Description
A beautifully-crafted, rare and authentic c1900 Jugendstil enamel festoon necklace, most likely created in Pforzheim, Germany. A very attractive piece and it is in superb condition. All the guilloche enamel is pristine and is such a bright baby blue in colour. All of the pearls and the pastes are present and correct and those tiny pearls on the three drops…..sublime!
I love the way the main pendant plaque is suspended in three places to the main chain via the festoon chains. There is a faceted aquamarine paste in a mille grain setting set as a spacer on each side, and these aquamarine pastes link visually to the three set horizontally across the centre of the pendant. Five of these stones all together. The enamel section is a real treat and so amazingly worked, clearly set by hand. A halo of seed pearls surround the central stone and there is a delicate criss cross of set seed pearls across the whole of the enamel section. The tiny details astound me every time I study her.
A silver swag detail, again studded by seed pearls, hangs below the enamelling section, with three suspended sections reminding us of ribbons, as they hang with tiny seed pearls dotted on their leaves and a natural pearl set at the end of each drop. A small green paste sits atop the end drops, whereas there are 7 on the central double drop.
This is a sweet and beautifully worked piece of Jugendstil design, clearly by the best makers. There aren’t any stamps, just a hand etched jeweller’s number on the verso, which I believe to be its original design number. The drop section of the pendant from the spacers’ level to the tip of the lowest pearl drop is approx 7cm so it does make a significant statement. The wearable length of the chain is approx 45.5cm (a touch under 18 inches). This means the necklace would wear beautifully with a wedding dress or special occasion dress.
I shall send in a new gift box, as the boxes in the images are for display only. I will send by Special Delivery within the UK or else by courier internationally. Thank you.
