Earring
1800-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Traditional earrings from the inland areas of Spain often show traces of very old influences, sometimes dating back to the time of Moorish rule.
This earring comes from Astorga, in Leon. Its name ‘calabaza’ means gourd, and refers to its shape. Although the design appears very old, there is no record of earrings of this type before the 18th century, although the little pendent doves hanging from the bottom have been used on jewellery from the region for many centuries. Unlike other kinds of Spanish jewellery, these gourd-shaped earrings are usually highlighted in red, rather than green. The red cloth traditionally placed inside it may have been used for perfume, or may simply have been used to show off the filigree design.
It was bought for £1 4s (the pair) at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
This earring comes from Astorga, in Leon. Its name ‘calabaza’ means gourd, and refers to its shape. Although the design appears very old, there is no record of earrings of this type before the 18th century, although the little pendent doves hanging from the bottom have been used on jewellery from the region for many centuries. Unlike other kinds of Spanish jewellery, these gourd-shaped earrings are usually highlighted in red, rather than green. The red cloth traditionally placed inside it may have been used for perfume, or may simply have been used to show off the filigree design.
It was bought for £1 4s (the pair) at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt and filigree |
| Brief description | Large silver-gilt filigree pendant earring (pendiente de calabaza) shaped like a gourd, Astorga (Spain), 1800-1870. |
| Physical description | Silver-gilt hoop earring with a filigree gourd hanging from the lower edge by a figure-of-eight loop, with five small birds with outstretched wings hanging from the bottom of the gourd. The gourd is filled with red cloth. |
| Dimensions |
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| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Traditional earrings from the inland areas of Spain often show traces of very old influences, sometimes dating back to the time of Moorish rule. This earring comes from Astorga, in Leon. Its name ‘calabaza’ means gourd, and refers to its shape. Although the design appears very old, there is no record of earrings of this type before the 18th century, although the little pendent doves hanging from the bottom have been used on jewellery from the region for many centuries. Unlike other kinds of Spanish jewellery, these gourd-shaped earrings are usually highlighted in red, rather than green. The red cloth traditionally placed inside it may have been used for perfume, or may simply have been used to show off the filigree design. It was bought for £1 4s (the pair) at the International Exhibition, London, 1872. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1116A-1873 |
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| Record created | February 1, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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