Victorian Locket Pendant with Pearls in Enamelled Gold, c. 1871

Memories are our most precious treasure. A picture, a lock of hair, perhaps even a little letter: we often have very personal and intimate items that remind us of a loved one. Carrying such objects with us at all times has a comforting effect for many people. Antique lockets are one of these particularly sentimental pieces. Worn openly and yet protected from prying eyes, they can be used to safely store mementos in a precious case. This locket pendant is a precious and beautifully crafted representative of this type of jewellery. On the front, we see a star made of natural pearls whose warm lustre complements the warm shine of the gold. A frame of blue enamel completes the design of the celestial body on the outside. The back of the pendant has no further ornamentation, but shines softly and velvety. Inside, two frames make it possible to store photographs or a lock of hair, for example. An engraving on the inner frame states the date July 4, 1871, a time when star motifs and velvety shimmering surfaces in yellow gold, just like those of the locket, were all the rage. The locket was therefore very much in keeping with the fashion of its time. For dating, see Brigitte Marquardt: Schmuck. Realismus und Historismus (1850-1895), Munich/Berlin 1998, p. 231ff, with corresponding lockets of the time and on the shape of the star David Bennet and Daniela Mascetti: Understanding Jewellery, Woodbridge 2010, p. 230.

Estimation:€3,290

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