Description
I'm always ravenous for pieces of art that can be worn & shown off. & pieces like these, with endless charm & flattery, are by far my favorite. There's a sweetness with this piece that stems from the jeweler's love for his craft. There's tradition with this piece, illuminated with the idea of nature & its beauty. There's a fashion with this piece, found in the ratios of gold, crystal, & paint, which give a sense of perfect artistic balance. This beautiful navette shaped pendant locket was handcrafted in around 1870. The large cabochon of rock crystal has been carved from the reverse & painted into a gorgeously rendered bird, a robin perhaps, sits on a branch surrounded by reeds & fern, the flora swaying in a gentle breeze. The frame is set with 32 pearls which measure 3mm round & one further 4 mm pearl in the bale. The back of the pendant has a locket with a removable frame & bezeled glass insert to showcase a photo or such. This pendant is rather large, it measures 55 mm from top to bottom including the bale & 23 mm across at the widest point, it measures 9.9 mm from front to back & weighs 13.5 grams. The pendant is unmarked but has been professionally acid tested to verify it's 18 karat gold content. This type of reverse cut & painted rock crystal is commonly called an Essex Crystal. It is a smooth round of rock crystal which has been cabochon cut & then deeply reverse-carved. It is then hand-painted from the back. It's a tedious process that takes many man hours. & of course, every minute of work on this piece is worth it! The crystal is bezel set into a beautiful custom made 18 karat gold setting, & while many of these crystals are backed with mother of pearl, this one utilizes the gold of the pendant to create a golden sky behind the little natural scene. I offer free layaway on most items purchased for full retail price, please inquire if you are interested in setting up a layaway. We ship when payment is complete & items purchased or payments made on layaway are eligible for store credit only. I always want you to be happy with every aspect of your purchase. If you are not completely satisfied for any reason simply let me know & we'll work together to get the item returned for a full refund. I guarantee that my pictures & descriptions are as accurate as possible. My goal is to exceed your best expectations! ITEM ID: PT1021094V Antique Essex Crystal Pearl Pendant Bird Locket Back
