Victorian Medallion Pendant With Pearl & Blue Enamel on Gold, ca. 1875

So ubiquitous were lockets of all shapes for a time that in 1870 the London Society magazine published a humorous cartoon by Alfred Thomas appropriately titled "The Locketomanic" (see illustration). It shows a fashionably dressed lady wearing more than thirty different lockets in every conceivable place. This little drawing illustrates with a twinkle in the eye how popular these pieces of jewellery were in Queen Victoria's era. Given this fondness for medallions, it is not surprising that new types emerged, each with its own details. The present pendant, for example, illustrates the Victorian delight in ornamentation and richness of form. It shows a loop ornament as a eyelet, while on the lid of the medallion a pearl in a raised setting is surrounded by blue enamel in a star shape. Fringes are suspended below, which were also booming in gold jewellery in the 1870s. The gold is additionally finely gilded (so-called bloom finish), so that a matt, velvety sheen is created. On the back is a glazed window in which a photograph can be stored. This is not closed by a gold lid, but rests directly on the chest, so that the portrait of a loved one can literally be carried close to the heart. We were able to discover the medallion in London. According to its design language, it was also once created in Victorian England.

Estimate:$2,122.39

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