpieces - and a blueprint for understanding how form + function create investment value.
Why Alabaster Mattered to Kings
Why did it matter? Light was more valuable than gold.
In ancient Egypt, alabaster wasn’t just stone. It was captured light. While gold showed wealth, alabaster showed power over darkness. Tombs were pitch black. Lamps carved from translucent Egyptian alabaster glowed from within when oil burned behind them. For Tutankhamun, that glow meant guidance through the underworld. For priests, it meant the gods could see offerings.
That’s why kings spent months having a single vessel carved. No iron tools. No shortcuts. Just copper, sand, and patience. The stone itself was rare - quarried at Hatnub, 20 days from Thebes. Transport it, carve it, polish it to paper-thin walls... all for a glow that lasted one night.
Today we call that “inefficient”. They called it “eternal”. And 3,300 years later, Tut’s lamp still glows in museum cases. Gold tarnishes. Alabaster doesn’t.
Aug 20, 2026
Incolay Cameo Box
I have a blue Incolay box with white swirls through it. It has a brass hinge is very heavy & in perfect condition with a velvet inside. It has a c with
Aug 12, 2026
Join the Bench | Yvonne Hammouda - Eyre News | Subscribe
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Get gold market intelligence, hallmark case files, and the Jewel-of-the-Month. No fluff. Just real gold talk.
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Aug 05, 2026
Hallmark on this vintage mine cut diamond ring
What is the item? Vintage min cut diamond ring in platinum setting. Can you please provide all background information? 33 diamonds total, 1 yellow center
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Jul 30, 2026
Maker of 18k gold ring?
What is the item? An 18kt quadrefoil ring Can you please provide all background information? Ring is very thin. 1.7g I purchased on Ebay as an antique
Jul 30, 2026
Watch hallmark
Need help identifying 9ct gold watch Swiss made London import I think .375 inverted omega s or g and makers mark G.S. or G.J. Would be grateful of
Jul 29, 2026
Any body knows what these numbers 1817 and this Hallmark mean?
Any information on this cup would be appreciated , engraved on the side theres a name Gertrude Pewett, on the bottom it says Sterling,1817 there’s an S
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Jul 27, 2026
who makes the serpent wrapped around the shaft of an anchor hallmark?
What is the item? inkwell Can you please provide all background information?solid brass pocket w/g.e.schutzt/gesetzlich. What are the markings? the
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Jul 27, 2026
Hallmark on a Gold Bangle
Gold bangle probably 9ct. See picture. Find out why Gold with Provenance beats gold bars: View the full case study in The Vaulted Shelf Museum→ Understanding
Jul 26, 2026
14K, F.S. & Alexandrite?
I have this very old ring. It has a 9.5mm round cut alexandrite stone. I can only assume that the stone is synthetic due to the popularity of created
Jul 26, 2026
This Asprey Bangle Survived 1929. Why This Mattered.
Asprey 1929 is prime Art Deco period. If it’s 22ct that’s even rarer. This is exactly the kind of "gold with provenance" that laughs at bullion bars.
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Get gold market intelligence, hallmark case files, and the Jewel-of-the-Month. No fluff. Just real gold talk.
Continue reading "This Asprey Bangle Survived 1929. Why This Mattered."
Jul 22, 2026
LOTR gold replica of the one ring
Gold lord of the rings one ring replica I received this as a gift for Christmas, and it came in a little bag without any identification of how many k
Jul 20, 2026
What does this bracelet hallmark mean?
What is the item? Gold Bracelet Can you please provide all background information? Purchased at auction - history for the item is unknown - it was simply
Jul 17, 2026
Numeric hallmark question
Appears to be Antique gold ring with center emerald and diamonds with a hallmark of '7680'. The setting is ornate but not large. There is scrollwork and
Jul 17, 2026
Makers mark E F C on gold bracelet lock
I have a gold bracelet with the makers mark E F C stamped in individual squares to the left of the hallmarks on the lock. I have identifed the other hallmarks
Jul 17, 2026
Flower Face Hallmark on Bangle
We are unable to find any information about a strange hallmark print inside a bracelet we have had for some time and never really looked at. I had thought
Jul 16, 2026
R/S within a shield, stamped in older Masonic ring
Come watson the game is a foot! I have a good one here, it is a 10K gold masonic ring with an unusually large synthetic ruby and an art deco scroll to
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Jul 13, 2026
Gold Signet Ring - Expert Required
I have a family signet ring that has been handed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately over the years its history has been lost. I have taken
Jul 12, 2026
Hallmark Holmes Gives the Verdict on Family Lore
Come for the Hallmarks. Stay for the Verdicts. Bookmark the site, because no one else is telling the truth like we tell it, from the bench in Luxor
Myths vs Marks: When Family Lore Meets Hallmarks
The Bench Verdict: NO. This is 9ct Gold, Birmingham 1991, not 22ct and not "generations".
The crest is older, but the ring was re-made in 1991. The marks don't lie - Anchor + t + 375 + THB.
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Jul 09, 2026
confused by Hallmarks - W.E.G ? DATE LETTER R ?
I have a gold ring with the following inside : W.E.G then a CROWN then number 18 then a left hand side anchor then the letter R. I cannot find a gold
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Jul 08, 2026
Sweet Revenge:The 51st Minute at Azteca
by Yvonne & The Sphinx
Some moments get stamped into history. Like silver. Permanent. Impossible to polish out.
