RENAISSANCE REVIVAL, GOLD AND GEM-SET NECKLACE, ERNESTO RINZI, 1870s

Designed as a series of polychrome enamel scrolls embellished with step-cut emeralds, interspersed with pearls and circular-cut diamonds, suspending a Latin cross of matching design centring on a pear-shaped emerald and terminating on three pearl drops, length approximately 360mm, cross detachable, with maker's mark ER for Ernesto Rinzi.

Gifted by Lady Lucy Gilbert to her Great Niece Pamela Mary Dugdale, thence by family decent.

Sir William Schwenck Gilbert, author, librettist, and satirist. He is most remembered for his collaboration with the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan and the fourteen comic operas produced for the Savoy Theatre. They first met in 1871, but it was not until 1875 and a meeting with Richard D'Oyly Carte when he had Gilbert show his libretto for "Trial by Jury" to Arthur Sullivan, that the pairing of Gilbert and Sullivan was first formed and "Trial by Jury" became the first Savoy Opera.

Born in 1836 in Southampton Street, not far from the Coliseum, where the Operas of Gilbert and Sullivan are still performed today, he was the son of a naval surgeon. After graduating from King's College London in 1857, he obtained a position in the Education Department of the Privy Council Office. In 1861, after receiving a legacy, he quit his position in the Civil service and enrolled at the Inner temple to study law, although never very busy, the position did afford him the opportunity to gain a wealth of experience that was to later be invaluable in such works as "Trial by Jury". It was during this period that he first began to contribute to Fun, a weekly comic magazine soon to rival Punch, and it was in these articles that we can see the foundations for some of the characters and plots for the Savoy operas. By 1865 he was writing for the stage works such as "Millward's King Solomon" and the "Harlequin Prince Paragon". The following year he was first acknowledged as the author for the burlesque on "L'elisir d'amore, Dulcamara" or "The Little Duck and the Great Quack". In 1867 Gilbert was married to Lucy Agnes Blois Turner "Kitty". They were to enjoy a close and affectionate relationship, unusual for the period, although reserved in personality Lucy Gilbert did sing and apparently had a good voice.

Frustrated about having to continually fit his words to existing music, he began to look for composers who would set his words to new music, among them Fred Clay who was to introduce Gilbert to Arthur Sullivan in 1871. The duo of Gilbert and Sullivan that subsequently ensued created a benchmark for English comic opera to rival the comic works of Offenbach. "The Sorcerer" in 1877, "H.M.S Pinafore" in 1878 and "The Pirates of Penzance" in 1880 followed in quick succession. Gilbert's world of Topsy-Turvydom, with its penchant for British satire, (where he would show the audience a satirical image of British life as if looking through a mirror), was received to great acclaim. Although authentically set in Japan, Italy or Spain, the characters and their mannerisms are resolutely British. For both Gilbert and Sullivan "The Mikado" premiere in 1885 was to mark a high point in their world of satirical Topsy-Turvydom which many consider they never surpassed.

In 1888 "The Yeoman of the Guard" opened with its more serious approach in response to Sullivan's desire for more sober opera, while 1889 saw the beginning of the fracturing of the partnership. Sullivan's constant preoccupation with the desire to write more serious opera had constantly plagued his career and the partnership of Gilbert and Sullivan along with his desire for Gilbert to write a libretto which would be secondary to Sullivan's music. In 1889 he was to write his only grand opera "Ivanhoe" alongside "The Gondoliers". Following the success of "The Gondoliers", the partnership was irrevocably damaged over the cost of an expensive carpet that had been purchased for the Savoy, the feud escalated into a court case Gilbert Vs Carte and Sullivan over the takings of "The Gondoliers", and although the feud was finally resolved it was ultimately the end of the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership. Later works included "The Mountebanks" in 1891, "Utopia Limited" in 1893 for which Gilbert reunited with Sullivan and "The Grand Duke" in 1896, the last Savoy Opera. In 1890 Gilbert and "Kitty", moved to Grim's Dyke in Harrow Middlesex, where he enjoyed life as a country squire and a year later he was appointed Justice of the Peace for Middlesex. In 1906 Gilbert was elected to the Garrick Club while the following year in 1907 he was knighted. On 29^th May in 1911 Gilbert died of a heart attack while trying to rescue a swimmer from the lake at his estate Grim's Dyke. Lady Gilbert remained at Grim's Dyke until her death on the 12^th December 1936. The estate then passed to Nancy McIntosh, a protégé of Gilbert who was first cast in his Opera "Utopia Limited" later becoming the adopted daughter of William and Lucy Gilbert and residing at Grim's Dyke.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cf: Castellani and Giuliano, Revivalist Jewellers of the Nineteenth Century, Geoffrey C. Munn, Trefoil Books London, 1984, page 174 for an illustration of a similar necklace by Ernesto Rinzi.

Cf: Sotheby's London, 29th June 2004, lot 26, for a necklace by Ernesto Rinzi.

Delicate polychrome enamelling, fresh colours, some small areas of loss with metal showing through especially on the black coloured foliate motifs. Additional link not original to necklace added later with mostly white enamel. Evidence of several small repairs to reverse, solder to connections of several links. Estimated total diamond weight in necklace approximately 0.60 - 1.00 carat, estimated colour I-J, estimated clarity VS-I. Please note the diamonds have been measured and graded in the yellow mount. Pearls well matched in size, off round and mostly button-shaped, some with rosé overtones, medium lustre. Emeralds a medium green with strong saturation of colour, presenting typical inclusions when viewed with a 10x lens, overall well matched in size and colour. Pendant: Small areas of enamel loss to scrolls on the outside and the white enamel to the left and right hand sides of the cross. Pearls of various sizes and shapes, some with rosé overtones, medium to high lustre. Polychrome enamel decoration and detailed textured metal work continues on the reverse, some losses to the enamel with metal showing through, signed E.R. Estimated total diamond weight in the pendant approximately 0.90 - 1.20 carats, various colours and clarities. Emeralds a medium green with strong colour saturation, inclusions visible only with magnification, one stone to the bottom of the cross a weaker saturation. The principal pear-shaped emerald measuring approximately 11mm x 7mm x 3.9mm, estimated to weigh approximately 1.63 carats. Good clasp. In very good condition.
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Pearls untested

Ernesto Rinzi (1836-1909) was brought to London by the Renowned jeweller Alessandro Castellani in the 1860s. Having started his own business, Rinzi advertised as a manufacturing goldsmith and jeweller and made several caskets in the Neo-Renaissance taste, one of which was presented to the Duke of Edinburgh. His creations are recognised as "artistic works in a very superior style", while his Renaissance style jewels are particularly rare, exhibiting fine enamel work.