Description
Reserved for A only – thank you! ********************************************************************************************
A beautiful hand-wrought delight by Edward Spencer c1905 for the Artificers’ Guild, which features a wonderfully detailed shield-shaped central foliate pendant, along with its original delicately-executed hand-crafted chain in silver. It is a lovely thing.
The main pendant is immediately eye-catching, with those sinuous stalks wrapping over each other at the top of the design. Then those superbly detailed flattened and draped vine leaves, which are so naturalistic in their form. The clusters of grapes and coiled tendrils intersperse the rest of the design in this open work pendant. A central oval amethyst cabochon sits at its centre, with fine rope work detailing at its base. A single tear-drop shaped drop with blister pearl is suspended below. You will see that even the loop at the top of the drop has those tiny silver balls at either side.
I have not actually come across a chain exactly like this but of course, some of the links are instantly recognisable as Artificers’ Guild. However, there are some singularly spectacular elements in the chain which are amazing to absorb. To begin with, the top bale is an overlapping of two silver circles, studded with tiny silver balls, in singles and in clusters. I love that the chain attaches to this joint element. A diamond-shaped rope work link has been inserted a little way up the chain on both sides and it continues the main theme with clusters of grapes set within each. The “plain” links have a little silver ball on either side (so not plain at all really!). The more elaborate links, again – all hand crafted, are composed of three circles (the largest in the centre) and 6 tiny silver balls studded around the edges of the central circle. An elaborate S link has been repurposed to accommodate a doubled silver extender chain. I can see why this has been added in the past, as the original chain measures approx 43cm (17 inches) so perhaps a little extra length was sought. I was going to take away the extender chain but decided to leave it for you to decide upon…it could be you prefer that little extra length too. If you would like it removing, it is a super easy fix for your jeweller to reinstate the S link catch.
A beauty of a piece of English Arts and Crafts design c1905 by a master silversmith and designer. Please note the boxes in the images are for display only but I will send to you in a new gift box to keep her safe. I shall send by special delivery within the UK and by courier internationally. Thank you.
