Description
Now reserved for J only – thank you!
This is a superlative and undoubtedly important c1900-1910 hand crafted English Arts and Crafts necklace, attributed to the Artificers’ Guild. It is a stately composition, which features openwork silver foliate panels, along with creamy white mother-of-pearl. It is certainly a wow of a piece and one of the most impressive A&C necklaces I have come across.
It is a masterpiece of hand-crafted work, even down to the hand made Arts and Crafts design chain with its original toggle clasp. The central plaque is oval and features a large mother-of-pearl bezel-set and with a fine rope work twist detail at its foot. The quality of the craftspersonship is exceptional. An oval foliate, openwork surround highlights these beautifully stylised leaves with the central vein and which are dotted at intervals with tiny round silver berries. A teardrop-shaped mother-of-pearl is suspended below the plaque. Gorgeous hand crafted chains link to a plain pearl panel to either side. From there, more fabulous chain detailing to the side, rather triangular- shaped openwork plaques with leaves and dotted with silver berries. It is an astonishing and accomplished piece of work. It resembles both H G Murphy’s work and that of the Artificers’ Guild but I feel there are more anchors to the work of the latter, hence the attribution.
In excellent condition, with the height of the drop pendant section measuring approx 6.4cm in height. The wearable length of the chain is approx 46cm (18 inches) which puts the plaques in such a convenient position below the neck-not too tight but short enough for this to be seen and not masked by your clothes.
I will send her by complimentary courier internationally or by Special Delivery within the UK. I will pack in a necklace presentation box and not the box in the images, as that is for display only. thank you.
