About this lot

Description

A 19th Century micro mosaic brooch and ear pendants en suite,
the brooch with rectangular black panel inset with coloured tesserae depicting classical architecture, length 3.2cm, width 3.5cm, pin and hook fitting, unmarked, tested as 9ct gold, weight 13.9g; the ear pendants, each with an oval black panel inset with coloured tesserae depicting a bouquet of flowers, decorative mount with twisted border, screw fittings, length including fittings 3.7cm, width 2.3cm, unmarked, tested as 18ct gold, weight 11.4g (2)

Footnote: The popularity of micro mosaics was based on travel to Europe during the late eighteenth to nineteenth century. There was a growth of the middle and merchant classes due to the improvement of the political situation and it quickly became fashionable to pick up mementos or souvenirs. One type, in particular, was micromosaic jewellery. These early pieces featured subject matter such as ancient Roman ruins, flowers, birds, animals and images of bucolic Italian peasant life. Many of them were inspired by renowned Old Master paintings or contemporary landscapes.

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