An exquisite and rare antique Georgian era Chinese carved mother of pearl gambling chip/gaming counter set into a large size sterling silver shirt stud fitting. As an added treat it still resides in its original fitted leather case from the upscale Buys and Badolett jewellery store once located in Cairo, Egypt.
Chinese carved mother-of pearl gaming counters were madly popular in the 1700's at a time when card games were an significant social activity. By the 1850's the counters had fallen out of fashion but a few lucky pieces did survive, no doubt preserved by the Victorians who later had them converted into wearable pieces of art by jewellers, as we see in this piece!
This is a particularly fine example of a gaming counter, it is a large size nice and thick with a milled edge. It is in excellent condition, no doubt helped by being stored in its case for a very long time. The pearl is infused in beautiful pastel pink and green hues and the engraving is exquisite, a master's hand at work. The front shows a courtyard scene with buildings, trees and flowers and 2 men, perhaps talking or playing a game. The reverse is decorated in a floral wreath with a vacant cartouche in the centre to accommodate an engraved monogram.
The counter is set into a custom made sterling silver caged mount with a looped shank and it has a detachable silver ring that slides through the loop so you can thread it through a button hole and secure it to a garment. The dark blue leather fitted case is lined in cream velvet and silk and embossed on the top 'Buys Badolett, CAIRO'
A remarkable and unique silver accessory and a collectors dream! We really cannot find any flaw in this piece, the engraving is still as fresh and crisp as it was on the day it was created and there are no chips or cracks. We estimate that the counter dates to circa 1800 and it was converted into this stud/brooch around 1900 to 1930.
DETAILS:
MATERIALS: sterling silver, mother-of-pearl
MEASUREMENTS: 1-1/4" (3.2cm) diameter
WEIGHT: 6.8 grams
At Mercy Madge we offer quality antique and vintage jewellery sourced in Great Britain. Each piece is hand selected with you in mind and we rarely come across two identical old treasures, once they are gone, they are truly gone!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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* Discount - find special discount and no added tax on our website at www.mercymadge.com
* All gemstones have been tested and verified using a Presidium Gemstone Tester. All measurements and carat weights given are approximations.
* Our photographs have been taken in extreme close up to show you every tiny detail. This often means that any flaws or damage which you can see on the photos will be invisible when viewed normally with the eye. This can also mean that the item can appear larger on the screen than it is in person, so please be sure to read our written description to double check all sizes and dimensions.
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Materials: Mother of Pearl, Sterling Silver.