Posted 9 years ago
kiwipaul
(117 items)
I believe this unsigned 18ct gold Liberty & Co opal pendant is part of a group designed by Archibald Knox, that also includes the previous opal pendant I listed just prior to this one.
It's another deceptively simple design, with the bale hanging off-centre to accentuate the Celtic interlace, and the centre-of-gravity of the pendant adjusted by the weight of the opal.
The last pic is a brooch sold by Bonhams, Lot 409 in their Sale 14200 of Decorative Arts Including Jewellery, Gordon Russell and Cotswald School Furniture, 28 Nov 2006. That one is stamped WHH, and has a similar Celtic interlace to the edge, as does the previous opal pendant I listed.
The pendant above is 25mm high, the opal is 15 x 12mm and probably weighs about 5cts.
At the time this pendant was made (I'm guessing circa 1905) Lightning Ridge black opal had only just been discovered and Liberty was still using high quality boulder opal from Queensland.
Opal is so difficult to photograph, I've tried a few different angles and backgrounds to try and capture the colour range.
Hi Kiwipaul thought you might like to see this seeing into Knox / Liberty belong to a friend who inherited it .
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/31726-archibald-knox-liberty-necklace
Dude that is a stonkingly good necklace, I dream of finding a piece like that!
I agree, she was going to sell it at one point but think decided to keep it ...
I too dream of such things ... that is the treasure hunter in us ...
I really love the asymmetry of this, and the opal is a beauty.