Arts & Crafts Necklace of Carved Turquoise and Pearls

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Arts & Crafts Necklace of Carved Turquoise and Pearls

About the Item

This delicate and handsomely carved turquoise and pearl necklace dates to the Arts & Crafts period and was purchased in England where it most likely originates, though it bears no hallmarks. The 19 mm x 12 mm turquoise carving rests atop a silver frame and is locked securely in place by six V-shaped double prongs. The turquoise is suspended by two brief and fine—1.27 mm wide—lengths of chain, which meet at a ring below the pearl. The pearl, in turn, is suspended from a pierced upside-down triangular medallion. Approximately 7 ¾ inches of chain is attached to either end of the medallion, and both chains are host to two pearls and one pierced oval link. These flat links look machine-made; perfectly identical until, that is, you look closer. Which is when you see that each of these 8.80 mm x 3.90 mm design elements is individually crafted. Thus we bear witness to the "craft" in Arts & Crafts. Five pearls all together. Given the date this necklace was created, I would assume they are natural and non-nucleated pearls. However, I have not had them x-rayed nor have I removed one from the chain to inspect the hole under the microscope. Kokichi Mikimoto was granted a patent for his process of culturing a pearl in 1908 and it wasn't until 1921 that his perfectly round cultured pearls hit the market in a big way. But small as they may, these are weighty little pearls which further bolsters my opinion that they are un-cultured. The turquoise is a bright robin's egg blue with very little matrix; what matrix there is has been incorporated into the floral-motif carving. The total length for this necklace is 16" and it weighs 4.04 grams. Oh. Did I mention that the delicate chain, whose links measure approximately 1.49 mm long by 90 mm wide, was also hand-made? From silver wire half-a-millimeter thick. Can you fathom the skill, patience and dexterity required to create such minuscule links in quantity sufficient for a necklace? You get a little too close with that torch and a week's worth of work melts into shimmery liquid beads on your firing stone. Arts & Crafts jewelry is rare because the period didn't last long. But it was and remains a hugely influential period, so all Arts & Crafts jewelry that survives is precious.

Metal:
Silver
Stone:
Pearl,Turquoise
Stone Cut:
Uncut
Weight:
4.04 g
Dimensions:
Length: 16 in (406.4 mm)
Style:
Arts and Crafts
Period:
1890-1899
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1890-1900
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Excellent condition with no signs of damage or repairs. Original clasp.
Seller Location:
Southbury, CT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU158917921851