Featured Zoltan White? Ring, amethyst, turquoise, sterling. Austro-Hungarian style.

Does anyone know if this Austro-Hungarian style ring is by Zoltan White?
It is very much in his style, and he made a lot of amethyst with turquoise jewellery. But it is not marked with his mark ZW&CO. It is simply marked STERLING.
The Zoltan White jewellery I have seen online is either marked SILVER, STERLING, or STERLING SILVER, and ZW&CO.

I collect Austro-Hungarian jewellery, it is never sterling silver, and never marked as such. It either has Austro-Hungarian hallmarks, or just a fineness mark, sometimes a maker's mark, or no marks at all.
So if this was made in Hungary (or Transylvania?), it was made for export.






The information I have on Zoltan White is that he studied in Budapest and sold jewellery in London 1910-1940.
Most sites call his jewellery Arts&Crafts, which it isn’t. It is classic Austro-Hungarian Renaissance Revival.
They also say his jewellery was made in London, if so, why doesn’t it have London marks? No Zoltan White jewellery I see online has any British marks.
I suspect he had his jewellery made in Hungary, where it was marked STERLING etc, and sold it in London. The unmatched turquoise cabochons also look very Hungarian or Transylvanian.
And any other info on Zoltan White is welcome too. First name Hungarian, last name English, did he change it?

Thank you for looking.

 

here's one that has a "made in england" stamp as well as the "ZW&Co" mark
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/225679-zoltan-white-and-co-ring
btw that STERLING is real messy, no?

 

Thanks, Phaik Hooi. Pity she doesn't show the Made in England stamp, but that mark would be a bit iffy for English made silver anyway, wouldn't it? English made silver has to be assayed and stamped as such by the assay office.

It is. I've tried silver polish on it, and alcohol, no result. I think it was blackened at the same time as the outside decoration. Someone polished it afterwards, but not inside the letters. Can't get the staff...

 

true

toothpick?

had a peek at his stuff, those zoltan white & co items are quite nice

 

Very beautiful! I love learning new things about jewelry. Thank you for the explanation.

 

Toothpick with silver polish! I am picky when it comes to cleaning.

Thanks, Barn.

 

AJ, does the back of the setting area on yours look like the one in the link?
Patd

 

No, it doesn't have that engraving. It looks more like some of the Zoltan White amethyst and turquoise rings, except a little rough, which is a feature of Transylvanian jewellery.
The thing is, there is no consistency in backs, etc. Another reason why I think he had them made in Hungary, possibly by different makers. Also, the coral ring looks much more delicate than his other pieces.

Transylvanian jewellery is badly finished on the reverse side, but rare and highly collectible. If this would turn out to be a Transylvanian piece I would be extremely happy. It would be more valuable, and older.
But I'm pretty sure it isn't, with that sterling mark.

 

This is a Zoltan White ring which is just marked silver:

https://www.victoriasterlingjewelry...turquoise-silver-cluster-ring-by-zoltan-white

A set just marked silver:
https://www.rubylane.com/item/1358147-0000440/Zoltan-White-Arts-Crafts-Opal-Ring?search=1

A ring marked ZW&Co and sterling:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/inglenookery/listing/485831645/zoltan-white-arts-and-crafts-bloodstone

Marking is all over the place, and none have British hallmarks.

 

no mark query zoltan white piece:
http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eB...2&pm=1&ds=0&t=1522706415000&ver=0&cspheader=1

and hopefully someone on the forum has this book:
https://books.google.com/books/about/Zoltan_White_Co_Makers_of_the_Rococo_Art.html?id=tjFhmwEACAAJ

 

what's the kind of the stones aj?turquoise?

 

I know nothing about jewelry, but this Zoltan White ring has some design elements similar to yours, I think
https://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique/zoltan_white_arts__crafts_silver_turquoise_ring/as289a441
This one does too in my mind


https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/225679-zoltan-white-and-co-ring

 

Wow, thanks, Phaik Hooi! So I am not the only person the elusive Zoltan White has running in circles.
The book could be a catalogue? I hope I come across it some time. Or someone on the forum does.

 

Yes, central stone amethyst, smaller stones European turquoise.

 

It certainly does, thank you Kiko.
I think mine is the Zoltan White style, but the mark, or lack thereof, has me puzzled. And English jewellery without assay marks....
But it seems I'm not the only one.

 

I don't think I've ever seen Zoltan White before, at least knowingly. The front of Any's ring looks Middle-Eastern, but the shank sure doesn't. It looks Turkish on the front and German on the back, so Romanian makes sense.

 

The style was originally inspired by Renaissance jewellery, hence the unusual combination of stones and exotic look of the decorations.
It was made in the Austro-Hungarian Renaissance Revival style, which is one of my favourite styles.

The Transylvanian take on the Austro-Hungarian Renaissance Revival style was made by or for the Siebenbürger Sachsen, a powerful minority in Transylvania. Although they were called Sachsen, Saxons, not all of them were of Saxon origin. Most were descendants of Medieval immigrants from the western German lands and the neighbouring eastern part of the Low Countries, who had been invited to Transylvania to develop the region.
It is believed the fairy tale of the pied piper was based on the emigration of so much young talent from west to east.

As you can see, the Siebenbürger Sachsen didn't mind a bit of show, including bling. They also look pretty northern European:



You'd have to mortgage your house to be able to buy one of those belts now, extremely rare bling.

 

Those coats the guys have one wouldn't be far behind.

 

beautiful ring aj!

 

Gorgeous, aren't they? And you can see the usual strong Hungarian influence in the embroidery.
At the moment over 30% of the population is Hungarian, and over 10% 'Saxon'. At the time that photograph was taken those numbers would have been higher.