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ABOUT THIS BRACELET
A rare sighting! beautiful birds of many feathers--including: a cardinal and a hummingbird (feel free to identify the rest - thank you) --flock together in this cheerful 1930s vintage bracelet composed of five different reverse intaglio (a.k.a. Essex*) rock Crystal cabochons. The multi-chromatic miniature works of art, backed in mother-of-pearl to provide a lovely background shimmer, are substantially framed and backed in 18K yellow gold and connected by ribbed double-sided links. 7 1/4 inches in length.
Courtesy of Lyon & Turnbull of Edinburgh: *Essex crystal has absolutely nothing to do with the county of Essex, or indeed, with the man to whom it owes its name. It’s a very recognizable Victorian aesthetic, which became popular during the mid-19th century, and is arguably one of the more endearing and quirky fashions in jewellery from the era, remaining popular until the 1930s. Essex crystal pieces are formed from a rock crystal cabochon (polished domes of rock crystal with a flat base). An image or motif is then reverse carved into the flat base, and then painted, to give the impression of a three dimensional object or image encapsulated in the cabochon when viewed from above. This process of carving into the back of the cabochon is sometimes referred to as reverse intaglio, not be to mistaken with intaglio, which is designed to be viewed from the same side on which it is carved. When created by a skilled craftsmen, reverse intaglio offers particularly convincing depictions of tiny creatures, such as insects, that are equally as small in reality.
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