Antique Art Nouveau pendant. Gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls, enamel and plique a jour enamel. Made early 1900's in Barcelona, Spain by Masriera. Signed. Unisex - can be worn by a man or a woman.
Measurements:
Weight is 10.2 grams. 1 3/8 inch (3.5cm) in diameter.
Description :
Combines many features of the Art Nouveau Modernisme jewelry style for which Lluis Masriera was so famous. A ring of diamonds, very finely set encloses a botanical form of foliage and stylised buds or berries. These are composed of fabulous green plique a jour enamel with gold borders, gold stems and gold veins in the leaves. A central twig is long and pointed, in creamy, iridescent enamel. Knife-edge forked branches suspend berries or buds of rubies. The gold continues through the circumference leading the eye to a pair of pearls below the circle of diamonds. The pearls are probably natural given the time frame of the pendant, but were not tested as such.
The top of the ring of diamonds has a double bale, identically set with diamonds. An additional gold loop is possibly a later addition and can be used or removed quite easily. It allows for a hefty sized gold chain.
Workmanship and design are exceptional.
It is quite rare to find Masriera pieces signed.
Almost certainly created for a woman, it can also be worn by a man.
Marks and Metal:
Signed MASRIERA H for Masriera Hermanos (the name of the company before they combined with Carreras in 1915).
This proves that the pendant was made by Lluis Masriera himself.
Condition:
Good with negligible wear commensurate with age. Please see enlarged pictures and don't hesitate to ask questions which we will do our best to answer.
THE STORY:
The Masriera family jewelry business was already well-established Barcelona and were community leaders of the arts in general. Around 1900, the young Lluis Masriera returned from Paris, inspired by the Art Nouveau jewelry of Rene Lalique.
He closed the store for 6 months, melted the company's entire stock and beginning from zero, began working in the new style. Within a week, his entire production was sold.
In Barcelona, Art Nouveau is known as Modernisme.
In addition, Lluis was a leader in the general artistic world, literary, painting, sculpture and drama. He opened a theatre for which he painted scenery and was very actively involved in all aspects.
More than anyone else, the jewelry of Masriera is seen to be on a par with that of Rene Lalique - the best of the best Art Nouveau jewelry, combining imaginative, elegant design with outstanding workmanship. Lluis had perfected various enamelling techniques and this is a special feature of his best work, including plique a jour enamel and a form of iridescent enamelling that he invented.
This pendant combines all of the best elements of the Art Nouveau work of Lluis Masriera - design, nature, fantastic workmanship and outstanding enamelling of both sorts (plique a jour and iridescent enamel).
It's condition is amazing for it's age and delicacy and it is as wearable today as it was well over 100 years ago.
Note: given the marvellous designs of Lluis Masriera, it comes as no surprise that it is being reproduced to this day. This pendant is a rare, original example dating back to the master himself as evidenced by the signature Masriera H.
NOTE:
gold chain shown in some pictures is not included with this item.
