The use of diamonds and other faceted gems or glass-paste substitutes increased during the 18th century, particularly in jewelry meant to be worn in candlelight, whereas colorful enamels declined.
The asymmetrical, naturalistic Rococo style in the second quarter of the century and the more subdued Neoclassical style in the decades that followed were both clearly reflected in jewelry.
Rings, portrait miniatures, some with jeweled frames made to be worn as jewelry, and chatelaines are some of the pieces in the collection that exemplify these trends. Both men and women wore chatelaines, which were designed for both day and night, according to American author William R. Johnston in the book Jewelry: Ancient to Modern.
Antique Rococo Bronze Porcelain Perfume Container, Source DSF Antique Jewelry
Day and Night
The pictorial use of quatre-couleur gold (four-colours gold), which uses different alloys to create different colors – copper for red, silver for green, iron for yellow, and silver or platinum for white – is demonstrated by a French specimen from around 1769, along with a pendant watch case. Painted enamels depicting scenery adorn other chatelaines, both French and English.
Gold Chatelaine with Enamel Painting, Source DSF Antique Jewelry
A set of finger rings that Henry Walters bought for his sister in Paris shows how ring styles have evolved.
According to Johnston, some of the earliest rings from the 18th century are of the “cluster” type, which has a circular bezel with a central stone surrounded by smaller stones; others from the third quarter of the century have large openwork bezels set with stones or pastes; and a large percentage follow the “marquise” type from the end of the century.
The elongated, shuttle-shaped bezel of the “marquise” ring, which is derived from the laurel leaf of classical jewelry, is set with a centralized decorative motif that is also rendered in diamonds or pastes and faces an enameled plate that is typically translucent deep blue.
At the beginning of the century, the marquise ring was a common feature in jewelry from continental Europe. It later proved to be a very durable design in France for the majority of the 19th century.
Gem Carving
The love of gem carving, which had declined in the previous century but was renewed in the late 18th century and flourished throughout most of the 19th century, is reflected in other Neoclassical rings set with intaglios and cameos of both ancient and modern origin, said Johnston.
Gold Carnelian Intaglio Ring with Classical Figure, Source DSF Antique Jewerly
A pair of belt clasps with Wedgwood ceramic medallions in place of cameos and set in manufactured cut-steel frames with faceted studs that resemble jewels are examples of how the Industrial Revolution affected jewelry creation, which was initially evident in England.
The ornamental arts became more mechanical in order to satisfy the market generated by the wealthy middle classes of 19th-century Europe and America. In jewelry, the primary, gem-set, valuable items that more strongly reflected changes in fashion were less common than the mass-produced, secondary pieces made of materials with little intrinsic value.
Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria, who grieved for her husband Albert from 1861 until her own death in 1901, established a foundation for the strict observance of extended periods of mourning. As a result, suites of jewelry composed of somber materials such as jet, onyx, and black glass developed during the second half of the century.
Portrait of Queen Victoria, Scanned from the book ‘The National Portrait Gallery History of the Kings and Queens of England’ by David Williamson, Author Alexander Bassano
An increasing number of people were finding it easier and more affordable to travel abroad. “Souvenir jewelry” is the term used to describe a large portion of travelers’ purchases made overseas.
Cameo Engraving in Jewelry Businesses
Originally intended for a small market of affluent “cognoscenti”, the engraving of cameos in hard stone or shell grew in importance as a component of the tourism industry in Rome, Florence, and Naples.
According to Johnston, Pope Leo XII established a public school focused on cameo and medal engraving at Rome’s Ospizio di San Michele at the beginning of the century. Six cameo carvers’ displays at the 1862 International Exhibition represented the Vatican.
The largest was created by Tommaso Saulini, who was hired by William Walters to create a shell cameo portrait of his recently deceased wife, Ellen, based on a bust that Maryland expatriate sculptor W. H. Rinehart had carved in Rome.
