A Victorian Holbeinesque garnet and chrysoberyl pendant

A Victorian Holbeinesque garnet and chrysoberyl pendant

Description

A Victorian Holbeinesque garnet and chrysoberyl pendant, to the centre an oval cabochon garnet measuring 14 x 11mm, surrounded by polychrome champlevé enamel frame, encrusted with six square-cut chrysoberyls, suspending a chrysoberyl-set drop, all mounted in yellow gold, with finely engraved back with scroll and foliate decorations and hair locket compartment, circa 1870, measuring approximately 5.5×2.2cm, gross weight 9.5 grams.

A gorgeous Victorian Holbeinesque pendant. Holbeinesque is a term used to describe Victorian jewellery that was made in the style of the Renaissance, particularly inspired by the Northern Renaissance and the paintings of Hans Holbein. Holbein produced sketches of the jewellery worn at the Tudor court, and the sketches were used as reference points by Victorian jewellery designers and craftsmen. This pendant features a glowing central garnet of a deep red colour, surrounded by a fabulous enamel frame set with glinting chrysoberyls. The enamel is in blue, green, and red, providing a wonderful and colourful contrast to the stones that are set in this pendant. A lovely drop from the central pendant features four further chrysoberyls arranged in a kite shape. This pendant also features a locket to the back, a typical feature of Victorian jewellery: the locket would have contained a lock of hair belonging to a loved one. A pendant similar to this one can be seen in Holbein’s book of illustrations for jewellery from the 1530s, which is in the collection of the British Museum.