Rare Asprey London Sterling Silver 1917 Jewelry Box Charles Richard Comyns

Favored for over two centuries by European royalty, movie stars, rock music legends and England’s elite, Asprey International Limited’s reputation for creating elegant, high-quality furniture, jewelry and decorative objects is without equal. The storied manufacturer’s motto — “It can be done” — exemplifies their approach to design, which has proven over time to be both dynamic and enduring. To this day, Asprey International Limited remains a go-to purveyor of luxury goods and bespoke design services.

The roots of Asprey International Limited can be traced all the way back to 1781 when it was founded by William Asprey in Mitcham, Surrey. The business moved to its revered modern location, 166 Bond Street, in 1847. The company’s highly accurate regulator clock, once displayed in the window of their flagship, became a frequent stop for Londoners wishing to reset their watches.

Asprey first gained renown for its manufacture of exquisitely engineered dressing cases, which were compact pieces of luggage that travelers would use to tote their cosmetics and toiletries. At the International Exhibition of 1862, the company received a gold medal for its excellent dressing-case designs and also earned a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria for their manufacture. Upon his ascension to the throne, King Edward II introduced incredibly formal Buckingham Palace court presentations, balls and soirées, resulting in a huge demand for diamond jewels starting with his coronation in 1902. The court jewelers Asprey, Garrard, Carrington and the newly opened London branch of Cartier were all overwhelmed with orders for sumptuous diamond jewelry to be worn at the king’s elaborate coronation. Currently, Asprey International Limited holds a Royal Warrant from His Royal Majesty Charles, Prince of Wales, for jewelry and silver.

Asprey continued to build its reputation for the production of luxury goods including tableware and silverplate pieces throughout the Victorian period and into the early 20th century. Especially known for its designs of the 1920s and ‘30s, Asprey International Limited considers the Art Deco period to have been its golden age. Their designers embraced the spirited originality of the period with open arms, and Asprey enjoyed a time of intense creativity and debuted a wealth of iconic creations throughout the mid-century modern period, too.

Asprey artisans have designed bespoke pieces for such notable celebrities as British musician Ringo Starr and American actress Angelina Jolie. They have also designed made-to-order accessories for Hollywood movies, most notably the Edwardian-style “Coeur de la Mer,” which was a piece of costume jewelry from James Cameron’s 1997 hit, Titanic. The company’s recreation of the piece — this time designed with actual gems sourced from Sri Lanka — fetched more than $2 million at a fundraiser held in Princess Diana’s honor in 1998. Asprey previously acted as the official jewelry designer for the BAFTA awards and collaborated with Ferrari’s Formula 1 team during the late 1990s.

Asprey International Limited has received many awards and recognitions for its timeless designs. Most notably, it was awarded the Queen's Award to Industry in 1975. The London College of Arms bestowed upon the brand a new official coat of arms in 2006 to mark its esteemed 225-year-long legacy of excellence.

On 1stDibs, find antique Asprey International Limited decorative objects, lighting, serveware and silver and jewelry.

The first official Crown Jeweler for the British royal family, Garrard Co. Limited has crafted iconic and historically celebrated rings, watches, necklaces and other jewelry for centuries. 

Garrard Co. Ltd registered its current name in 1909 and, despite a temporary merger and relocation with Asprey, the firm still operates out of its original location on Albermarle St. in London. It was acquired by American private equity firm Yucaipa Companies in 2006.

Master silversmith George Wickes founded Garrard in 1735 and quickly gained a regal platform with patronage from Frederick, Prince of Wales. The company underwent a range of name changes and shifts in leadership over the years, with Robert Garrard becoming a partner in 1792. He assumed sole control of the firm a decade later and eventually passed the company down to his sons — James, Sebastian and Robert Garrard II — where it would remain in the Garrard family until 1946 with the death of Robert’s great-grandson. 

Garrard created silver, tableware and decorative objects for the royal family as well as the Crown Jewels for a range of coronations beginning with King Edward VII’s in 1902. The esteemed luxury house created Queen Victoria's Small Diamond Crown, which featured colorless stones and was suitable to be worn while she mourned the passing of her last husband, Prince Albert. Later, for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, Garrard provided a pair of gold armlets. The company’s 1893 Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara adorns Queen Elizabeth II on British banknotes.

Among Garrard’s best known works is undoubtedly Princess Diana’s engagement ring — a 12-carat blue sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, set in 18-karat white gold. Unlike most royal engagement rings, the one Princess Diana chose wasn’t a one-of-a-kind piece commissioned from the Crown Jeweler, but rather a catalog offering for anyone who could swing the $60,000 price tag. As a result, this was a matter of controversy within the royal family. It is now Kate Middleton’s ring.

Garrard is committed to ethical sourcing and sustainable practices. Today, its all-female design team — led by creative director Sara Prentice — continues to merge ageless techniques with modern technology to uphold the firm’s legacy in the creation of precious handcrafted engagement rings, brooches and other adornments. 

While Garrard and the royal family parted ways in 2007, the house still produces pieces that captivate new generations of jewelry wearers all over the world, just as it has for hundreds of years.

Find antique Asprey Garrard Limited jewelry and furniture on 1stDibs.