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Details
A GROUP OF ANTIQUE JEWELRY AND CLASPS
Comprising an oval locket, decorated with polychrome enamel and half-pearls, enhanced by rose-cut diamond foliate motifs, the reverse set with a glass encasement, suspended by a tricolored gold floral pendant hoop of later addition, (illustrated), circa 1870; five gold bracelets: one designed as interlocking gold links with chased gold fancy link intersections, to the cabochon turquoise and rectangular-cut ruby hand clasp, 8 ins.; one designed as circular gold links with star motif detail to the floral and circular-cut emerald hand clasp, (emerald with chip), 7¼ ins.; one designed as interlocking gold links with chased gold fancy link intersections to the cabochon turquoise and rectangular-cut ruby hand clasp, 8¼ ins.; one designed as circular gold links with star motif detail to the floral, foliate and oval-cut emerald hand clasp, 7¼ ins.; and one designed as circular gold links to the hand suspending a locket, 8 ins., all bracelets circa 1840; a heart-shaped half-pearl and old European-cut diamond locket pendant, the reverse set with a glass encasement, circa 1850; a blue and white enamel clasp of floral motif within a half-pearl surround, circa mid-19th century; a green beryl clasp with beadwork detail, circa 1830; and a Miers silhouette enamel clasp, (with damage to enamel, illustrated), circa 1810 (10)
Comprising an oval locket, decorated with polychrome enamel and half-pearls, enhanced by rose-cut diamond foliate motifs, the reverse set with a glass encasement, suspended by a tricolored gold floral pendant hoop of later addition, (illustrated), circa 1870; five gold bracelets: one designed as interlocking gold links with chased gold fancy link intersections, to the cabochon turquoise and rectangular-cut ruby hand clasp, 8 ins.; one designed as circular gold links with star motif detail to the floral and circular-cut emerald hand clasp, (emerald with chip), 7¼ ins.; one designed as interlocking gold links with chased gold fancy link intersections to the cabochon turquoise and rectangular-cut ruby hand clasp, 8¼ ins.; one designed as circular gold links with star motif detail to the floral, foliate and oval-cut emerald hand clasp, 7¼ ins.; and one designed as circular gold links to the hand suspending a locket, 8 ins., all bracelets circa 1840; a heart-shaped half-pearl and old European-cut diamond locket pendant, the reverse set with a glass encasement, circa 1850; a blue and white enamel clasp of floral motif within a half-pearl surround, circa mid-19th century; a green beryl clasp with beadwork detail, circa 1830; and a Miers silhouette enamel clasp, (with damage to enamel, illustrated), circa 1810 (10)
Special notice
This lot is exempt from Sales Tax.
Further details
Silhouette painting originated in Classical antiquity and regained popularity in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Historians credit the publication of Lavater's Essays on Physiognomy, illustrated by silhouettes, as the stimulus for their resurgence. The term silhouette comes from the surname of the French Finance Minister Etienne de Silhouette, whose hobby was cutting paper. To create a silhouette, the subject would be seated to the side and her profile would be cut from black paper. Towards the end of the 1700s, silhouettes became more diminutive in size and were often set in jewelry and painted on ivory. John Miers (1756-1821) was the eminent Silhouettist of the time.