The jewels in this early 19th Century demi-parure, consisting of a necklace, choker and pendant, are all made from tiny drilled natural seed pearls.
These jewels were carefully collected and passed down in the past. In 1914, a fitted box was created for the set, which carries an attribution printed inside the lid:
'Parure Ancienne de la Famille Burls, offerte à Maud Burls par sa grand-mère a l'occasion de sa première communion, 3 mai 1914.'
(Antique parure of the family Burls, gifted to Maud Burls from her grandmother on the occasion of her first communion, 3rd of May 1914)
Originally, the box also housed two brooches, which are no longer present.
General Information
Size: Necklace:
41.5 cm.
Choker: 27.5 cm.
Pendant: 57 x 40 mm.
The box measures 17 x 22 cm.
Weight: Necklace: 11 grams.
Choker: 4.90 grams.
Pendant: 5.25 grams.
Age: Early 19th Century, also known as the Georgian era, circa 1820s. The box was made around 1914.
Material: The clasp of the necklace is hallmarked for 14k gold: the rest of the gold fittings have been acid-tested as being 9k gold.
Condition: In antique condition with some wear and repairs, consistent with their age. Some of the mother-of-pearl backing of the pendant is cracked, but because of all the thread embroidery that keeps the seed pearls in place, the framework still sits securely.
The necklace was in damaged condition and has been completely restrung: a difficult task that took the jeweler that felt secure to fulfill this task approximately 30 hours!
Please note that the antique box is part of this sale.