Utterly lovely Victorian seed-pearl necklace

[Amanda]

This must have been a real PITA to make, so very many tiny delicate seed pearls!

I think it's absolutely gorgeous:

The description says:

An early Victorian seed pearl choker, 390mm overall, the circular 45mm diameter flowerhead pattern boss linked by three fine chains to leaf pattern finials, with oblong engraved gilt metal clasp

That must have been for a fairly small neck - 390mm is 39cm, or about 15 inches. Roughly.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I agree, it's delicate and beautiful.

I've been pondering a design something along these lines for some of my naturals.

Likewise, been paying close attention to Kithplana's progress or her project.

Not to derail Amanda's thread, but has she posted recently?

 

[Caitlin]

Bodecia, Dawn has a couple of those. Maybe she will show up and post pix.

 

[pattye]

A pleasure to see such fine work, thank you, Amanda!

 

[Ash]

What a lovely piece!!!

Wonder if it was made for a petite Woman or young teenage girl.

Not going to attempt to figure out how to create the Flower. The Beading stitches they used for the individual "chains" extending from the central flower appear to be variations of the Daisy chain or Ladder stitch. Both would work easily here & yield similar results. Working with all those seed pearls, extremely time consuming. They are similar to working with 11/0's glass seed beads. Recreating this piece would be a lot of fun!

Cheers

 

[Amrita]

This one's exquisite and intricate! Thanks for sharing..

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Recreating this piece would be a lot of fun!

Want to try it with naturals?

 

[Amanda]

You can find it here - lot 655

http://www.thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com/

 

[Bodecia]

Hi all and especially Caitlin and Amanda, I do have a collection of that type of necklace plus bits and pieces but all need some repairs and I will offer on my ebay site and my own site (soon to be opened) when I have replaced any missing pearls and all pearls are replaced or rejoined to the original. They are very beautiful as yours are Amanda.
I wish I was younger as then I could make these tiny repairs without straining my eyes. Now I have to wear thick glasses to do this kind of work. I think time consuming is an under-statement.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover

 

[Amanda]

Sadly not mine - my sister saw them (they are up for auction in Kent, where she lives and works) and thought I'd be interested to have a look. And I did, and thought you lovely lot would also enjoy the pics.

 

[Ash]

Dave,

That would be a real treat! Still working on figuring out the Flower, thinking that may have been done with wire. Would need better & more detailed photos, or to see the Piece & spend some time with it in person to figure it out.

Bodecia,
Ohhh I bet the pieces are stunning like this one. Too bad we don't dress for dinner & bring out the pretties anymore.




Cheers

Ash

 

[Mary Montpezat]

Exquisite! I guess the size adds to the authenticity ... Victorian women were so much smaller than we are!

 

[Amanda]

Exquisite! I guess the size adds to the authenticity ... Victorian women were so much smaller than we are!

At my parents' home is a photo of my mother, aged about 6, with her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, 4 generations in the ascending maternal line.

My Granny (my mother's mother) is the tallest by half a head in the photo. She looks positively giant like! Which makes it very odd indeed, to realise that she towered over her own mother and grandmother. Because my darling Granny never acheived a height of more than 5 ft 3.....

Although the eldest woman in the photo, my Granny's grandmother, can't have been even 5 foot, but she was a tough old bird. She might have been 4 ft 11, but she was widowed at the age of 26, survived the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, stayed working for Cunard, and brought up two small children on her own, working full-time. Not that easy in the 1890s and 1900s.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Amanda,

Your pearls must be natural. All the tiny seed pearls I have seen in this style and similar are natural little seed pearls. Just repair or replace any that are missing and you will have a treasure. Do be careful when wearing. No painting the town red with them on Way to dangerous for the necklace. Being so old they are probably quite fragile.

I have a beautiful pendant with seed pearls and a few other pieces. Will find photos and add them here.

Your Great, Great Grandmother must have indeed been a tough old bird. Surviving the Lusitania was a real feat and bringing up 2 kids in 1890s would have been even harder.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Dawn I have some photos....

Amanda,
What a great story. I love to hear stories like that on here!

 

[Amanda]

If you want to know more about her, including her respectable upper-working-class background, marriage to a travelling actor (the horror!) etc, I wrote an article about it, ages ago:

http://londongirl.hubpages.com/hub/The-sinking-of-the-Lusitania-A-survivors-story#

 

[pattye]

Amanda,

Fascinating article, well done!

 

[Amanda]

Thanks! She lived to a ripe old age, so both my uncle and my mother knew her well, and of course my Granny (her granddaughter).

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Caitlin, you can add any photos of my pearls that you think are suitable.

Thank you.
Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover

 

[Caitlin]

Thanks. I have a couple of photos.

I think it is a fantastic idea to make one in this style with modern pearls. Good Luck!