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VICTORIAN TORTOISE JEWELRY
Victorian jewelry is as complex in it’s symbolism, sentiment and
design as the fashion, architecture and decor of the time. Worn as an
ornament, a love token or a remembrance, both the costume and fine jewelry
of the era not only completed the well-dressed lady’s attire but also denoted her position in society,
her marital status and her sense of self.
One of my favorite Victorian jewelry making materials is tortoise. Shaped and inlaid
using heat, it is then polished leaving wonderful designs of gold and
sterling stars, scallops, dots and other motifs. Tortoise is a very
light weight material so even the long earrings are easy to wear.
Dot and star designs are called "piqué point" and flower and geometric
designs "piqué posé". Some of these pieces can also be seen in
the book, "Warman’s Jewelry" 2nd Edition by Christie Romero on page 36,
and she dated them 1850-1860.
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VICTORIAN tortoise pique brooch with yellow and white gold design of swags,
shields, circles and flowers, 1-5/8" wide.
Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and inlaying
the material with precious metals. Dots and star designs were called "piqué
point" and flower and geometric designs "piqué posé".
View
View
#V38308 |
VICTORIAN tortoise pique brooch
with inlaid gold and sterling designs, 1-1/2".
View
View #V38367
VICTORIAN tortoise brooch collection with inlaid gold and silver designs. |
VICTORIAN tortoise pique brooch
with inlaid gold and sterling designs, 1-1/2".
Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and inlaying
the material with precious metals. Dots and star designs were called "piqué
point" and flower and geometric designs "piqué posé".
View
View
#V38367 |
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VICTORIAN tortoise pique brooch with rippled and layered shape, flowers and
leaves, c-catch, 1-1/2". The gold inlay work is detailed and lovely
in designs of flowers, leaf garlands and scrolls.
Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and inlaying
the material with precious metals. Dots and star designs were called
"piqué point" and flower and geometric designs "piqué posé".
View
View #V37876
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VICTORIAN tortoise pique pose earrings for pierced ears, tortoise
portion 7/8" and total length with hooks 1", perfect
condition. Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing
and inlaying the material with precious metals. Dots and star designs
were called "piqué point" and flower and geometric designs "piqué posé".
Tortoise earrings can be seen in Davidov & Dawes "Victorian Jewelry" on
page 137 and in Margaret Flowers "Victorian Jewellery" page 164.
View #V37738
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VICTORIAN pique brooch in excellent condition with intricate inlaid silver
and gold work, nicely domed, tube and c-catch on the back, 1-1/3" and 5/8"
thick. Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and inlaying
the material with precious metals. Dots and star designs were called "piqué
point" and flower and geometric designs "piqué posé". Tortoise
earrings can be seen in Davidov & Dawes "Victorian Jewelry" on page 137 and in
Margaret Flowers "Victorian Jewellery" page 164. Similar pieces can
also be seen in the book, "Warman’s Jewelry" 2nd Edition by Christie Romero on
page 36, where she dated them 1850-1860.
View
View #V37751 |
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VICTORIAN tortoise shell
piqué earrings
with gold and silver flowers, tendrils and leaves and gold stars, circa
1870, 2".
These earrings have both piqué
point and piqué posé
design. Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and
inlaying the material with precious metals. Dots and star designs were
called "piqué point" and flower and
geometric designs "piqué posé".
Tortoise earrings can be seen in Davidov & Dawes "Victorian
Jewelry" on page 137 and in Margaret Flowers "Victorian Jewellery"
page 164..
View
View
View #V33720 |
VICTORIAN tortoise
pique brooch intricately decorated with flowers and scallops and in
excellent condition, 1-1/8". Decorating tortoise was accomplished by
heating, polishing and inlaying the material with precious metals. Dots
and star designs were called "piqué point" and flower and geometric
designs "piqué posé". A similar piece can be seen in the
book, "Fascination: British & Continental Jewelry 1785-1885" on page 65
View
View #V34320 |
VICTORIAN tortoise piqué
point earrings with
dangling balls at either end of gold chains circa 1880. Each ball is
exquisitely decorated with gold stars and
silver dots, 2". Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating,
polishing and inlaying the material with precious metals. Dots and star designs
were called "piqué point" and flower and geometric
designs "piqué posé". Similar
earrings can be seen in Davidov & Dawes "Victorian Jewelry" on page 137.
