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Victorian Niello Silver Saddle Locket

$1,700.00

Victorian Niello Silver Saddle Locket

$1,700.00

Description

DATE: Victorian, c. 1890 

An unusual antique shield locket fashioned in niello silver. It dates from the Victorian period, circa 1890, with a unengraved shield in the middle. It opens to reveal two oval shaped compartments with original photographs inside, which can be removed for holding your own  photographs or other mementos. An oversized bolt ring completes the locket. To me, I was thinking the shape of the locket is very similar to a saddle bag... Holding onto your memories?

Niello is an ancient technique, similar to enamelling, but using a black mixture of powdered silver, copper, lead, and sulphur. This powder, or paste, is applied to the base metal (usually silver), fired until it melts, then left to set as it cools. There’s evidence of the technique being used as far back as the Bronze Age, with surviving examples from Rome, Byzantium, the Islamic world, and the Far East.

MEASUREMENTS 

Locket: 2.7 x 2.3cm

Bolt ring length: 5.4cm

WEIGHT 

11g

MARKS 

No marks present 

CONDITION 

Very good, light wear commensurate with age 

Victorian Niello Silver Saddle Locket Victorian Niello Silver Saddle Locket Victorian Niello Silver Saddle Locket Victorian Niello Silver Saddle Locket

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