Posted 10 years ago
kyratango
(439 items)
Big! 2.1/8" high (with bale), 1.7/16" wide, 9.7 grams.
Un identified hallmark which looks like french "charançon", but not exactly.
Enamel is in cabochon shape for the drops and leaves.
As can be seen in pic#4, had damage, so, you know what?
Kyratised! ;-D
I searched for maker, but no success!
French enamelist Comte du Suau de la Croix first used it in 19th century, but this is not his work...
The white tiny highlights place it in 1870/1880 era, rather than Art Nouveau.
I thought it was previously a hat pin, but when unscrew the cap bale, the male screwing part is on the pendant! So, it need a female screw pin part to be used as hat pin. Not usual at all :-)
Any help appreciated on it :-)
Hi Kyra, Great work! Wonder if this was a hair ornament and it was screwed into a comb (which had a separate screw-on fitting)?
Hi Bluboi! I have several versatile jewellery, including comb or hair pin. Usually they have the male screw part... The ornament have the female hole to screw in (sorry for the saying!)
I thought too Riffault enamel for Boucheron, but his work is not cabochon enamel...
Thank you for your input and compliment, very much appreciated!
Thank you too Vetraio and Vintagefran for your lovely visit ;-)
What ever it maybe I thought to put it on a chain for a necklace but if you collected similar items they could be hung off a window for the sun to hit they would look nice & through out great colours.
Oh, kyratango, you do such beautiful restoration work!
May I ask what the white bits are, is that paint?
Gorgeous! Love the colors! So unique!
Thank you Zowie! I wish I could hang many to my Windows ;-)
Hi Katherine, white decor is enamel too, I didn't succeed to paint lacking so thin... So, I did only some white paint dots :-) thank you for your interest and compliment !
JoyB, many thanks too for your comment :-)
Beautiful job Kyra.... You're so talented to be able to "Kyratize" all of these pieces with wonderful results!
WOWSER -- Stunning!!
It sort of reminds me of Swiss enameled pieces but I've never seen one like yours.
Rick, thank you very much for your nice comment :-)
Rose, you are stunning too ;-)
Davyd, thank you! It reminds me some plique a jour enamel spoons too, some russian :-)
This is beautiful! It looks like stained glass. The little white designs give a lot of flare to it. Interesting and very unusual.
P.S. love your profile ID photo ;)
Thank you Sue for your appreciation, and comment about the little white highlights!
Right about unusual, saw it before, and cannot find where...
P.S. the profile pic is a sketch to illustrate "fear" from my play on Drawsomething, I was addict before CW-ing, lol!
I would love to own this wonderful pendant.
Thank you, I love it too, Kivatinitz :-)
Hi Kyra, the enamel over painting is characteristic of Carlo Giuliano, but I don't know if he worked in plique a jour?
However Giuliano had worked for Castellani, who claimed to be the earliest reviver of plique a jour in 1863 (http://vintagericks.blogspot.co.nz/p/victorian-grand-period-1860-1885_22.html).
It does look to me like it was once part of a larger piece, like a tiara or hair ornament, it's a gorgeous thing.
Thank you Paul for your thoughts!
I already saw This white enamel on Giuliano pieces, but on black background. Searched for my Castellani book, but not found yet.
Library Angel, where are you! ;-)
Part of a tiara with other similar make sense, I can imagine it :-)
very cool ...........
Thank you, Roycroft for your warm comment, lol!
Found my Castellani/Giuliano book, nothing about rounded plique a jour.
But I find some similarities with this Falize pendant:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294000681901315724/
23 million thanks to the 23 lovers :-D
A piece of fishing line through the eyelet & there you go your first one hanging on the window imagine the affect with a few there with the sun hitting them.
It's upside down, the post would be on the bottom. Didn't they used to have add-ons for Tiaras? Interchangeable center stones & decorations?
Look up the Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara's center. One of the interchangeable center decortions is a 'Palmette' & looks the same shape, roughly. In the Roaring 20's, women would wear tiaras that they could change up the center decoration.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/541909767634957162/
Celiene, you are right, it was part of something, and tiara is a strong possibility!
The screw part on the pendant is male and the bale's is female; all screwing jewelry I have are inverse.
Thank you for your comment and link :-)
It sure is pretty. I love the jewel-like quality. Nice against the skin, but as a stand alone-piece with light coming through would be really stunning! See how the fleur-de-lis is upside down?
Having spent the last 35 mins. looking through very regal tiaras that have adorned many a royal noggin, must say they are all magnificent. And, I can see where the centre pieces can be changed to another.
Now Kyra just needs a tiara to complete the piece! Kyra and Celiene some awesome sleuthing. Most excellent Kyratising too.
Oh boy... How did I missed your comments, Celiene and Gillian, 9 months ago?...
A very late thank you to both of you :-)
I'll have to wait for a tiara... they are unaffordable to me ;-))
Are you referring to French rectangular weevil mark ? It was used for imported silver items from treaty countries, used 1893-1984, minimum silver standard of 800/1000 fineness. Take a look here:
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=31287&p=78106#p78106
Imported gold to France from treaty countries was marked with ``owl mark``, minimum standard being 18 K. Unless you identify the mark everything is pure speculation,unprofessional conclusions based on internet similarities and waste of time. France has strict regulation on hallmarking. Plique a jour is the most difficult enameling technique.
Hi Ivan, the weevil is the closest it looks like...
I'm French, and know what marks were used here for silver or gold, imports or local :-)
This particular mark is not complete and too tiny to photograph and identify.
This plique à jour en cabochon (domed) is very particular. I only saw Comte Suau de la Croix using it, but these white details on it doesn't fit his work...
Thank you for your input :-)
It`s extremely difficult to execute en cabochon effect.Exact quantity and thickness of vitreous paint is needed to fill the cells and let it gradually sink during firing.Have never seen additional enameling over the first layer.He must have used white enamel with lower melting point, painted the decor over plique a jour and re-fire it at lower temperature (the same as enameling glass). In a word, exquisite craftsmanship.
Ivan, I agree this is a very special technique, these white details on plique à jour were used by Riffault who worked for Boucheron, but his enamel was not in cabochons...
(3) Boucheron 1880 by Riffault, Epingle de cravate | Les Arts Décoratifs | Camondo Tie Pin Collection by Boucheron | Pinterest
https://fr.pinterest.com/pin/544865254895691183/
The Musée des arts décoratifs page, showing great similarities in the enamel decor:
Epingle de cravate | Centre de documentation des musées - Les Arts Décoratifs
http://opac.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/fiche/epingle-de-cravate-1
Hey Kyra, looks like you've nailed it! I think no doubt your piece is the top off a Riffault / Boucheron tie pin.
1) Threaded fitting for tie pin
2) White enamel over convex plique a jour
3) Mill-grain edges to gold plique a jour cells and outer frame
C'est magnifique!
Hi Paul!
Thank you for your input and appreciation :-)
I'm puzzled by the unidentified mark... it should bear the eagle's head if really made by Boucheron/Riffault!
A bracelet with this white decor on enamel:
Bratara Boucheron din 1875 diamante, perle, vesnicie - Polyvore
https://www.polyvore.com/bratara_boucheron_din_1875_diamante/thing?.embedder=1835198&.svc=pinterest&id=10138997
beautiful piece!
Thank you Eileen! This one is still a mystery regarding to the maker...