There once was an adventurous Alaskan lady who was a real globetrotter & although her real soft spot was Norway (if you like all things Norwegian, see our Norway listings) she made a point to reach many varied points on the globe. At all of these places, she did what she did best -- shop.
To be honest, we don't know for sure where she picked up these earrings. Marcasite was incredibly popular in Germany at the time she did most of her traveling, but she bought the bulk of her international jewelry in Norway. Then again, Norway isn't known for its use of marcasite. Wherever the come from, they are just beautiful & it's a shame that they are so delicate that time has taken its toll on them.
To be honest, we don't know for sure where she picked up these earrings. Marcasite was incredibly popular in Germany at the time she did most of her traveling, but she bought the bulk of her international jewelry in Norway. Then again, Norway isn't known for its use of marcasite. Also, these are pretty old, so this may have some from her earlier travels. These are a real mystery to us. These have no maker’s stamps or hallmarks, which doesn’t help in determining their origin. Regardless of where they come from, they are just beautiful & it's a shame that they are so delicate that time has taken such a toll on them.
I don’t know much about jewelry making, but these seem like they were made using metal stamping. The filigree is composed of some very soft metal - I suspect that there is copper happening on the inside because of the softness & color that is beginning to show underneath from the wear. The exterior is silver in color & perhaps there was a fine silver dip or plate applied to the earrings when they were made. The filigree is delicate & elaborate with a central flower inside a web-like teardrop. Round marcasite gems adorn the top portion of the earrings & in the center of the flowers are striated blue-grey stones (chalcedony or turquoise? maybe?) in a prong setting. The earrings drop just under 1.5 inches long. They have their original screw-back closures which are still in perfectly functional condition.
These earrings are missing 3 marcasite stones (see photos w/arrows indicating missing pieces) & have significant wear to the silver finish which has created discoloration. They are also, as I mentioned, very soft - they can & do bend very easily, so please handle them with care - as you would with any old & delicate thing. ;)
We try to photograph jewelry in a variety of lighting conditions & with different backgrounds since it is always challenging to communicate the complexity of color & design through photographs online. We hope these photos are useful to you. If you need photos taken in a different set of conditions, please message us. :)
Feel free to message us with questions, offers, or let us know if you know something about this item. We combine shipping. Thank you for looking. :)
NOTE: We nearly always offer the choice of USPS Ground Advantage or USPS Priority Mail. Please be aware that sometimes Ground Advantage has delays leaving Alaska. If your aren't in a hurry, it is a great way to save money on shipping! If you have a pressing need, we suggest you consider the Priority Mail option.
riekenaandthejujubees thank you for looking! Please check out our other auctions as we work on decluttering our home, basement, workplaces and studio! o_O