A sublime antique Art Nouveau brooch hailing from Germany. Crafted in 800 silver and superb quality the brooch is in the stylised form of a Gingko leaf and features beautiful Plique-a-jour enamelling shaded in vivid peacock colours of green and blue. The edges of the leaf are accented in seed pearls and a tooth shaped rare Mississippi river pearl dangles from the bottom.
The brooch is a miniature work of art and it is stamped with a makers mark that is difficult to read, it looks like the intertwined 'HL' mark used by Henrich Levinger & Bissinger, of Pforzheim, Germany
Plique-à-jour (French for "letting in daylight") is a jewellery technique where powdered glass is introduced into a silver or gold framework and kiln fired, the end result is a transparent enamel that light can shine through. Essentially a miniature version of stained-glass it is an extremely challenging technique of jewellery making with a high failure rate. German Plique-à-Jour jewellery hailing from the Art Nouveau period is held in high regard and it is particularly collectable today.
MATERIALS: 800 silver, plique-à-jour enamel
GEMSTONES: 8 natural seed pearls 2.5mm diameter, 1 Mississippi river pearl drop 8.5x7.5mm
MEASUREMENTS: 1-1/2 inches across and 1-3/4 inches high (approx. 38x45mm)
DATE: circa 1900, Art Nouveau/Jugendstil
WEIGHT: 4 grams
HALLMARKS: Stamped '800' along with a makers mark. Also stamped "Gesc HU" (for Geschutzt, a German mark for patent protected).
CONDITION: In excellent antique condition with no enamel loss and the pin back in perfect working order.
At Mercy Madge we offer quality antique and vintage jewellery sourced in Great Britain. All of our pieces are professionally cleaned and polished so they are ready to wear and enjoy or give as a gift.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
* We offer free worldwide shipping on all purchases
* Returns - you can return your item for a refund for any reason. Just get in touch within 3 days of receiving your order and return it within 7 days.
* 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.
* Buying a gift? – your item will arrive gift wrapped in a custom Mercy Madge jewellery box. Please note, unless otherwise stated antique boxes in our photos are for display only and are not included in the purchase.
Materials: Plique a Jour Enamel, 800 Silver, Mississippi River Pearl, Seed Pearls.