Antique Tiffany & Co, Sterling Silver & Gold Cuff/Bangle /Bracelet Scottish Deer

A unique, antique, Tiffany & Co, mixed metals (sterling silver and gold), Cuff bangle depicting two rutting stags watched over by two hinds depicted in gold overlaid onto a foliage engraved sterling silver cuff. The bangle carries the full Birmingham hallmark with the gothic date letter'h' for 1882 (making the bangle Victorian), and the makers mark'T & Co' for Tiffany & Co. The year 1882 was the first year the duty mark ceased to be required. It should be noted that in the United Kingdom there is no convention for hallmarking mixed metals only the metal making up the greater part of the item is marked. In this case sterling silver.

The stags are overlaid in gold. This is usually 18 carat, but to achieve the effect of the fur of the stags the gold has been bloomed (which means after engraving it was dipped in acid to dissolve the base metal leaving a matt surface of pure gold). This is an exceptionally well made and beautifully hand engraved antique bangle as you would expect from Tiffany.

In the United Kingdom stags rut from September to November to obtain mates. The bangle weighs 56g approximately. It is approximately 6.6cm in diameter. This bangle was manufactured in Birmingham for Tiffany & Co combining two themes fashionable at the time. This bangle depicting two highland stags rutting watched by two hinds could hardly be more Scottish and would have been highly fashionable in the Victorian era.

Secondly, after Commodore Perry opened up Japan in 1853 the use of mixed metals became very fashionable, and Tiffany & Co were a leading proponent of this technique.