Bailey, Banks and Biddle two stone diamond ring, American, circa 1925.

Object Description

Bailey, Banks and Biddle two stone diamond ring. Set horizontally with two round old cut diamonds in open back rubover and grain settings with a combined approximate weight of 1.60 carats, further set with twelve round old cut diamonds in open back grain settings with a combined weight of 0.25 carats. The total approximate diamond weight is 1.85 carats, to an ornate pierced design featuring intricate openwork, an elaborately decorated gallery and fancy shaped backholing, leading to trumpeting carved shoulders and flowing through to a tapered intricately engraved square shank. Marked platinum, signed ‘BB & B’, numbered ‘60617’, American, circa 1925.

Object Literature

The founding date of 10th of September 1832 makes Bailey Banks & Biddle on of the oldest nationwide jewellers in the United States. It all began when Joseph Trowbridge Bailey partnered with Andrew B. Kitchen on the fashionable Chestnut street in Philadelphia, PA.

In 1878, George W. Banks, previously of Philadelphia’s other top jewellery firm J.E. Caldwell & Co, and Samuel Biddle joined the firm under the management of Joseph T. Bailey II and renamed the business ‘Bailey Banks & Biddle’.

The firm developed a reputation for offering high-quality, and beautifully designed jewellery. Alongside their flourishing jewellery business, Bailey Bank’s & Biddle also has a highly successful insignia department which designed and manufactured medals, ribbons and honour awards for the United States government, as evidenced by their commission to design the first 40,000 Purple Hearts for the United States military.

Object Details