The Castellani company, renowned for its “Etruscan” style metalwork, produced the gold jewelry used for both this cameo and another, which featured a classical, helmeted warrior carved in agate and was unsigned. These items go beyond the memento category and are prime examples of the eclecticism that characterized mid-century jewelry design.
Cameo Rings, Source DSF Antique Jewelry
In Austria, many designers were more interested in the medieval era than in antiquity. An intricate gold bracelet made of five ogive arches adorned with different colored stones is a perfect example of the strength of the Gothic Revival in that nation, wrote Johnston.
Henry Walters
Henry Walters bought a variety of modern jewelry at the turn of the century. He purchased a large “corsage ornament” in the shape of an iris that was realistically rendered in American sapphires from the Tiffany & Co. display at the 1900 Exposition Universelle.
In addition to showcasing the extravagance of much of the expensive jewelry from the era, the item also highlights George F. Kunz’s dedication to native stones as the director of the renowned company’s jewelry division.
A collection of intaglio-mounted gold necklaces and bracelets from Giacinto Melillo in Naples in 1903 was a more retrospective purchase. A former Castellani employee, Melillo continued to create “archaeological” jewelry with the distinctive granulation and filigree popularized by the Castellanis in the mid-19th century well into the 20th century.
A collection of items from René Lalique’s 1904 Saint Louis World’s Fair exhibition, Objets et bijoux d’art, was more striking. French Art Nouveau jewelry production was dominated by Lalique, whose style was in many ways diametrically opposed to the Tiffany iris brooch.
According to Johnston, in order to produce works that were often better suited for display than for wearing, he combined a variety of precious and semiprecious materials with innovative ingredients such as horn and bone for their tactile and coloristic effects.
Antique Tiffany & Co. Bloodstone 18K Gold Fob Brooch, Source DSF Antique Jewelry
Art Nouveau
The specimens displayed here come from a somewhat late period in Lalique’s jewelry design career, when he developed a more individualistic, naturalistic style than was characteristic of Art Nouveau. During this period, he was becoming increasingly interested in glass, which he would eventually make his primary medium.
Many artists who were well known for their work in other media created jewelry designs in the post-World War I era, which the artisan was responsible for realizing. But as Tiffany & Co. had predicted, the jewelry industry of the 20th century has been dominated by large companies that hire designers, most of whom have remained anonymous.
Because of this, a large portion of contemporary commercial jewelry is limited to the setting of faceted gems without significant artistic skill. Although there has been a noticeable rise in the role of the independent designer-craftsman represented here by Louis Rosenthal who is responsible for both the conception and execution of his creations, this role has not received enough recognition, wrote Johnston.
Chatelaines
In the eighteenth century, chatelaines were a common type of jewelry. Typically, they were made up of a top plate from which a number of chains supported smaller plaques that held hooks for various gadgets. A large, flat hook on the rear of the top plate was used to hang the chatelaine from the wearer’s waist. While women’s chatelaines carried étuis, watches, and sewing supplies, men’s chatelaines frequently featured watches and their signet seals.
Chatelaines made a comeback in the 19th century during the Romantic era of the 1830s, the mid-century, and the 1870s.
Chatelaine with Watch, Acquired by Henry Walters, Walters Art Museum, via Wikimedia Commons
Parures
Machine-stamped jewelry with low intrinsic value gained popularity in France during the 1830s and 1840s. This parure, or matching set, is characterized by an elongated belt clasp, two brooches, a pair of long pendant earrings, and a segmented collier, or short necklace.
Stamped gold foliate scrollwork surrounds the components. Each is enameled in black and set in clawed silver collets with half-pearls, emeralds, and diamond sparks grouped in lozenges and rosettes.
Made of two layers of pressed metal and secured with pins, this jewelry is incredibly light. The jewelry’s case, which is made of scarlet, straight-grained Morocco leather with symmetrical designs in narrow line gouges and decorative, tiny toolwork, some of which are picked out with colorful inlays, is preserved with the jewelry.
Cover Photo: Crown jewels of France, Author Saiko, Source Wikimedia Commons