Large Pendant with Bohemian Garnets in Gold, c. 1870

Bohemian pyrope garnets experienced a great heyday in the 19th century. A characteristic feature of garnet jewelry from that period is the close setting of stones, which come together to form flowers, stars, and ornamental patterns. Most of the surviving garnet jewelry was created toward the end of the century. This particular example, however, was crafted about a generation earlier, around 1870. The pendant is intricately crafted and features several movable elements. The upper section consists of a tapered element constructed from staggered angles. This is followed by a large, teardrop-shaped frame whose entire outline is set with garnets. Hanging within it is another freely movable decorative element: a multi-pointed star forms the center, surrounded by an open, oval double frame. Larger garnets provide individual accents, while countless smaller stones cover the surfaces with a deep red sparkle. Thanks to the articulated connection between the individual sections, the pendant follows every movement of its wearer. As a result, the garnets are constantly caught in the light in new ways—a striking contrast to the design’s austere structure. The stones are cut into rose shapes and set in low-karat, slightly reddish gold. The accompanying delicate chain is also made of low-karat gold. Pieces of jewellery featuring nested oval frames were very fashionable around 1870. Brigitte Marquardt: Jewellery. Realism and Historicism. 1850–1895. Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Munich 1998, illustrates several examples made of very different materials on pp. 173ff. These examples help us date this pendant to that period as well. Despite its considerable size, the pendant appears surprisingly light thanks to its openwork design and movable links—and when worn, it creates a particularly lively interplay of colour and light.

Estimation:1.190€

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