Antique Egyptian Revival Earrings Brooch Set 18k Gold Diamond Ruby Enamel (6616)

Antique Victorian Egyptian Revival habille set of earrings and brooch. 18k yellow gold, enamel, diamonds and rubies. Made circa 1870's.

Measurements: Diameter of brooch is 1 5/8 inches (4.25 cm); Diameter of earrings is 6/8 inches (2cm). Combined weight is 19.3 grams.

Description : Exceptional Egyptian Revival portrait set of earrings and brooch. Centers are enamelled over gold and set with precious gems. Each piece of the set depicts a woman's head in profile. She wears typical Egyptian headdress done in curved striped patterns of brightly colored enamel and flowing vertically down the side of her neck. Above each woman's ear is a large flower, entirely set in diamonds with a ruby center. She wears long ear pendants of gold, set with a central diamond. Around her neck is a necklace modelled in gold. Colors are bright green, red, blue and white that all stand out beautifully against the gold detail and background. The faces are finely modelled and shaded in exquisite enamelling of the highest quality. Eyes are blue. Background of centers are very fine, feathery scrolls, exquisitely engraved in the gold.
Surrounding borders of gold with modelled symbols in Egyptian Revival taste - owls, hieroglyphics, herons, snakes and leopards or panthers.
Earrings with simple wires and c-clasps for security. Pin of brooch is hinged and has secure c-clasp.
Habille: jewelry images that are dressed with jewelry of their own. Most commonly found in cameos habille, this is a very rare example of enamel and gold habille figures.

Marks: Lozenge mark on side of hinge. Maker is A over another letter that we can't make out. Another hallmark is next to the c of the clasp.

Condition: Generally good with minor wear commensurate with age and use. One earring has minor enamel loss on her neck - it does not detract from the beauty of the portrait, but is mentioned for the sake of accuracy. Please see enlarged pictures and don't hesitate to ask questions which we will do our best to answer.

THE STORY:  For hundreds of years, the world has been fascinated with Ancient Egypt.
Following Napoleon Bonaparte's campaigns in Egypt, there was a huge mania for Egypt-related jewelry in France.
With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, there was an even bigger resurgence of this passion. Even jewellers like Castellani, who generally focused on the Ancient Greeks and Etruscans, made fabulous jewelry set with micromosaics as echoes and in homage to the Ancient Egyptians. Most of us will never see a Castellani micromosaic in the Ancient Egyptian style, but there are some available by other makers such as out brooch #6840 with Pharoah portraits. Other fabulous jewels, enamelled, set with gems, in a variety of materials from wood to gold and platinum, show the range of influence of Ancient Egypt.
Louis Comfort Tiffany, who toured in Egypt as a young man was greatly influenced by Ancient Egypt both in his early jewelry and in the making of glass.
Egyptian Revival jewelry received its greates boost after 1922, when Howard Carter discovered King Tutenkhamun's tomb.

Some Egyptian Revival jewelry is accurate in its depiction of hieroglyphics and other Egyptian symbols.
Some of the most interesting jewelry from the late 19th century in this style incorporate actual Ancient Egyptian items - medallions, faience, scarabs into their gold mounts.
Most Egyptian Revival jewels are more decorative, using the symbols of snakes, cats, sphynxes, pharoahs and scarabs in a more decorative fashion.