Topic: Glass based jewellery. Need help please. Micromosaic and inlaid glass.

[david31162]

I picked these up at a carboot  last week on the same day as the brain type iridescent vases on my earlier post(a good day..if expensive).
I just wondered as they are both glass based if anyone could help. Enamelled jewellery is really my specialism but I just had to buy these. I know that the dove is micromosaic from Italy set in blue glass but does anyone have an idea of date? The hall mark is too poorly struck to read. I can't find any blue ground mosaics in any of my reference books.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/CIMG0047.jpg

Now the other one is a real mystery! I just rubbed the front with my finger and it shone!...So could it be gold inlay on glass with foil ? If so I've never seen this technique before. It seems to be a tiger hunting scene from south east Asia. This piece appears to have some age, my guess was georgian /early victorian..could be miles off.
They are both about 3.5cm wide. There is very little to see on the back of either. Any ideas at all would be welcome.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/CIMG0044.jpg    THANKS DAVID
 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/CIMG0045.jpg

[krsilber]

I'm guessing the second piece is Indian.  They did a lot of decorating of glass with metal.  Interesting piece.  Is there a lead inner rim around the glass?  It looks like the bezel was hammered down.  Can you tell what metal the outer part is?

Gold was applied to glass a few different ways.  Sometimes as leaf, sometimes painted on.  May or may not be fired afterward. 


Could you please post larger photos?  Photos of the backs, close-ups of the metal rims and glass would be nice, too, too.

[david31162]

Thanks Kristi,
I'll post some more pictures soon . The brooch is silver , Im fairly sure the inlay is gold which is flush with the surface. The glass has been engraved and filled with gold (which has then been engraved with detail). Behind the glass it is foiled, I'm not sue where the green collour comes from. I think it has been opened in the past as it hasnt been refitted too well (perhaps the foil was changed/cleaned).
Last night i actually found a similar picture in a general jewellery book in the early 19thcentury section..but with no useful caption or detail.
It could be Indian Anglo/Indian but the costumes led me to think Thailand ,Burma..
Ill send pictures soon.
Thanks again. David

[david31162]

Here are a few more photographs.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/CIMG0052-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/CIMG0053-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/CIMG0057-1.jpg

I think the 3rd oneshows that the gold is inlaid.

David

[Frank]

It is quite possibly rock crystal and originally the decoration for a Moghul hunting knife or cross-bow. Remounted later.

I think the figures are OK for 18th Century Indian and rock crystal has always been popular for this type of engraved inlay work. Wonderful piece. Probably worth asking one of the major auction houses.

[david31162]

Rock crystal now there's an idea! Thanks Frank.  :hiclp: Then I really have put it on the wrong forum. Is there a non destructive test you could think of ?
I have found this photo reference as mentioned earlier. It has got to be similar.
I would usually mention the source but it is a very old, general jewellery book.. with no useful text or captions. It has a page of brooches - gold early C19th.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/CIMG0064.jpg
David

[johnphilip]

The first one is ABFAB i would love it ,Suffolk here i come . :hiclp:

[david31162]

Thanks Johnphillip.
Now as it happens the seller did have another one.. I didn't buy it as it had PAX in big letters spoiling the overall image.

[krsilber]

Thanks for the additional photos!

I found one piece that's somewhat similar to the inlaid one:
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/10/ssa/ho_53.167.htm

[david31162]

Brilliant!
 Thank you so much Krsilber. :hiclp: You were exactly right about India too.
There is no doubt about this match.
David