Victorian Horn Piqué Necklace From England, Around 1900

The present necklace dates back to the last years of the Victorian era. On a silver round belcher chain it presents five curved decorative elements made of dark horn. Their fronts are adorned with graceful floral arrangements of brass and mother-of-pearl inlays, executed in the piqué technique. Wonderfully, the floral ornaments stand out against the dark background and give the necklace a nostalgic look. In the so-called piqué technique, filigree elements made of metals or mother-of-pearl are inlaid into horn, forming graceful patterns and arrangements. The technique experienced its heyday in the 17th and 18th centuries in France. Huguenot emigrants then brought the craft to England, where it enjoyed great popularity throughout the 19th century. The center of piqué production was the English city of Birmingham, where craftsmen mastered the technique to perfection. Today, unfortunately, this technique is lost. The antique necklace is a wonderful example of English jewellery craftsmanship of the turn of the century before last, a special addition to any jewellery collection and last but not least to wear today! Cf. for dating with further examples also Ginny Redington Dawes and Corinne Davidov: Victorian Jewelry. Unexplored Treasures, New York / London / Paris 1991, pp. 132-138.

Estimate:$658.23

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