These stunning drop Early Century (1910-1940) earrings features Marcasites (Pyrite) crafted in Silver.
Details: Marcasites (Pyrite), Silver Earrings.
Dispatches from a small business in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Dimensions: H 4 x L 1 x W 0.4 cm.
Weight in grams: 4,7.
Condition: Vintage – used with visible signs of wear.
Design Area | |
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Area Information | Although buffeted by cycles of boom, depression, and war, jewelry design between the 1910s and 1950s continued to be both innovative and glamorous. Sharp, geometric patterns celebrated the machine age, while exotic creations inspired by the Near and Far East hinted that jewelry fashions were truly international. New York now rivaled Paris as a center for fashion, and European jewelry houses could expect to sell to, as well as buy from, the Indian subcontinent. |
Materials | |
Material Information | Marcasite (Pyrite) Marcasite is an iron sulfide mineral with an orthorhombic crystal structure. It is very brittle and unsuitable for jewelry. What we call "marcasite" in jewelry is actually Pyrite – "fools gold" – that has been faceted to imitate diamonds. Popular from around 1700 onward, marcasite is usually found mounted in silver. Because of its golden yellow color and metallic luster, Marcasite has remained popular in higher quality fashion jewelry. In antique jewelry, marcasite can be distinguished from cut steel faux gems because marcasites are usually bead or prong-set as a gemstone would be and cut steel is riveted. Silver Silver is a white metallic element, harder than gold, softer than copper and second only to gold in malleability and ductility. Represented on the Periodic Table of the Elements by the symbol Ag, silver is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. Silver is considered one of the noble metals because of it is excellent resistance to oxidation. Historically, silver has played a prominent role in the production of jewelry an objets d'art and is usually alloyed with another metal to harden it enough to maintain the desired shape and details imparted to it. |
Dimensions | H 4 x L 1 x W 0.4 cm |
Gender | |
Weight (in grams) | 4,7 |
Condition | Vintage – used with visible signs of wear |