Posted 7 years ago
kyratango
(439 items)
Wager???
I got it in an Ebay lot, was the only interesting piece...
14 bidders, last one being a 8000+ positive feedback... not exactly cheap, but quite a bargain I think :-)
6.5cm long (2.5")
1.5cm wide (9/16")
No marks...
Condition is mint
The leaves and berries are warm yellow gold, wires and mount silver.
The opal color is breathtaking!
Back is rough opal, upper is not domed, glassy and shows no scuff marks.
Australian for sure.
Gorgeous Kyra what a find ! I'm sure most of our jewelry experts here on CW will agree. :)
I agree, very gorgeous, refined taste has its benefits !!
It's Fabulous Pascale, well done! I love everything about it soo much :-) )
That opal is wonderful....will leave it to jewels 1900 and kiwi paul for further comments!
Oh what a beauty, could it be Wager.
Mike! Thanks for being so fast and enthusiastic :-))
Phil, thank you, coming from you this comment makes me proud indeed! XO
Judy, thank you so much! I felt in love with it at first sight ;-)
I never had a triplet in hand, so I first thought it was a solid opal as it has an open back showing rough opal... but the giveaway is the glassy layer on the upper face.
Jean, many thanks for your appreciation! It is really well made!
Waiting for Jewels1900 and Paul opinion on the possible Wager attribution :-)
Melanie, thanks for your lovely visit!
Gorgeous piece Kyratango, I love the mount and that beautiful opal. You say it's a triplet but your description sounds doublet to me. I'm probably wrong in my interpretation :(
Hi Karen!
After thinking solid, it appears the top is "glassy" and rather flat than domed...
I just posted close up of the stone for you to see (Aussie!), thank you for your visit, interest, kind comment and love :-))
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/233803-arts-and-crafts-black-opal-long-brooch-p
Wow stunning piece ! You always have a great eye for gorgeous xoxo
Yeah I see now. Possibly a good thing; protects that delicate and beautiful opal.
Mani, XOXO, thank you for your always great comments :-D
Karen, thanks for taking a second glance at it!
Ken, yep! No kyratisation on the brooch... only on the pics to get them as near as reality ;-)) Thank you !
Many thanks for your lovely visit, Hel1, Pebble, Karenoke, Mrstyndall, JFranca, Caperkid, Aura and Vetraio !
Oh, how very beautiful that opal is!
Gorgeous amd such sparkling beautiful colored opal! Lucky find
Simply magnificent, Kyra!! I could stare at the opal for days! Love the leaves and berries..and well, actually everything about it! Awesome score!!
Mesmerizing! Beautiful!
Scott, thank you!
Marga, thanks for your gorgeous comment! I'm indeed lucky with this buy :-)
KarenLR71 me too! Opals have a whole world in them, you can get lost into for hours :-) Thank you for your comment and love!
Vintagelamp, thank you for your mesmerized comment, my friend ;-))
I believe it's a Wager.
Jewels1900, thank you so much for your opinion!
Kiwipaul commented on the close up post and pointed out the fact Wager's pieces doesn't seem to have millegrain setting... I'm quite lost now :-D
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/198155-c1930-school-of-rhoda-wager-9ct-gold-b
Pascale this is the only opal of mine that has the same millegrain setting which I had not noticed until now!
Paul has a good point. I've not noticed this either. But this brooch does have a few Wager tells including two which we've not noted before. The first is that double edged point. I've not really noted if I've seen that on other Australian pieces before but I know that the Wagers did do that (I've seen it most frequently on horizontal pins - I'll see if I can find you an example). Also the long wirework tendrils around the top - without berries or leaves. Wager did do that, other jewellers I've noted, didn't have the confidence to leave that kind of space.
Having said that, if it is Wager, it's not the best work. Not that it's a bad piece, it's just that Wager was very talented and she had a looseness to her work that I don't really get with this piece. And it's just not quite as fine as I might expect from Rhoda or Dorothy (and if it was Wager it's most likely by Dorothy - Rhoda did regularly mark her work).
Rhoda did have quite a few apprentices through her workshop so it's entirely possible that this a piece by an apprentice, either at one of Wager's workshop or after an apprenticeship.
Probably needs a little more research and comparison to known pieces.
Judy, I admire again your fantastic brooch! I didn't realise then the millegrain...
Interesting, thanks for giving the link here!
Jewels1900, thanks a lot for giving the distinctive points!
I examined tons of Internet images, it is very difficult to sort all the mis attributions and the "school of"...
Without the Wager tag, we may consider it is "circle of"!
Nothing best to have pieces in hands, and documentation :-)
Pascale and Jewels, it is so difficult isn't it!!!
Here is another one of mine that has the same edge
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/204086-arts-and-crafts-art-deco-silver-white-cl
Oh, yes Judy! For sure now I'll have my eye on this faint millegrain setting on other pieces.
Thanks for the reminder of your beautiful piece :-)
Here's an example of a Wager piece with long wirework on the side - https://collection.maas.museum/object/68687
Here's an example with the double edged point - https://www.carters.com.au/index.cfm/item/545791-rhoda-wager-aust-silver-brooch-with-pearl-marked-on-the-back/
I'm still thinking, though, that Paul is right about the setting.
Ahh, Jewels so many beauties... Thanks for your links!
Actually, the opal looks like a glimpse into the depths of the ocean. Beautiful!
Aww, thank you Lisali! Opals are fascinating, so much to be seen inside with imagination :-)