Antique Georgian earrings ear pendants. 18k gold. Made very early 19th century (circa 1813 - 1838) in France.
Measurements:
Weight is 4.4 grams. Length approximately 1 5/8 inches (approximately 4.25cm).
Description :
Lavish, luxurious, elegant and comfortable. These dangle drop earrings or ear pendants are composed of two sections: an upper flower-form surmount and a longer, torpedo-shaped lower section. The parts are composed of a variety of gold-work techniques: from repousse foliage and scrolls in the lower part to beautifully fine cannetille - spiralling and coiling wire work, fine as a spider's web and tiny golden granulation. The light gold-work in thin wires and plates of beaten gold make the earrings very comfortable to wear despite their relatively long and big appearance.
Marks and Metal:
Ram's head mark for 18k gold; worn (almost invisible) maker's mark lozenge; 3rd mark that might be coq - used on wire of one earring. Other earring has 2 rams heads and other, very worn marks. Rams head mark was used 1819-1838. Coq was used 1798-1819 for 18k gold.
Condition:
Good with minor wear commensurate with age. A close examination shows that one of the delicate petals of one surmount is slightly bent (easily bent back if so desired). Tiny dings, natural to high k gold of this age, but not visible to naked eye and mentioned for the sake of accuracy. Please see enlarged pictures and don't hesitate to ask questions which we will do our best to answer.
THE STORY:
Versatile earrings. Despite the incredible delicacy of 18k gold, these earrings have survived in amazingly good shape for over 200 years. After the French Revolution, gold was not in great supply and as in the UK a few decades later, jewellers came up with various solutions for a 'big look' using less gold. This resulted in incredibly beautiful workmanship in relatively light-weight earrings that are very comfortable to wear and do not stretch the ear lobes. Cannetille is highly sought after with its intricate wire work and granulation. These earrings combine cannetille with repousse gold work - gold that was beaten from behind to form rich, rounded scrolls and other forms.
French cannetille is sometimes a little less rigid and more elegant than its British counterpart and often a little earlier in date.
Torpedo-shaped drops like this were very popular during the 1830-40's, their long, vertical form a foil for the broad, horizontally wide dresses that women wore at the time. This pair is actually relatively short compared to some torpedo-shaped earrings that hang down almost to the shoulder.
A group of similar earrings is shown on page 93 of the book on Earrings by Daniela Mascetti and Amanda Triossi, unfortunately, in black and white. A single earring near the bottom appears to be particularly similar to this pair, if a little less fine in the cannetille detail and a little longer.
The versatility of the earrings continues in that they are what is known as DAY NIGHT or TOP DROP. The large bottom sections, or drops can be slipped off the wires at the back and the smaller surmounts worn alone by day, or both parts together, worn for a 'bigger' more lavish look at night.
