Posted 10 years ago
Bluboi
(103 items)
Would love some feedback on this necklace.
I assume it is Arts & Crafts due to the chain and the construction, but am no expert on the subject. There are no marks anywhere on the pendant or chain.
The pendant is large, with the rectangular part measuring 2 1/2" x 1 7/8" (6 cm x 4.8 cm). Beautiful, thick enameling on the sterling pendant showing a bird and its prey. Sterling filigree with inset citrines, garnet cabs (?) and amethysts. The filigree curlicues have gold-colored centers (could be brass or gold?). Handwrought sterling chain.
It's a lovely piece, I love the enamelling.
Hi Blboi, this peice is arts & crafts and it's a bit of a cracker. I have no idea who made it or even if it's english or american. Except the chain maybe recycled from an old french guard chain. I have seen them in this design. It's almost too chunky for the pendant, but it does have a t bar clasp you expect to see on an arts & crafts piece.
It's quite similar to some pieces on this website - http://deborah.infinitespark.com/WEBSITE%20-%20Jewellery/
Thanks Jewels. Interesting pieces onthe website -- too bad there aren't any back pictures. I think my piece needs a hefty chain as it is heavy. I always think of A&C as more delicate, but I haven't been exposed to all that many pieces.
Another AMAAAZING piece !!!!!!
Arts & Crafts jewels can be very chunky, particularly the inter-war pieces and/or the pieces made for ecclesiastical purposes.
Lovely enamel work, and interesting that it is so large, it is made to be noticed, and quite a conversation piece.
I would say Arts & Crafts, Edwardian era, the meaning looks to be, "Sweep me up under the light of the moon, and take me back to your lair".
Paul, I love your poetic nature!
Actually I'm sure that much of Arts & Crafts jewelry, and the high-end pieces from prominent makers, had these sorts of meanings through to the end of the Edwardian Era. By the 1920's, when Arts Deco transformed jewelry to purely geometric forms, it was much harder to convey such messages, and they seem to have largely died out.
In 1911 The Studio magazine published an article on the Arthur and Georgina Gaskin, which almost a manifesto for the Arts & Crafts movement jeweler.
Early in the article it says, "Opinion will differ as to what constitutes good jewellery, but certain conditions may be laid down as necessary. Jewels to be mounted should be beautiful and possibly possess symbolical and poetical interest as well".
I have an OCR of the article and will put it up in my post on the three tutti-frutti peacock clips.