June 22, 1986. Estadio Azteca, Mexico City. Quarter-finals. England vs Argentina. 4 years after the Falklands. 90,000 people in the stands. And 300 million more watching.
51st minute. A cross comes in. A little man in sky-blue jumps. His fist meets the ball before the goalkeeper’s gloves do. The referee points to the center circle. Goal.
"The Hand of God," Maradona would call it later. England called it something else.
4 minutes later. Same man. Same pitch. Different god. He picks the ball up in his own half. He runs. Past one. Past two. Past five England shirts. He rounds Shilton and slides it in.
"The Goal of the Century."
2-1. Game over. Argentina march on. They win the World Cup. England go home.
That’s Sweet Revenge. Not polite. Not quiet. Not forgotten. It’s the kind that gets hallmarked by time, with the date, the stadium, and the initials of the man who did it.
Jewellers talk about hallmarks 24/7. Date letter. Maker’s mark. Assay office. We look for proof that something was real, that it happened, that it mattered.
Azteca '86 has a hallmark too.
Maker: Maradona
Office: Mexico City
Date: 1986
Metal: Pure, uncut revenge.
You can argue the ethics. You can argue the handball. But you can’t argue the stamp. It’s there. Forever.
Some revenge is served in a glass of Karkadeh. Tart. Slow. Healing. Other revenge is served in 90 minutes, under floodlights, with the whole world watching.
Both leave a mark.
And 40 years later, when England step back onto that same Azteca turf, the old hallmark catches the light. A reminder: history remembers.
Jul 07, 2026
Webster Inside Ring - Question from Western Australia Prospector
Hi my name is John I am a prospector living in Western Australia, on a recent trip to the Victorian gold fields i found this ring as per pics; the only
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Jul 07, 2026
Gold Platter stamped Viceroy
Own jewelry shop in Atlanta area purchased pictured platter from a clients estate. Scratch tested on several places did not hold 14k acid but held 10k
Jul 07, 2026
Silver Cross Prima
Hi i have a silver cross and on the back is what appears to be a V going over a M inside a circle and under the stamp is the word PRIMA...does anybody
Jul 06, 2026
Bracelet with a bat and 18k markings
I have an 18k bracelet with a 1906 liberty coin attached and is hallmarked with an open winged bat. I have tried looking for an answer on the internet
Jul 06, 2026
What does the JTC 969 mean on my ring?
What does the JTC 969 mean on my ring? The ring also has a very unusual cut ruby. want to sell it but not solid about the value of it.
Jul 05, 2026
Gold lady bust and head statue.
Hi there, I have a little gold figure that only has the mark E.J in a circle. She is naked and has her hair up. And it's only her head and bust. It stands
Jul 05, 2026
Yvonne Hammouda-Eyre News : Notes from the Bench
Notes from the workshop. A jewelry hallmark, a piece with two stories, or a thought from the bench. Join the newsletter when it feels right.
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Jul 03, 2026
s.h &co 18ct plat 32 pat 202580
what does this mean, please in type of metal and purity? These are the markings: s.h &co 18ct plat 32 pat 202580
Jul 03, 2026
Rolex Style Bracelet - 18K Italy
and a hallmark on the clasp of this rolex style bracelet? Any idea about the Hallmark?
Jul 02, 2026
Vintage Gold Watch - was Anchor only used by Birmingham Assay Office?
Looking at my grandfather's gold watch, it has an anchor hallmark. Can you confirm that the anchor mark was only ever used by the Birmingham Assay Office
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Jul 02, 2026
OB gold ring with 3 crowns and a C
Hi there. I have a vintage gold ring that is stamped either 0B or OB then 3 crowns then a C What does this mean?
Jul 01, 2026
Two tone 14k link bracelet
I have a two tone gold and silver link bracelet. On one side it says Italy 14K. On the other side it has a 'Star' stamp and 1780 AR. Any info would be
Jun 30, 2026
Golden Dagger Letter Opener with Snake?
I can not find any hallmarks on this gold dagger letter opener. Do you see anything about this dagger that may help in identifying its age, maker marks,
Jun 28, 2026
"L" on silver Flower Bracelet
Stamped 925, looks more like a nike symbol it has diamond like stones through out. It is also stamped Italy.
Jun 28, 2026
P inside Pear Antique Ring Hallmarks
I have an old antique ring from my great-grandmother that has an engraved pear (with the letter P inside the pear). Is there anyway to tell who made the
Jun 28, 2026
Gold Bracelet with hallmarks gb 9.375
hi i have a gold padlock bracelet stamped GB.9.375 and then a pic of a crown, the links also have stamps on them but can not see what it says.
Jun 28, 2026
I have a gold bracelet
I have a gold bracelet . On one side it says 750 On the other *1589 VI What does *1589 VI mean ? Thanks.
Jun 28, 2026
Heavy Gold Bracelet marked CH?
I have a big heavy gold bracelet marked 14kt CH. What does the C H stand for?
Jun 28, 2026
swedish 23k yellow gold ring with 3 red ruby
Hi The ring has 5 stamps. 3 crowns? and the letters FH and the letter W and L5 and 23k Can you help me plz
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Jun 28, 2026
Cuff Bracelet -What do these numbers and letters signify 1 2 9 V I ?
I have a cuff bracelet that is stumping me. On either side of the opening it has the same symbols. One of them is 750, which is stamped inside of a lozenge.
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