Earring
1850-1900 (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.
These earrings come from Astorga, in Leon. Their name ‘calabaza’ means gourd, and refers to their shape. Although the design appears very old, there is no record of earrings of this type before the 18th century, although the little pendant 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 them may have been used for perfume, or may simply have been intended to show off the filigree design.
They were bought in Astorga, ‘which is at the junction of trains from Leon, and where the Maragatos live’, in 1925, and bequeathed to the V&A at the death of the donor in 1976.
These earrings come from Astorga, in Leon. Their name ‘calabaza’ means gourd, and refers to their shape. Although the design appears very old, there is no record of earrings of this type before the 18th century, although the little pendant 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 them may have been used for perfume, or may simply have been intended to show off the filigree design.
They were bought in Astorga, ‘which is at the junction of trains from Leon, and where the Maragatos live’, in 1925, and bequeathed to the V&A at the death of the donor in 1976.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt sheet and filigree lined with red cloth |
| Brief description | Pair of silver-gilt filigree earrings (pendientes de calabaza) shaped like gourds, Astorga (Spain), 1850-1900. |
| Physical description | Pair of large silver-gilt hoop earrings with gourd-shaped pendants. Each earring consists of a thick hoop, hinged at one side, with a ring at its base. There is an S-shaped link attached to the ring from which hangs a stylised filigree gourd of two flattened spheres with a tube between them. There is a bunch of small cast pendants at the base of the lower sphere with a dove in their centre. The two spheres are lined with red cloth. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Miss Carolyn Keene |
| 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. These earrings come from Astorga, in Leon. Their name ‘calabaza’ means gourd, and refers to their shape. Although the design appears very old, there is no record of earrings of this type before the 18th century, although the little pendant 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 them may have been used for perfume, or may simply have been intended to show off the filigree design. They were bought in Astorga, ‘which is at the junction of trains from Leon, and where the Maragatos live’, in 1925, and bequeathed to the V&A at the death of the donor in 1976. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.16&A-1975 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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