A wonderful and unique enameled pendant necklace from the Victorian (ca1880) era! This piece is crafted in sterling silver and portrays the shape of a 3-dimensional egg on a beautiful enamel chain. The lower portion of the pendant is intricately hand painted with a detailed scene that features a man and woman dressed in Victorian attire appearing to have an engagement outside. A second image near the top of the pendant displays another woman with a lovely scenic image in the background. Both images exhibit vibrant hues of pinks, browns, blues, yellows and greens. A lovely etched design wraps around the center, where the pendant is hinged on the side and opens to reveal a hidden compartment topped with the original vinaigrette, which could be removed to fill the cavity with perfume or aromatics. The beautiful pendant hangs from a silver lorgnette style chain which is detailed with Guilloché stations, exhibiting intricate machine-turned carvings below translucent pink enamel and traced with white enamel. The chain is secured by a simple spring ring, and has a second spring ring, both of which are stamped "STERLING", that hangs from the bottom of the chain's lorgnette extension, perfect for adding your favorite charms. The necklace has a wonderful 3-dimensional look with intricate detail throughout and is a fabulous and fun piece for any collector!
Measurements: The pendant hangs approximately 1 1/4" long (including the bail at the top) and measures about 7/8" wide and thick. The chain measures 21 1/2" long with a 2 3/8" lorgnette extension hanging from the bottom.
Condition: The overall condition of the pendant and chain is excellent. Besides normal surface wear, there is no apparent damage to the silver setting. The enameled surface is in great condition given the age of the piece, and the bail, hinged compartment and vinaigrette are secure and in good working condition.
