Cross
ca. 1825 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The pendant may not have been a cross originally as it has a curved profile.
Gold, in a variety of treatments, became a dominant element in jewellery from the 1820s. It was used successfully in mesh necklaces and bracelets, gold chain and wire work, also as a foil to gemstones.
The technique of filigree with spirals and granules (cannetille and grainti) was revived in France then copied in England. Jewellers liked the economical use of gold and women appreciated the intricacy of the style.
By the 1850s the jewellery trade had been transformed by consumer demand and technological innovation. Traditional techniques such as casting, chasing and engraving continued in high fashion pieces, but newer industrial methods created cheaper products for a mass market.
Flatted gold, rolled through machinery to a very thin sheet, could be stamped to make multiple standard components. Through the use of stamped collets, even the setting of gemstones required less handwork.
The expansion of the jewellery trade in Britain also benefited from the legalisation of three lower standards of gold alloys in 1854.
Gold, in a variety of treatments, became a dominant element in jewellery from the 1820s. It was used successfully in mesh necklaces and bracelets, gold chain and wire work, also as a foil to gemstones.
The technique of filigree with spirals and granules (cannetille and grainti) was revived in France then copied in England. Jewellers liked the economical use of gold and women appreciated the intricacy of the style.
By the 1850s the jewellery trade had been transformed by consumer demand and technological innovation. Traditional techniques such as casting, chasing and engraving continued in high fashion pieces, but newer industrial methods created cheaper products for a mass market.
Flatted gold, rolled through machinery to a very thin sheet, could be stamped to make multiple standard components. Through the use of stamped collets, even the setting of gemstones required less handwork.
The expansion of the jewellery trade in Britain also benefited from the legalisation of three lower standards of gold alloys in 1854.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Amethysts and gold |
| Brief description | Pendant cross, amethysts set in simple gold wire filigree, probably made by Rundel, Bridge and Rundell of Ludgate Hill, England, ca. 1825. |
| Physical description | Pendant cross, amethysts set in simple gold wire filigree. The pendant loop is an addition, possibly taken from an earring. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Mr John George Joicey |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | The pendant may not have been a cross originally as it has a curved profile. Gold, in a variety of treatments, became a dominant element in jewellery from the 1820s. It was used successfully in mesh necklaces and bracelets, gold chain and wire work, also as a foil to gemstones. The technique of filigree with spirals and granules (cannetille and grainti) was revived in France then copied in England. Jewellers liked the economical use of gold and women appreciated the intricacy of the style. By the 1850s the jewellery trade had been transformed by consumer demand and technological innovation. Traditional techniques such as casting, chasing and engraving continued in high fashion pieces, but newer industrial methods created cheaper products for a mass market. Flatted gold, rolled through machinery to a very thin sheet, could be stamped to make multiple standard components. Through the use of stamped collets, even the setting of gemstones required less handwork. The expansion of the jewellery trade in Britain also benefited from the legalisation of three lower standards of gold alloys in 1854. |
| Bibliographic reference | Shirley Bury, Jewellery 1789-1910, The International Era, Vol. 1. p.195, plate 93 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.269-1919 |
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| Record created | August 10, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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