The Antique Cufflink Gallery, your antique stickpin experts. (J4804)

Basilisk Stickpin by Riker Bros.

Basilisk

A regal basilisk with a fiery red eye fiercely grasps a faceted red stone. This elegant Victorian stickpin was beautifully crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1890.
Basilisks, like griffins and other mythical creatures, often graced late Victorian jewels. Half bird and half serpent, basilisks were known during the Middle Ages for their venomous breath, deadly stare and ability to split stone with their touch. Needless to say they did not make good house pets!

Cost: $385
Measurements: This 14kt gold stickpin measures 2.5" in length and weighs 1.6 grams. The basilisk is just over 0.6" tall.

The back of the stickpin is pictured below. From the rear, you can see that the basilisk is solidly cast, creating a jewel that will last for at least another hundred years.
The rear is hallmarked with an "R" above the curved blade of a saber and the 14kt gold mark. The "R" and saber is the hallmark of Riker Bros., a fine jeweler founded by William Riker in 1846.

Riker Bros. was a leading American maker of fine gold jewelry during the late Victorian era and first half of the 20th century. The firm is especially known for its whimsical griffin brooches and delicate jewels created in enamel.`

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