Why do we look for oak leaves on old jewellery?

We invite you to take a glance over our shoulder as we evaluate an antique piece of jewellery. At first sight, we estimated that these earrings were designed and crafted in the tradition of the Dutch "Zeeland" region around 1825.

Upon further investigation, we found a mark "I & ES," which we considered to be the master mark. We then turned to our extensive library but couldn't find specific information on this hallmark. Next, we consulted the Dutch assay office, known for its extensive database on Dutch gold- and silversmiths through the ages. They kindly informed us that this specific mark indeed belonged to a Dutch master based in Rotterdam, active around 1822, but they had no further details—not even his name.

Thus, our quest to uncover more about these earrings ended there. However, we were pleased that the Dutch assay office confirmed our gut assumption about the Dutch origin and era. Had these earrings been made at least 25 years later, we might have found a hallmark representing an oak leaf. Dutch jewellery, especially 14K pieces, has been hallmarked with an "oak leaf" since 1853. Over time, the shape of this hallmark has changed from a Dutch native oak leaf with rounded lobed ends (used from 1853 until 1906) to an American oak leaf with pointed lobed ends (used from 1906 until 1953). By identifying an oak leaf mark, we can determine the alloy (14K) and origin of a piece and, by closely examining the ends of the leaf, even the era it was made in.

As an interesting footnote, there are a few reasons why it is challenging for jewellery historians to determine the country of origin and the maker of Continental European jewellery made in the last 500 to 600 years. One major reason is that around 1790, during the French Revolution, the guilds were abolished, and all their archives containing centuries of valuable information on gold- and silversmiths were destroyed. Additionally, for Dutch silver and jewellery before 1940, including the earrings in this picture, the Second World War's bombing of Rotterdam resulted in the destruction of practically the entire archive of the assay office.

This highlights how valuable every piece of information is in unlocking the hidden history or mystery of antique jewellery.

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Click here to learn more about these rare antique Dutch filigree earrings.‍