Georgian Silver & Paste Cross Pendant

Jewelry : Antique : Fine : Georgian

 

Without a doubt Georgian jewelers were a superbly accomplished group. Design, detailing and craftsmanship are just a few of the outstanding qualities for which only accolades will suffice.

Even simple forms, such as this silver cross pendant, clearly demonstrate the superiority of the jewelers of this era. The cruciform shape, bestowed with both secular and religious meanings, has been interpreted and reinterpreted, yet the symmetry inherent in such a shape is apparent with its proportions, harmony balance and rhythm and is unmistakable.

Double rows and columns of rectangular pastes have been cut by hand with the same care and consideration given to a fine gem. Dazzling in their prismatic shimmer, the clear white pastes have been foiled and set closed back into silver. Please note that from about 1790 until the 1830s there was a shift in how the reverse of jewelry was crafted from rounded and sculptural to very flat. The piece still retains its original paste-encrusted silver bale.

Measurements: 3-3/8 inches (8.5 cm) in total length including bale. The cross itself is 2-11/16 inches (6.8 cm) in length by 1-13/16 (4.6 cm) in width by 3/16 of an inch (0.4 cm) in depth. This antique pendant has a weight of 20.8 grams (13.4 dwt).

Condition: Excellent

Date: Circa 1810

Overall Scale: Large to very large

Item ID: 11805