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Barnebys HQ
Brahegatan 10
BOX 5038
114 37 Stockholm
All auctions / Jewelry & Gems / Large Cross with Rock Crystals and Diamonds in Gold and Silver, England
Six large rock crystals, cut into the shape of cushion-like roses, come together to form a large cross pendant. The large facets of the transparent crystals capture the light in bright reflections that dance across the surface. The colourless stones resemble frozen water, cool in their effect and possessing an elegant presence. The monumental form of the large cross and the transparency of the rock crystals create a beautiful contrast: The pendant appears festive without being heavy and precious without being opulent. The rock crystals are set in silver on a gold base, so that the silver enhances the effect of the rock crystals, while the underlying gold prevents the silver from staining fabrics. Twenty-nine small diamond roses trace the contours of the cross, creating striking little points of light between the large crystals and on the loop. The pendant has a fascinating history. According to a family tradition in Berlin, the cross was once owned by Margot, Countess of Oxford and Asquith. Margot Asquith was one of the most dazzling figures in British society of her time: witty, unconventional, and famous for her political and literary circles. Her husband, Herbert Henry Asquith, served as British Prime Minister from 1908 to 1916; and in the years leading up to World War I, the couple was thus at the center of London’s political and social life. According to the family story, Margot Asquith gave the cross to a German governess who was responsible for the education of the Asquith children. When the young woman from Berlin was forced to leave England and return to Germany at the outbreak of World War I, the pendant is said to have been presented to her as a personal parting gift. Thus, the large cross became a symbol of solidarity at the very moment when the great currents of European politics forcibly tore apart a private family community. For more than a century, the cross remained in the possession of the Berlin family, who eventually passed it on to us. It exemplifies European history and the personal fate of a woman whose memory has been preserved in this gift. It is a historical artifact that tells a story of hope and loyalty, of farewell and remembrance.
Estimate:$3,249.93
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Hammer price:
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Estimate:
$3,249.93
OCT 27 | 4:00 PM
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