Antique Enamel, Diamond and Gold Locket Pendant Depicting Minerva, Circa 1877

A Carlo Giuliano enamel, peridot, moonstone, garnet and gold pendant with a cabochon-cut peridot, in the centre of a cluster of eight, cabochon-cut moonstones, with a blue, white, bl...

An antique cameo brooch, depicting Hera, the ancient Greek goddess of women, marriage and childbirth, on a sardonyx hardstone cameo, with a dark brown background, mounted in yellow g...

Italian Etruscan revival locked. This is a gorgeous antique medallion-locket created in Italy in the 19th century, circa 1870. The locket has been made up in an oval shape in the Etruscan revival style and carefully crafted in 18kt gilded brass with high polished finish. The medallion locket is decorated with the inlaid portrait of an ancient Etruscan queen, which is dressed with colorful robes, crowned with a diadem and wearing earrings accented with two rose cut diamonds. The profile of the queen is fully decorated with the difficult polychrome enamel technique, called Peinture sur émail. It is fitted with a three-barrels hinge with a snap lock to open and close and a ring bale to wear in a chain. The craftsmanship of this one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry, is exceptional and well done, and surely this will be a great conversation piece. Country: Europe, Italy. Period & Style: Etruscan Revival 1870. Diamonds: Mount in inlaid settings, with 2 European rose cut diamond, 0.07 carat, white colorless F/G color, VS/SI clarity. Weight: 26.95 Grams, (17.30 Dwt). Measurements: 31 mm by 52 mm by 6 mm (1.22 x 2.05 x 0.24 Inches). Hallmarks: Unmarked as usual. Peinture sur émail technique Peinture sur émail is a French type of painting with enamels. It was developed at the end of the 15th century in Limoges, France. In this technique, a slightly convex, metal plate is covered with a fondant of uniform color which was fired to produce a vitreous base for the drawing. On this, the artist starts applying color after color in thin layers onto the base color with a paintbrush. It is vital that one starts with the colors of the highest flowing temperature to avoid the diffusing of colors at a later stage. Between every step, the intermediate depiction needed to be fired in the oven to fixate the colors, sometimes up to 20 rounds of heating are needed for the final result. In this manner, one was able to rival the oil painters of the day and artists such as Leonard Limousin were in high regard, often even employed by the patrons of the arts. Needless to say, that this type of enameling was no longer in the realm of goldsmiths but belonged to those with exceptional drawing skills. At the end of the 16th century the abundance of workshops that produced these artifacts – these could be a meter high – created a decline in craftsmanship which is usually associated with popular cultures. Like Castellani rescued the micro mosaics from general decline by giving it a new impulse so did Jean Toutin from Blois, France give a new incentive to painted enamel in the early 17th century by introducing miniature paintings on enamel of high quality. In Geneva, Switzerland, there was a culture of painting enamels from the late 15th century as well, but the industry only really started to flourish mid-17th century. They specialized in portraits as in scenery images which soon attracted the attention of customers from all over Europe and beyond. Famous Genevan names of the day were Jean Petitot, Jean Etienne Liotard...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian 0.03 carat and enamel, 18 karat yellow gold pendant/locket; part of our Victorian jewellery collections. This exceptional, fine and impressive antique locket has been crafted in 18k yellow gold. The locket has an impressive rectangular shield-shaped form, surmounted with impressive scrolling leaf decoration. The anterior surface of the locket is embellished with a stunning and vibrant hand-painted miniature portrait depicting a Victorian woman with a floral headdress. The enamel portrait is ornamented with three impressive Dutch cut diamonds; two set to the floral headdress and one to the womans ribbon necklace. The exceptional enamel portrait is encompassed with yellow gold textured decoration, further ornamented with a paralleling black enamel scalloped border. The reverse of this Victorian locket is embellished to the centre with an inescutcheon bearing the contemporary engraved initial 'S', encompassed with with further engraved foliate and simplified borders. This hinged locket opens to reveal two windows, allowing for a personal memento to be stored within. The Victorian pendant suspends from an 18' 18k yellow gold fine trace chain via a flared ring loop attachment to the scrolling upper border of the design. This antique gold and enamel locket...