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Rare Butterfly Brooch "en Tremblant" with Enamel, Rubies & Diamonds, Germany circa 1900

€ 5,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Rare Butterfly Brooch "en Tremblant" with Enamel, Rubies & Diamonds, Germany circa 1900

Description

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

The butterfly was a popular jewellery motif at the turn of the century: Its wings are ideally suited to be recreated in precious materials. They were usually formed from colorful gemstones, but the specimen here demonstrates a very special technique: the butterfly's wings are made of window enamel, also called "plique à jour" enamel. This technique required a lot of time and sensitivity in the production, but the pastel colors and the slightly translucent quality of the enamel corresponded so wonderfully to the taste of the time, which tended towards the dreamy, delicate. The individual compartments of the enamel stretch out between the veining of gold, as in a stained glass window. We see a delicate graduation of pastel colors, from bluish shades through yellows and reds to shades of green. An opal cabochon in the center of the jewelry picks up on all these colors again; iridescent, they move across its surface with every movement. The body of the butterfly, its antennae and legs, were executed with equal attention to detail. Diamonds and rubies are set onto the golden body. The pastel wings are mounted on golden springs so that they bob jauntily with every movement, giving the butterfly a vibrant quality. This type of brooch, called "en tremblant", was popular at the time. The additional movement not only made a piece of jewellery more interesting, but also made the jewels sparkle even more splendidly. A hallmark reveals that the piece was made in Germany. The butterfly does not bear a maker's mark, but it comes from the hand of an accomplished goldsmith. A rare and strikingly beautiful example of turn-of-the-century artistic jewellery, in the best condition.

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In the elaborate technique of plique-à-jour enamel (French for "letting in daylight") used here, the enamel glass is cast between framing metal bars without a supporting base. The glass thus appears to float in the light, creating an effect similar to the panes of church windows. This difficult-to-make technique was developed as early as the 6th century in the Byzantine Empire and spread to Western Europe in the Middle Ages, but it was especially beloved by the artists of Art Nouveau. Translucent and almost ethereal, they were able to best realize their ideas of form with this form of enamel: The great jewelry designers such as René Lalique and Léopold Gautrait created numerous pieces using this technique.

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Size & Details

Daydream

€ 5,980.00 ^*

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.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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