Gold Pendant Earrings in the Etruscan Style, Mariage, c. 1880 & later

Until the beginning of the 19th century, the jewelry forms of classical antiquity were largely unknown. Neither in the Renaissance nor in Classicism had archaeological excavations unearthed authentic ancient jewellery. The designs of these eras therefore remained mere approximations of an ideal derived from other art forms such as architecture or sculpture. This only changed fundamentally with the discovery of genuine Etruscan jewellery in Italy from the 1820s onwards. Princess Alexandrine of Canino, for example, was famous for wearing original pieces of Etruscan jewellery found at her country estate near Rome - much to the envy of her friends. However, such finds were rare and only a few ladies were able to adorn themselves with genuine, millennia-old jewellery. Goldsmiths therefore soon began to produce new pieces of jewellery based on the now familiar ancient models. This pair of earrings echoes precisely this design language. A richly decorated intermediate element, adorned with cord soldering and coiled gold wires, hangs below an ear hoop with an attached ball. Underneath, movable pendulums form the finishing touch. The earrings were probably created in more recent times from an antique brooch and individual antique elements as a so-called mariage. The two elaborately decorated upper elements were probably originally joined together and framed a central showpiece that is now lost. A skilled goldsmith later separated them and added golden pendulums. The result was a harmonious ensemble in the style of the late 19th century. The earrings came to us as they are from the south of England.

Estimate:£1,010.82

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