Earrings thumbnail 1
Earrings thumbnail 2
+2
images
Not currently on display at the V&A

Earrings

Earring
19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Each earring is composed of two hemispheres, one suspended below the other, with pearl and leaf-shaped pendents, enamelled with design of flowers and birds. A small model of a bird stands perched on the topmost hemisphere.


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Earring
  • Earring
TitleEarrings (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Gold (?) and enamel
Brief description
Middle East, Metalwork. One of a pair, with painted enamel and seed pearls, Iran, 19th century. Jewellery, Persian. Inter-departmental transfer to MES, RF 2011/1170.

Middle East, Metalwork. One of a pair, with painted enamel and seed pearls, Iran, 19th century. Jewellery, Persian. Inter-departmental transfer to MES, RF 2011/1170.
Physical description
Each earring is composed of two hemispheres, one suspended below the other, with pearl and leaf-shaped pendents, enamelled with design of flowers and birds. A small model of a bird stands perched on the topmost hemisphere.
Dimensions
  • Overall length: 12cm
Style
Gallery label
PAIR OF EARRINGS Gold, with painted enamel and seed-pearls. PERSIAN; 18th or 19th century.(Used until 02/2003)
Object history
This object was purchased in Tehran in 1873, by Robert Murdoch Smith on behalf of the Museum. In his first bulk acquisition for the South Kensington Museum (today the V&A), Murdoch Smith had bought "a considerable collection" of over 100 examples of metalwork, ceramic, inlaid woodwork and textile from different local sources, including French diplomat Emile Charles Bernay and four art-dealers: Nasrullah Dellal, Abu'l-Hassan Dellal, Abdul-Husayn and Reza Kashi of Tehran. Many further acquisitions followed in the years 1873-1878 and 1883-1885, most extensively from the private collector Jules Richard.
Collection
Accession number
515&A-1874

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Record createdFebruary 27, 2003
Record URL
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