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Details
An Edwardian peridot, amethyst and rose-cut diamond necklace
composed of alternate cut-cornered rectangular peridots and amethysts with rose-cut diamond fleur-de-lys divisions, circa 1905, in fitted case, some rose-cut diamond deficient.
composed of alternate cut-cornered rectangular peridots and amethysts with rose-cut diamond fleur-de-lys divisions, circa 1905, in fitted case, some rose-cut diamond deficient.
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.
Further details
The colours adopted by the most widely known organisation within the Suffrage movement, the Women's Social and Political Union (W.S.P.U), founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, were purple, green and white. These colours can be seen in hunger strike medal ribbons (ref Spink catalogue London, Wednesday 6 May 1998 Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria), and suffragette banners.
This combination of colours was also commonly used in Edwardian jewellery, combining stones such as amethysts, emeralds, pearls and demantoid garnets. Often jewels with these colours have been later associated with the Suffragette movement for understandable reasons and some authors have expounded the theory that the colours of the stones were a coded reference to the phrase 'Give Women the Vote'. In reality, the slogan used at the time was 'Votes for Women' and the official colour was always described as purple, not violet, therefore it is unlikely that the first letters of the colours actually spelt out a secret message.
However, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that this necklace could be said to show subtle support for the movement.
This combination of colours was also commonly used in Edwardian jewellery, combining stones such as amethysts, emeralds, pearls and demantoid garnets. Often jewels with these colours have been later associated with the Suffragette movement for understandable reasons and some authors have expounded the theory that the colours of the stones were a coded reference to the phrase 'Give Women the Vote'. In reality, the slogan used at the time was 'Votes for Women' and the official colour was always described as purple, not violet, therefore it is unlikely that the first letters of the colours actually spelt out a secret message.
However, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that this necklace could be said to show subtle support for the movement.