The design of these silver drop earrings is very typical of jewellery from the Provence region in France. Most of the jewellery from this region was created in silver, and cross pendants from a similar design can still be found quite regularly. However, these earrings are a rare find, and not many similar examples have survived through the centuries.
They are created from two different parts that can move independently of each other. The top part is set with a round-cut paste stone, and the teardrop-shaped bottom is set with a pear-cut paste. The tendril-like decorations on the sides of each setting are also studded with small paste stones.
The term 'paste' is now generally used for a specific type of faceted glass gemstone, developed by George Friedrich Strass in the 1720s. Glass has been used in jewellery since glass was invented millennia ago, but Strass experimented with the lead content and created a recipe that created a brilliance that replicated diamonds. This not only gave ladies a more affordable option to diamond jewellery, but it also allowed jewellery designers the chance to create outspoken, elaborate designs that were more difficult to make with natural diamonds.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 52 x 20 mm from hook to tip.
Weight: Combined 8.65 grams.
Age: 19th Century, also known as the Victorian era, circa 1850s.
Material: Hallmarked with French boar hallmarks for 800/1000 silver, used after 1838.
Condition: In great antique condition with only minor wear, consistent with age.
Please note that the antique box is for display purposes only. This shop is based in the EU. Although antiques are exempt from taxes in most countries, buyers from outside the EU might be subject to import taxes.