Antique jewelry glossary

Welcome to our extensive antique jewelry glossary with around 1,500 jewelry related entries.If you feel you are missing an explanation, feel free to let us know and we will add it.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z     all

Galanterie

Galanterie, French for gallantry or chivalry. Various small trinkets given in the 18th century by gentlemen to ladies. They were intended to be carried in the pocket or a reticule, kept in a dressing table or displayed in a cabinet.

Included are étuis, snuff bottles, smelling bottles, patch boxes, cachou boxes, carnets de bal, needle-cases, etc. The German term is Galanteriewaren. A modern term in trade jargon for such pieces is 'smallwork'. Such decorative articles are usually classed as Objects of Vertu rather than as jewelry.

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson