The Family Collection of the late Countess Mountbatten of Burma

The Family Collection of the late Countess Mountbatten of Burma

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 347. Ivory, enamel and diamond pendant, late 18th century.

Ivory, enamel and diamond pendant, late 18th century

Auction Closed

March 24, 08:41 PM GMT

Estimate

1,200 - 1,800 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Ivory, enamel and diamond pendant

late 18th century


of navette outline, the centre with a glazed compartment set with an ivory plaque depicting two doves perched at the edge of a classical altar composed of hair work and set with a half-pearl heart pierced with arrows and lines of rose-cut diamonds, beneath a festooned ribbon bearing the inscription Alike We Burn and a starry sky set with additional rose-cut diamonds, within a border set with cushion-shaped diamonds and applied with deep blue basse taille enamel, the reverse also glazed

This lot contains ivory. Due to recent changes in the laws of many countries (e.g. US, France) Sotheby's recommends that buyers check with their own government regarding any importation requirements prior to placing a bid. Please note that Sotheby's will not assist buyers with CITES licence applications where a buyer elects to either collect or arrange their own shipping, nor will Sotheby's assist with the international movement of ivory by air, either as freight or through hand carry. Sotheby's shipping will only assist in shipping the lot to either domestic UK or EU destinations, where delivery is made by road transport. A buyer's inability to export or import these lots cannot justify a delay in payment or sale cancellation.
Cf.: Vivenne Becker, Antique and 20th Century JewelleryLondon, 1980 pg. 90 for an illustration of sentimental and mourning miniatures of similar design. 
Sentimental jewellery grew increasingly fashionable amongst Georgian society in the latter half of the 18th century, existing alongside the equally popular category of mourning jewellery. Similar in style, although distinctly more cheerful, the scenes depicted drew heavily upon Neo-Classical and allegorical imagery, with motifs such as altars, pierced hearts and turtle doves being used to convey emotions of love and fidelity. Inscriptions reinforced the message, ranging from the generic (Sacred to Friendship was widely used) through to the more dramatic - demonstrated in the present lot.