Ivy and love birds

Magnificent "Aesthetic Movement" necklace with locket made of silver, England circa 1880

€ 1,890.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Magnificent "Aesthetic Movement" necklace with locket made of silver, England circa 1880

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

"If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." William Morris, 1880 Whether it was the jewellery of the ancient Etruscans, Renaissance jewels or Baroque tendril engravings - the Victorian age loved to explore old styles and revive them in ever richer combinations. However, as is so often the case, a counter-movement quickly emerged. The artists of the Aesthetic Movement, such as William Morris, went against this tide and looked for forms that were not already tainted with old meaning but were still suitable for bringing beauty into the home. Beauty and utility were the watchwords that were directed against the exuberant pomp of their contemporaries. They found inspiration in faraway Japan, among other places, whose gates had opened to the West in 1868 after a long period of seclusion. All of a sudden, Western artists were confronted with an art that offered them a completely new perspective: simple lines, elegant flatness, natural motifs reduced to the essentials. Just take a look at the overview of the collection highlights of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London on this topic, which can be viewed online here. The influence of japonisme can hardly be overlooked here. This necklace is a child of this art movement, which quickly found its way into middle-class households in Great Britain. In the field of jewellery, it was mainly silver jewelry that was created in Birmingham's manufactories. Their value was no longer based on the number and size of sparkling diamonds, but solely on their original design. The shiny silver surfaces were often decorated with minimalist engravings, as seen here. The necklace consists of a wide chain of embossed bands holding small round plaques depicting ivy leaves. Ivy was considered a plant of fidelity, especially in marriage. This meaning arose from its evergreen nature, which not only sprouts leaves in the warm seasons and attaches itself firmly to walls and masonry, but also perseveres and does not shed in the cold winter. In Victorian times, this meaning was omnipresent, as the language of flowers was well known. Ivy was therefore a favorite decoration for wedding rings. The large locket attached to the spring ring, which is also used to close the necklace, is also engraved. Swallows, also known as lovebirds, are depicted on the front and back: Just as the swallows find their way back to their usual place every year, so too should the lovers - despite any physical separation - always come back to each other and remain faithful to each other. The engravings are therefore meant to be romantic, as is fitting for a locket, which is a wonderful place to keep small love souvenirs. The depictions are light and elegant and are clearly reminiscent of the woodcuts from Japan that were so modern at the time of their creation. Their execution also testifies to the special quality of the necklace: the ivy leaves, for example, are not embossed by machine, as is often the case, but engraved by hand: Each depiction is slightly different from the next! The necklace was made in Birmingham around 1880, and the back of the locket bears a corresponding hallmark. We discovered it in London.

Size & Details

Ivy and love birds

€ 1,890.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

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Ivy and love birds

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