The Wild jewel thumbnail 1
The Wild jewel thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Not currently on display at the V&A
On short term loan out for exhibition

The Wild jewel

Pendant
1590s
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
England

Pendant jewel in gold and enamel set with diamonds and rubies, enclosing a turquoise cameo of Elizabeth I and hung with pearls.


Object details

Category
Europeana Fashion Project
Object type
Pendant
TitleThe Wild jewel (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Gold
Enamel
Pearl
Brief description
Pendant jewel of gold and enamel set with stones. English, around 1590.
Physical description
Pendant jewel in gold and enamel set with diamonds and rubies, enclosing a turquoise cameo of Elizabeth I and hung with pearls.
Dimensions
  • Height: 5.5cm
  • Width: 3.5cm
  • Depth: 0.5cm
  • Cameo height: 1.4cm
  • Cameo width: 0.6cm
Production typeUnique
Object history
This jewel was lent to the Victoria and Albert Museum for the Special Loan Exhibition of 1862 by James.W. Wild. Mr Wild was closely connected to the Museum and was the architect of the Bethnal Green Museum and of the V&A's Architectural Courts.
The tradition in the Wild family is that the jewel, along with a lace christening robe, was given by Elizabeth I to a god-daughter, the daughter of a maid of honour. (Information taken from a letter from Elizabeth Henrietta Mary Wild, July 26 1917).
Bibliographic reference
Robinson, J.C. (ed.). Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Works of Art of the Mediaeval, Renaissance, and more recent periods: on loan at the South Kensington Museum, June 1862. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M. Stationery Office, rev. ed. January 1863. no. 7335
Other number
LOAN.WILD.1 - Previous loan number
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
M.26-2002

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Record createdJanuary 13, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72866/the-wild-jewel-pendant-unknown/
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