Grande Period - Victorian Sterling Silver Amphora & Wreathe Repoussé Dangly Earrings (VICE053)

Grande Period - Victorian Sterling Silver Amphora & Wreathe Repoussè Dangly Earrings. These exquisite earrings are crafted from sterling silver, tested and  hallmarked 925 for sterling silver on the replacement French lever backs. The earrings feature Victorian era styling, and high quality craftsmanship. These gorgeous earrings are Victorian yet made in the neoclassic style. These cunning earrings are constructed using the repoussé technique on the front and the back of the earrings, which allows the earrings to look beautiful from every angle. These earrings also boasts a wreathe and amphora motif, with the amphora displaying a decorative top and small handles at the sides. Within the amphora is a beautiful wreathe with swirling decoration. Both the amphora and the wreathe are holdovers from the jewelry of the Neoclassical era (1790-1815), and continued to be popular throughout the 19th century. The earrings feature  silver loop tops, which support the silver leaver backs, giving them extra movement! As with most earrings of this decade, these jewels are hollow, with the fronts having tons of dimension, and the backs either plain and polished, or in this case a repeated decoration. The tiny air vent holes required to construct these earrings can be seen on the front and the back. These earrings pack a lot of visual punch, but are light as a feather on the ear, weighing in at 8.47 grams for the pair! Moreover, they have made it through 140+ years in a fabulous state of preservation, without damage, dents, or repairs! SIMPLY OUTSTANDING! The only sign of wear (replacement) to these earrings are the top portion, which are contemporary to the drops, but are the much desired secure French lever backs for pierced ears. The French lever backs are hallmarked 925, which makes me surmise that these findings are later replacements; Otherwise, these earrings are just as fresh as the day they were first worn by a lady of wealth and fashion! Simply a fine example of victorian romantic-era jewelry, these earrings will take you from the office to the theater in high style! If you cherish the finest in antique silver jewelry, these beauties belong in your collection! They would also make a very special gift for any lady fond of Victorian jewelry. 

The story of silver mining began about 5,000 years ago. Silver was first mined around 3,000 BCE in Anatolia, now located in modern-day Turkey. The precious metal helped early civilizations in the Near East, Ancient Greece to flourish.

Repoussé, a French term meaning "pushed up", is the term used to describe a metalworking technique that creates an image in relief on a sheet of metal. The name hints at the general principle of the technique: the artist pushes the metal up from the reverse side to create the intended image. Chasing, derived from the noun "chase" meaning grooves or channels, is the counterpart to repoussé and is used to modify and refine the image. You may also hear chasing referred to as embossing. Because of the malleability of metal, a single sheet of metal could be used without causing extensive damage or removing any of the material, although indications of the technique can be seen upon inspection.

The metal repousse technique has existed since early on in the history of humanity. Mass production methods of repoussé works date back to the 3rd millennium BCE in the Middle East. The process also surfaced in the native tribes of America, Greece, France, Rome, and in southeastern Asia. Gold and silver are the predominantly used materials in modern works, but bronze, tin, and copper were extensively used throughout every region where it was used in ancient times.

The types of artwork made using the technique include drinking vessels, pieces of armor, ritual clothing such as headdresses and masks, and decorations for buildings and important objects like sarcophaguses.

One of the most famous pieces of work to use repoussage is the mask of the mummy of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. A solitary sheet of gold forms the majority of the mask which was then set with gemstones. The Statue of Liberty is also an incredibly well known piece of art made by the metal repousse technique; created by the French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi to celebrate the relationship between France and America.

The original process involved placing a sheet of metal on a bowl of pitch, most commonly made from pine rosin. Beeswax, mud, and other types of rosin have been used depending on the availability of materials in the region where the piece was created. The pitch is heated and kept soft to hold the sheet stable and allow the artist to hammer the metal outwards. Controlling the temperature of the pitch is vital to achieving the desired result: too cool and therefore too soft, and it becomes much harder to create the intended image; too hot and therefore too hard, and the sheet will become too thin as it is worked and eventually lose structural integrity. To expedite the process, pre-fabricated pattern molds can be used to quickly stamp the image into the metal.

Neoclassicism was an art movement that sought to evoke the style of classical antiquity in writing, painting, sculpting, and architecture found in Greek and Roman culture. Neoclassicism was most popular between the late 18th century and early 19th century.

Measurements: Earrings (Including the French leaver backs) 63.00 mm x 15.00 mm 

Weight: 8.47 grams 

Condition: Excellent      Note: French lever backs (later replacements)

Origin: Netherlands 

Date: Circa 1880