Long Vintage Victorian Style Gold Earrings, Great Britain c. 1985

The desires and dreams of a society can be read not only from the most modern phenomena - but also precisely from which past epochs of history come into renewed interest and are interpreted for the present. Around 1800, for example, stylistic elements of classical antiquity embodied Enlightenment ideals such as education, freedom, and rationality throughout Europe. Then, around mid-century, during the reign of French Emperor Napoléon III, buildings, furniture, and jewellery in the late 18th-century style harkened back to the pre-Revolutionary Rococo period and generated an idea of continuity. The last third of the 20th century was much the same with jewellery in the style of the Victorian period. They countered the cool postmodernism, which deliberately avoided ornamentation, with a warm, nostalgic note. The present ear jewellery was created as a reminiscence of this era and shows a commitment to the taste of the 1870s. The earrings each present a three-piece arrangement of a fluted gold ball, an elongated centerpiece and large, curved decorative links on the practical hoops. The well-maintained pair is crafted of 9-karat gold, which has an additional gold plating that gives it a wonderfully velvety, rich shimmer. The pendants are also lightweight and comfortable to wear. Dating from around 1985, this pair is both elegant and romantic ear jewellery. The pendants found their way to us from London and, according to the hallmark, were also made in England.

Estimate:£671.04

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