Fabulous Gold Pin with Essex Crystal of a Pinscher, England c. 1870

Some very British things are developed into true passions – for instance to plant gardens, lay carpeting in bathrooms or love funny-looking dogs. This latter fact has led to some of the most bizarre dog breeds coming from Britain. From the Welsh Corgie to the Basset, the Jack Russell Terrier or the English Bulldog, there are countless examples of dog breeds that got their start on the island. A very special little fellow of English origin we see here on a pin of the 1870s: The Pinscher. A so-called "Essex Crystal" captures the viewer's gaze. In the case of an Essex Crystal, the image is cut into a rock crystal from behind in the manner of an intaglio and is then painted. We see in the circular cabochon the head of a small miniature terrier with pointed ears. The little dog with black fur wears a red collar with little bells. He looks amusedly at us, somewhat grimly and skeptically adorable. It can be assumed that a somewhat eccentric lady or gentleman had their darling dog portrayed in this rare medium so that it could always be carried close! The craftsman has succeeded in capturing the physiognomy and the attentive character of the animal. The depiction is also backed with a gold plate to further enhance the three-dimensional effect of the three-dimensional cuts. Precise details of the fur can be seen and the deep cut even reveals a real shadow play of the figure in the crystals. The Essex crystal is set in high karat gold, the design language of the setting and its details make us date the piece to the 1870s.

Estimate:£1,002.03

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