Georgian Glass Pearl Earrings

Rare surviving example of blown glass pearl earrings, circa 1790. Glass pearls were created with an inner coating of nacre made from fish scale paste, giving them the appearance of large natural pearls. (This is similar to the method used for costume jewelry pearls, especially the Niki pearls used by Miriam Haskell.)

These creamy golden glass pearls are suspended from gold and foiled aquamarine tops with reverse ear fittings. The earrings are two inches long including gold ear fitting, 1 and 3/4 inches long excluding ear fitting and 2/3 of an inch wide across the front of the glass pearl.

They are mounted on a card labeled "My Mother's Earrings 1794"