This Art Nouveau lorgnette pendant is crafted in vermeil(silver gilt), weighs 33.9g and measures 4.5 inches long, 1.25 inches wide and 16mm deep. This exquisite and authentic Art Nouveau pendant is designed as a highly decorative lorgnettes case in the form of a Victorian style vanity mirror containing a pair of delicately designed, deployable lorgnettes with delicate vermeil frames, and a perfectly functioning 'trigger' mechanism to withdraw the lenses from the case. Lorgnettes made their first appearance in the late 18th century and became a fashionable accessory for the socially privileged class. Highly in vogue throughout the Victorian and Edwardian eras, lorgnettes were made in gold, silver and plated steel in a wide range of designs. Edwardian lorgnettes were often produced with diamond-studded frames. Quintessentially Art Nouveau in its exquisite design and artisanship, this absorbing Art Nouveau pendant exposes nature and its association with femininity as the leitmotif, combined with the familiar sensuality and romantic, flowing curves to be found in genuine Art Nouveau works of art. This lorgnettes case depicts on both sides the masterfully sculptured three dimensional silhouette of a beautiful feminine figure embraced by a pair of meticulously crafted iris flowers with delicately scrolled, long and slender petals, two of which surpass the perimeter of the ovular plaque. This enchanting scenery is masterfully rendered in repoussé gold with meticulously textured accents to achieve botanically accurate flower renditions. Displaying imagination and creativity, this Art Nouveau work of art characterizes the artistry of the 'Fin-de-Siècle' creators of Art Nouveau jewelry. This absorbing and highly collectible Art Nouveau pendant features an orbicular bale adjoined to the enchanting fleur-de-lis themed extremity of the lateral handle to support a chain, and a well-constructed, rotating 'trigger' mechanism.

Lorgnettes, a pair of framed lenses with a lateral handle, first appeared in the 18th century pioneered by an Englishman named George Adams. The lorgnette probably developed from the French designed ‘binocles-ciseaux’ meaning scissors-glass, which was a double eyeglass on a handle. Since the two parts of the handle joined below the nose and looked as if they were about to cut it off, they were termed as ‘binocles-ciseaux’ or scissors glasses. The English changed the size and form of the scissors-glasses to produce what then became known as lorgnettes. The frame and handle were, without exception, artistically embellished, since they were used mostly by Victorian ladies, more often decorative as opposed to functional. The lorgnette maintained its popularity with ladies of fashion, who refused to wear spectacles, and remained in vogue throughout the Victorian and Edwardian era however, Edwardian lorgnettes were of more sophisticated design, frequently adorned with diamond encrusted frames.

E1026C2

Suggested Retail Price: $1,000.00 Your Price: $650.00 Wholesale Price: $500.00