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DIMENSIONS:

Full Drop: 35mm

Pendant Length Only: 25mm (Minus Both Ring & Bail)

Pendant Width: 14mm (Widest Point)

HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

Beautiful, rare early celestial jewel, in the shape of a stylised,floral-form Comet, and dating to the early-mid Romantic Period, c1790s-1810s.

    Celestial jewellery began to take off amongst the wealthiest classes from the mid 18th Century. The Enlightenment from the 17th century brought with it tremendous strides in the understanding of science, astronomy and the natural world. By the 18th century, interest in astronomy peaked, and when Sir Edmund Halley's posthumous predicted date for the next visitation of the eponymous Halley's Comet -of 1759-proved correct, celestial jewellery began to appear. Interest grew through big celestial events such as Hershel's discovery of Uranus in 1781 and the Great Comet of 1811-12, which was visible in the skies for many months. Coinciding with the advent of the Romantic period, the Georgian love of symbolism led traditional comets to grow more stylised, and absorb other themes, whilst maintaining the recognisable comet shape. In the years preceding the next predicted visitation of Halley's Comet, in 1835, the greater availability of jewellery to the less wealthy classes led to a boom in the creation of all kinds of these tiny unique lace pins, and more rarely stick pins, earrings and pendants, depicting fanciful miniature comets; and by the 1830s most in lower carats of rose and yellow gold, silver, gold casing or pinchbeck.

   This rare and special example is unusual. I am an enthusiast of Georgian celestial jewellery, and have owned around 10 comet pins, from the earliest, made of diamond, or diamond and emerald set in silver and gold, to ones of pinchbeck, lower carat gold and paste. This example is unlike any I have seen before; a combination of high carat yellow gold and paste, it is the first I've seen set with a clear paste lined with pink foil. The Georgians finessed foiling as a way to create depth and enhance sparkle in the characteristic closed-back gemstone mounts of the period.  Lining gemstone settings in silver collets prevented  the gold jewel mount tainting the bright whiteness, especially of diamond and paste. By the later 18th century jewellers were experimenting with inserting coloured foils behind clear rock crystals to colour the stone. That technique has been used here.

     The central stone is collet set, and lined with sheet silver coloured pink. Around that stone is a halo of foiled green pastes, all with millegrain mounts, and joined together by repousse gold work. The comet head and tail are joined by moulded repousse twin 'flames' emanating in round, flat cut and foiled, natural Almandine garnet. The garnet is subtly haloed by fine, assymetrical granulation around the base of its mount. Every aspect of this delightful Comet design is intended to convey movement.

CONDITION REPORT.

In extremely good antique condition. The entire pendant is in 18ct gold, with the mount in sturdy condition, without repair. The central stone foil is excellent and has not materially deteriorated at all, there is no tell tale pitting or darkening, however the pink colour has faded, commensurate with age and likely light exposure. It is still a lovely shade that differs in intensity in different lights.

   All the cut stones, and the components of the mount are individually hand crafted. Each tiny facet of each tiny stone. A remarkable and time consuming feat. There is a little scrap of gold to the mid bottom of the pendant back. It is not a sign of repair, but possibly the site of an additional loop or fitting long since removed.

Halley's Comet jewels are rarely longer than about an inch, and are extremely collectable. This rare pendant would be a stunning, colourful and wearable addition to any collection, or begin your collection here.

PLEASE STUDY ALL PICTURES CLOSELY AS THESE REPRESENT THE BEST AND MOST OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION FOR MORE IMAGES OR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT ME.