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Antique 18th Century Minas Novas Earrings Pendant/Brooch Girandole Portuguese

About the Item

Museum-quality rare and important antique 18th century Minas Novas rock crystal quartz girandole pendant and earrings demi-parure mounted in closed-back silver, Portuguese, circa 1770, fitted in an antique case. From the second half of the eighteenth century, the pendant/brooch is set throughout with Minas Novas and composed by crossed foliate branches accented to the center and to the top with a flowerhead motif, suspending three articulated and graduated pear-shape Minas Novas cluster drops in the girandole fashion. The dangle earrings en suite also of a girandole design are composed of a similar foliate and floral surmount suspending three articulated pear-shape Minas Novas cluster drops, secured to reverse with lever-back hoop fittings consistent with the period. These jewels are embellished throughout with circular, oval pear, antique cushion, marquise and calibré cut colorless rock crystal quartz closed-set in foil-back silver. Genuine and original 18th century chrysolite jewels of this style and design are exceedingly rare and highly collectible. Most of these treasures now belong to museums and the most important private collections, out of reach to the general public. Tested as silver, not marked; Lisbon control mark “old man’s head” for antique jewelry. Dimensions: 7.5 x 6.3cm (pendant); 5.1 x 3.8cm (each earring). Gross weight: 36.12g (pendant/brooch); 26.88g (earrings). Of all the styles of eighteenth-century designs, the girandole was probably the most desirable or night wear. Its style was classic: a central bow or floral-shaped cluster ornament from which were suspended three pear-shaped pendants, the middle pendant usually larger than the two flanking it. Dating back to the 17th century, when beautiful examples were made in rose cut diamonds, the girandole remained fashionable for over a hundred years, possibly because the proportion was particularly flattering to the female face. During the 18th century, girandoles were produced all over Europe in every conceivable material, but some of the most fabulous were crafted in Portugal of topaz, “chrysolite” chrysoberyl and “Minas Novas” (colorless topaz, colorless quartz and sometimes by association, paste). The fashion for wearing girandole earrings and brooches of girandole form was to continue right up to the 19th century to be gradually superseded by less flamboyant and more practical styles in the 1840s and 1850s. When girandoles finally went out of fashion, many outstanding examples were broken up to be transformed or simply got damaged beyond repair. This should help appreciate the rarity of the present jewel being offered, which survived the test of time, fashion and wear. Both Portugal and Spain had colonies in South America. Brazil was a treasure trove of precious stones, yielding huge quantities of diamonds, topaz, aquamarine and chrysoberyl gems, which were made into jewelry back in Portugal. These gemstones were pieced together and pave-set to create suites of swagged and beribboned necklaces and earrings in floral and bow motifs. In 1735, the mines of Minas Gerais in Brazil yielded a seam of imperial topaz with a slight pinkish hue. The colorful floral and bow jewelry of Portugal made great use of this delightful gemstone, sometimes mixing it with chrysoberyl, or aquamarine. Imperial topaz was always a costly gemstone and it was not always easy to find enough gemstones of perfectly matched colors to go together in a jewel. That is why it is common for these antique Iberian jewels to be set with a foil behind it, which would enhance the gems’ appearance and help color-match the stones to create the prettiest effect. For similar or equivalent late 1700s Portuguese jewels, see d'Orey, Leonor, "Five Centuries of Jewellery", permanent exhibition of the National Museum of Ancient Art, Lisbon, Zwemmer Publishers Limited, 1995, pages 70, 72, 73, 76, 77, 80, 84-87 and 92-94. For similar or equivalent late 1700s Portuguese jewels, see “Oceanos - Ourivesaria Luso-Brasileira do Ciclo do Ouro e dos Diamantes N.43", Lisbon, Comissão Nacional para as Comemorações dos Descobrimentos Portugueses, 2000, pages 12, 17, 19, 22, 27, 28, 47, 50 and 181. For similar or equivalent late 1700s Portuguese jewels, see de Vasconcelos e Sousa, D. Gonçalo, "Reais Jóias no Norte de Portugal", permanent exhibition of Palácio da Bolsa, Oporto, Artes Gráficas – Lello & Irmão, November 1995, ALGUMAS PEÇAS PRESENTES NA EXPOSIÇÃO section. For similar or equivalent Georgian Iberian (Portuguese and Spanish), English and French jewels, see Dawnes, Ginny Redington and Collings, Olivia, "Georgian Jewellery", ACC Art Books, Suffolk, 2018, pages 16, 22, 72, 73, 83, 85, 93, 106-108, 110, 111 and 141. For similar or equivalent late 1700s Portuguese jewels, see Scarisbrick, Diana, “The S. J. Phillips Collection of Jewels of Portugal”, London, Sotheby’s, S.J.Phillips, 2017, pages 16, 36-38, 46-49, 56, 57, 63, 65, 68, 69 and 71. For similar late 1700s Georgian girandole Portuguese jewels, see Dawnes, Ginny Redington and Collings, Olivia, "Georgian Jewellery", ACC Art Books, Suffolk, 2018, pages 108 and 110. This item is in good condition, with marks and scratches consistent with general age and wear. Antique, period and vintage pieces, both signed and unsigned, are being offered as worn. Unless otherwise stated, all weights and quality factors have been graded as mounting permitted and using classic gemology and standard gemological equipment and might slightly differ from the assessments provided by other gemologists. Assessments related to period of manufacture or geographic origin of gemstones are expert opinions and may differ from the assessments provided by other professionals. Colors in the pictures/videos might slightly differ from the colors in real life. When certificated stones are being offered, the certificate or report will be mentioned. For additional information or clarification, please get in touch and our in-house team of expert GIA Graduate Gemologists and Registered Appraisers/Valuers will be happy to help. Upon request, every item sold by Espadim 1985 will be accompanied by a complimentary valuation, which you can use for insurance, authenticity and reference and safekeeping purposes; this will contain a detailed description, technical information and photographic records of the item.

Metal:

Silver

Stone:

Quartz,Rock Crystal

Stone Cut:

Antique Cushion Cut

Weight:

63 g

Dimensions:

Width: 2.49 in (63 mm)Length: 2.96 in (75 mm)

Style:

Georgian