Description
A wonderful, signed Murrle Bennett necklace, which really makes a striking Jugendstil / Art Nouveau statement. Murrle Bennett created some of the most wonderful Jugendstil designs and this piece has that lovely stylised heart, as well as those faux rivets dotted around the design. This is a large, weighty and substantial piece, which I believe was converted not long after its creation as a belt buckle. Pleasingly, the full Murrle Bennett maker’s marks, as well as the London import marks for 1902 are stamped on the front of the piece.
In 1902 Murrle Bennett imported a number of Jugendstil pieces, which were presented at the London assay office to be fully hallmarked there. This is one such piece and carries all of the stamps you would hope to see on a MB piece from that era.
The conversion is antique and to me, it is so expert and so in keeping with the piece that I believe it was the same jewellers in those early years who adapted it to a necklace. The round turquoise at the top of the design sits in its own millegrain setting and it is an excellent match for what I think is enamel in the centre of the design. At first I thought it was turquoise (might still be) but it seems, in the finish, to more like enamel. This is a sturdy and substantial piece indeed.
The chain looks original -it may have had a toggle fastener originally, as there is still quite a large ring that goes into the replaced clasp. On the verso is an antique jewellers set of numbers, which is most likely the serial number “0600” and then underneath it “o/od/n”.
The height of the pendant section is approx 5.8cm by approx 4.3cm. The wearable length of the chain is approx 45.5cm (17.75 inches). It looks fabulous when worn and makes a glorious statement.
I will send in a new necklace box and by Royal Mail’s Special Delivery within the Uk or by courier internationally. Thank you.
