Description
NOW RESERVED *****************Thank you
An absolutely wonderful and rare piece of hand crafted Arts and Crafts work by Dorrie Nossiter, which is an earlier piece, c1925. It is a long sautoir necklace with amazing hand worked detailing, with the most beautiful, large, rectangular panel of mixed gems in a foliate design. Dorrie’s jewellery design really is stupendous-so many features to pick up on here but for me the most striking is the decorated panel. Actually too large to be called a clasp, it is a panel, as large as some brooches, and the way it has been fixed into the necklace is so inventive. Dorrie cleverly positioned it to be seen, at the front rather than at the back of the neck as with other necklaces. This means that the graduated blue hardstone beads are in place with the largest at the exact bottom of the necklace and then the panel is visible on the left at the neck area as you wear it.
I am always amazed to see the incredible detailing that went into one of these beautiful sautoirs. The blue beads are stunning-always tricky to make the call between Lapis and Swiss Lapis (Sodalite gets confused with both too). They are vivid and intense so I would be tempted to say Swiss Lapis as it is the range of intense blues without the gold you would find in lapis. The beads are all threaded onto wires, carefully twisted by hand and next to each blue stone bead is a faceted rondel of crystal on each side. The detailing of one of those tiny rondels alone is fascinating!
The rectangular panel show cases Dorrie’s style even further-with her distinctive vine leaves, clusters of tiny hand made grapes and those tiny, naturalistic tendrils. There are 7 semi-precious green and blue gemstones set in the panel. They include jade, turquoise and lapis. All done by hand and each stone has been cosseted in its own bezel setting. The work that has gone into this piece is truly incredible.
If you look at the reverse of the panel, you can see the more naturalistic lines on the outer rectangle-hence, looking like an earlier piece. Just a little bit more fineness of detailing than some later pieces. Lovingly and painstakingly hand crafted.
This necklace is in remarkably lovely condition, all stones present and no chips. The only tiny thing I could find is that the tiny lever off the catch has come off in the past. As this is a long sautoir, to me I find that that perhaps provides a little more security when wearing it. You can pop it over your head once for a striking, long sautoir look or even pass it over your head twice for a choker style look with the panel at the throat. I found three different ways to wear it…so it is a versatile piece. The necklace measures a touch over 96cm (38 inches). The rectangular panel is approx 3.3cm by 2cm.
I will send internationally by a safe and secure courier or domestically with Tracked and signed. The box in the images is not included but I will put her in another to ensure safe passage.
