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Edwardian "Psyche" Butterfly Halo Pendant

$1,700.00

Edwardian "Psyche" Butterfly Halo Pendant

$1,700.00

Description

DATE: Edwardian, c.1910

Sweet antique halo pendant featuring an intricately detailed butterfly, in this instance likely signifying Psyche - the soul.  The butterfly was often used to represent the soul, indeed in Greek the word for butterfly, Psyche, also means soul. This one's crafted in 15 karat gold, framed within a fine double halo with bail for wear as pendant. 

In ancient Greek mythology, Psyche was the mortal lover of Eros and the daughter of King Artistides and Queen Damaris. She was so beautiful that many in the kingdom abandoned the cult of Aphrodite to worship her instead. Aphrodite, who could bear no rivalry, hatched a plan to punish Psyche when she learned of this betrayal. She sent her son, Eros, to go out and find the ugliest pig he could, and take it to the kingdom of Artistides and Damaris. When he got there, he was to shoot Psyche with one of his arrows and makes sure the pig was the first thing she laid eyes upon. To cut a long story short, Eros bungled the job. After he'd sneaked into Psyche's room one night, he struggled to restrain the pig and scratched his own arm with his arrow. The commotion woke Psyche who lit a candle by her bed, and Eros instantly fell deeply in love with her... the rest, as they say, is history.

MEASUREMENTS 

1.8 x 1.7cm (not including jump ring)

WEIGHT 

1.5g

MARKS 

No marks present, tests as 15k gold

CONDITION 

Excellent

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