Antique Victorian Earrings Mourning Jewelry Diamonds Gold Enamel Long (6693)

Antique Victorian earrings ear pendants. 18 and 14k gold, enamel and diamonds. Made circa 1860, England.

 

Measurements: Length is 2 inches (5cm). Weight is 10.4 grams. 

Description :Exceptional mourning ear pendants. Long, elegant, full of interest and movement. Surmounts/tops are round golden disks with engraved and black enamelled patterns and a raised collette setting holding a rose cut diamond. Loops connect the main body of the earrings, giving them full freedom of movement. They consist of ribbons or belts of gold, overlapping and winding through one another, in part like belts through a buckle, in part winding bands of gold. Surfaces are decorated with very fine bright cut engraving and black enamel in stripes and scrolls. Another pair of colletee set diamonds run in a line from that of the surmount. The bands of the central section of the earrings are attached below via loops to little kite-shapes threading through golden hoops, embellished as the upper parts with engraving, black enamel and small diamonds. They taper towards the longest section in the middle. The artist who designed these earrings went to the maximum effort of making something complex, and at the same time unified in design. Stunning appearance and extremely elegant.

 

Lever backs attached to the back of the disk-tops are very likely not original to the earrings.

 

Marks: As is to be expected of jewelry of this period, there are no marks on the earrings. Gold was tested to ensure metal purity. While gold of earrings tests as 18k, the lever-backs are 14k. 

 

Condition: Good with minor wear commensurate with age. Please see enlarged pictures and don't hesitate to ask questions which we will do our best to answer.