View
View #V33877 |
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VICTORIAN round
tortoise pique brooch with detailed an delicate floral design, circa 1870, 1-5/8".
View #V31551 |
VICTORIAN tortoise pique oval brooch with inlaid gold and silver floral
design, circa 1870, 1-5/8". View
View #V29653 |
VICTORIAN pique pose and
pique point domed tortoise shell
brooch inset with yellow gold and silver in a star design, with hollow back,
circa 1865, 1". See Romero’s Warman’s Jewelry, Edition 3, page
54.
View #V29243 |
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VICTORIAN tortoise pique
earrings circa 1880, total length 1-1/2". These earrings have both piqué
point and piqué posé
design. Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and inlaying
the material with precious metals. Dots and star designs were called "piqué
point" and flower and geometric designs "piqué
posé". View
View #V35133 |
VICTORIAN tortoise
pique cross pendant on 9 carat yellow gold chain, in original box, pendant 2-1/8" by 1-1/2", loop
1/4", later added chain hallmarked for "JWL, 375 ( 9 carat), London and 1913"
16". Tortoise jewelry
pieces can be seen on page 201 of "Victorian Jewellery" by Michael
Poynder. View
View
View
View #V34827 |
VICTORIAN tortoise pique
earrings circa 1880, total length 1-1/4". These earrings have piqué
point design. Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and
inlaying the material with precious metals. Dots and star designs were called
"piqué point" and flower and geometric designs "piqué
posé". View
#V35245
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VICTORIAN
tortoise
pique brooch, 1-1/4" by 7/8".
View #V29946 |
VICTORIAN tortoise
shell with golden bows and garland design pendant with 9ct (375 9ct) marked
yellow gold bail, a 2" pendant on a
15" chain. View
View #V29443 |
VICTORIAN tortoise pique heart
pendant with butterfly, flowers, leaves and scrolls, 1".
View #V34584 |
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VICTORIAN tortoise pique brooch
with gold and sterling inset floral and geometric designs circa 1870, 1-1/3". This has one
of the most lovely rippled shapes I have ever seen in this type of brooch.
View #V37398 |
VICTORIAN tortoise pique pose torpedo shaped earrings for pierced ears,
1-5/8" total length.
View
View #V38011
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VICTORIAN tortoise pique
brooch with elegant tiny flowers and leaves center and geometric edging, circa
1870. Decorating tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and inlaying
the material with precious metals. Dot and star designs were called "piqué
point" and flower and geometric designs "piqué posé". This is 1-5/8". This is some of
the finest work in tortoise that I have ever seen.
View
View #V37092 |
VICTORIAN tortoise pique pose cross pendant on sterling chain circa
1900, cross is 2" by
1-1/4", chain marked "925" is 16-2/3" long. Decorating
tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and inlaying the material
with precious metals. Dots and star designs were called "piqué point" and
flower and geometric designs "piqué posé". Tortoise jewelry can be seen in
Davidov & Dawes "Victorian Jewelry" on page 137 and in Margaret Flowers
"Victorian Jewellery" page 164.
View #V35684 |
VICTORIAN tortoise pique dangle earrings circa 1900, tortoise portion 1-1/3".
These earrings have both piqué point and piqué posé design. Decorating
tortoise was accomplished by heating, polishing and inlaying the material
with precious metals. Dots and star designs were called "piqué point" and
flower and geometric designs "piqué posé". Tortoise earrings can be seen in
Davidov & Dawes "Victorian Jewelry" on page 137 and in Margaret Flowers
"Victorian Jewellery" page 164.
View #V35685 |
VICTORIAN large tortoise pique cross pendant inlaid with abalone and
gold wire, circa 1900, 3-1/8" by 1-7/8" with 5/8" loop. The detail in this is really
amazing. View #V36043 |
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