I love Scottish Agate pieces and bracelets in particular so you will see, I usually have a few for sale as I am like a magpie when buying!.
This one is rather different - the banded agate links are rather industiral and complex in their design and must have taken hours of work - amazingly they are still in fantastic condition with no chips. The agate is panels of banded stone in black white and brown and there is a rather attractive central boss of Carnelian.
The panels are divided with engraved silver pieces and the whole thing fastens with an articulated and engraved belt and buckle.
The belt and buckle was a popular theme in Victorian Jewellery, not only was it a symbol of binding and everlasting love it also symbolised the Order of The Garter a much used theme made popular in jewellery by the Queen once again. it was used prolifically around the 1860's/70's.
In excellent condition, it can fasten on 7" or 7 1/2" diameters and is 1 1/4" at its widest point (the buckle).
Scottish Agate or Pebble Jewellery was made popular by Queen Victoria. When she travelled to the Highlands with Prince Albert she fell in love with the dramatic landscape and went on to purchase Balmoral, the rest as they say is history. This love extended to all things Scottish and when the London papers reported that the couple were wearing “polished pebble brooches made from local stones” it set a trend that would last for decades and even spread to Europe.
Written examples of this sweeping fashion are to be seen in the novel written by Elizabeth Gaskell in her novel Cranford (1851) set in the Cheshire village of Knutsford where one of the characters – Miss Pole was wearing no less than 7 Scottish pebble brooches!
If you are
interested in Scottish Agate Jewellery I can really recommend Scottish
Jewellery – A Victorian Passion by Diana Scarisbrick inside you will see some
very similar bracelets………
M489
The box/es in the picture are for display purposes only and your item will come in a good quality new reproduction antique box unless otherwise stated. I do sometimes have Antique boxes for sale please ask.
Please Note: All Weights & Measures are Approximate. Unless otherwise stated, any dimensions and estimated weights of gemstones in this description have been determined without un-setting the stones and are, therefore, to be considered only as a probable because of limitations imposed by the mount.