We have similar Nephrite and Deco items, which would pair nicely with this piece, for sale this week. To view in separate listings, please visit our store and search "Nephrite" or "Deco" under our Buy-It-Now items.
Listing description by: Cameron J.
The Piece
Markings: Unmarked, tested, and guaranteed
Main stone: Nephrite Jade
Main stone measurements/color:
Length: 60.14 mm
Width: 57.44 mm
Color: semi-translucent pale green hue with black inclusions
Accent stone: --
Accent stone measurements/color: --
Stone treatment: The stone(s) appear to be untreated, but we are not certified gemologists. Stone(s) have been tested and guaranteed using a professional Presidium Duo refractive, heat, and hardness tester.
Stone cuts: Polished floral carving
Item measurements:
Length: 2.87" including bale
Width: 2.36"
Bale opening: 6.75 mm width
Notable features:
handmade in the Art Deco era as a rare piece of Chinese export jewelry
composed of .925 sterling silver with a yellow gold wash
the pendant features a beautiful nephrite jade stone carved expertly by Chinese stone cutters to feature floral motifs
the bale features filigree designs
complete with a bale which allows the pendant to be strung on chains as a necklace
Damage: Age appropriate wear. There is some wear to the gold wash. The price has been reduced to reflect this.
*This listing is for the item only. All display boxes and/or photography props do not come with your purchase.*
The History
The Art Deco era is famous for being the "Gatsby" or "Roaring Twenties" era. A lot of gorgeous and timeless designs in jewelry came out of this period. Jewelry from this period was most often crafted between 1920 and 1940. Art Deco jewelry sometimes featured white gold or platinum, geometric designs, European cut diamonds, filigree, and calibre cut stones that are specially cut to fit the design of the piece. During the Art Deco period jewelers often made jewelry upon custom order, this would usually take weeks to months to completely craft by hand.
Chinese export jewelry became popular during the late Victorian period and persisted until the 1960s. During this period, Chinese craftsmen were considered by far the best in the world. The rich and wealthy would custom-order a piece through their local jeweler, who would send the design off to China to be made and sent back to Europe. This lengthy process was very expensive, making Chinese export pieces highly desirable, then and now.
Chinese stone cutters were considered some of the finest artisans in the world. They would spend years learning to hand-carve many different types of stones, and excelled in creating finely detailed pieces other artisans couldn’t even hope to compare to. Their skill was so refined that they could even carve delicate stones like coral and jade. Chinese stone cutters were so talented that Victorian era European socialites would commission pieces from them, preferring the hefty price tag that came with such high quality work to the ready availability of Western stonework.
Jade is one of the oldest and most important gemstones, with a history dating over 7,000 years. Nephrite is more common than jadeite and although it is slightly softer than jadeite, it is considered tougher due to its denser structure. Nephrite was derived from the Greek word for kidney because it was thought that it could cure kidney disease. Up until around 1863, Nephrite was believed to be the same as Jadeite. Nephrite can be distinguished from Jadeite from its lower level of translucency and luster. Traditional Chinese jade typically refers to nephrite since there are no actual jadeite deposits located in China. Nephrite jade was used mostly in pre-1800 China, and is rare to see today. Green nephrite is considered the most valuable nephrite, but translucent, white nephrite was considered the most valuable up until the introduction of fine Imperial jadeite jade during the 18th century.
Filigree metalworking is a delicate form of art and has been found as early as 3,000 BC in Mesopotamia. It was perfected by the Phoenicians and Etruscan civilizations between the 6th and 3rd centuries BC. It involves stamping out a design in metal and hand bending and twirling threads, combined with tiny beads, until a final motif emerges. It is reminiscent of lace and considered one of the most difficult metalworking processes. Filigree is still a very popular technique in India and Asia.
Domestic US: All items ship within one business day of receiving payment. Buyers will have 3 base shipping options to choose from, depending on the needed speed of delivery. Pricing on single and multi-purchase transactions can be seen below:
Auction items: Base shipping + $2.00 per additional gold item & BIN items combine for Base shipping
BIN items: Base shipping
Base shipping:
USPS First class: $4.90 fully insured, estimated 3-5 business days
USPS Priority mail: $12.00 fully insured, estimated 2-3 business days
International: All packages are sent via USPS and pricing is based on buyer location. Each customer will receive a revised invoice at the close of the auction with an updated shipping rate. We will combine shipping on multiple purchases for Base shipping. We do not undervalue packages for customs, please do not ask us to do so. What you pay is what we will claim on your customs form. Please take this into consideration before placing your bid.
