Magnificent Archaeological Style Gold Locket with Pearls by Streeter

"E. W. Streeter, of 37, Conduit Street, are introducing a novelty in jewellery, namely, pure gold ornaments of the best style of manufacture, and of the most recherché and artistic taste" - "E. W. Streeter, of 37 Conduit Street, bring a novelty into the field of jewellery: gold ornaments of the highest quality, and in the most select and artistic taste." The Court Journal, 22.12.1866 In the late 19th century, E. W. Streeter, formerly Hancock & Co, was one of the leading addresses for high-quality gold jewelry in London and a purveyor to the courts of numerous ruling houses. Their secret was to produce "machine-made jewelry" and thus to be able to manufacture at a lower cost than the competition. However, this does not mean that the pieces of jewellery made by Streeter were automated in the sense we know today. They simply used punches and presses for high-quality gold jewelry, just as was customary in Pforzheim in Germany. Streeter's pieces of jewellery continued to be assembled and finished by hand. This pendant with a medallion compartment in the archaeological style shows just how detailed and perfect Streeter's products were. The design, a large oval, is extremely sculpted, curved and with numerous folds that would have been extremely difficult to produce by hand. Perfectly executed enamel overlays structure the surfaces. A star made of natural pearls adorns the center. A look at Streeter's surviving catalogs allows us to date the pendant to around 1870. Jewellery in the, admittedly generously modernized, forms of classical antiquity was a great fashion, parallel to other historical styles. This so-called archaeological style was characterized in particular by twisted cords, attached pendulums and shiny gold balls applied to the oval, domed shapes. We reproduce a page from the catalog for the year 1870 showing similar designs. We discovered the pendant in London. It is perfectly preserved and a wonderful piece of jewelry history. On the pendants and brooches of the years around 1870, see David Bennet and Daniela Mascetti: Understanding Jewellery, Woodbridge 2010, p. 168f.

Estimate:$4,225.31

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