Loading... Please wait...Museum piece!! Antique carved ivory suite - earrings and brooch in original, fitted box. Carved in Dieppe, France, circa 1850-60.
Dieppe was the most famous center for this kind of carving in the 19th century and this is an outstanding example.
Box a little over 6 inches long, shaped to accommodate the 3 pieces inside, sitting on a rich velvet bottom with silk-lined lid.
Brooch measures a little under 2 3/4 inches long. Earrings about 1 1/8 inches long, not including the silver wires.
Carved berries, wheat, roses - all subjects with strong symbolic meanings about love and romance that would convey a clear message to the Victorians. The carving is superlative - incredibly fine details, richly interwoven/intertwining parts that took the best master craftsman to accomplish. The depth of the brooch is about 3/4 an inch - indicating how full the carving is.
Set with silver fittings.
It is unlikely that this set was ever worn as it is in such good condition - I found no damage of any sort.
Click HERE to ask Brenda a question about this item.