Georgian Pineapple Charm Pendant

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Georgian Pineapple Charm Pendant

$1,575.00

Description

DATE: Georgian, c.1800

An outrageous Georgian pineapple charm dating from the early 19th century, circa 1800. The main body is crafted from a single piece of orange coral, with deeply engraved cross hatching effectively simulating the skin, and green enamel top and bottom each capped with a natural pearl. While sugar, coffee, and rum became the main cash crops exported from the Caribbean to Britain and Europe throughout the 18th century, the pineapple took on particular favour on account of its sense "of welcome, good cheer, warmth, and celebration". The fruit became an emblem of hospitality, mainly because of its delicious flavour, exotic origin, and highly perishable nature. If someone offered you pineapple, you can be sure they were trying as hard as they could to please or impress you. The first pineapple to be successfully cultivated in Britain was grown in the Surrey glass house of Sir Mathew Decker, in 1720, but perhaps the most remarkable homage to the fruit was "The Pineapple", a furnace-heated "hot house" in Fife, eastern Scotland, with an incredible pineapple dome stickup out of the top (you can book to spend the night there and dine up in the pineapple dome, it's draughty but I'd highly recommend it).

STONES

Coral & Pearl

MEASUREMENTS

2.4 x 1.2cm (not including jump ring)

WEIGHT

3.7g

MARKS

No marks present, tests as 15k gold

CONDITION

Very good