French Plique-a-Jour Antique Silver, late 19th Century, involving enamel work executed without any backing in a cut-out metal frame, in this case a frame of four blooms in a handmade Silver pendant of Art Nouveau form. Intact. In good condition. Rare.
Plique-a-jour is French meaning letting in daylight. The green Plique-a-Jour enamelling in this pendant is, when held up against the light, most intriguing and evocative, very alluring. The technique was developed in the 700s in Byzantine Constantinople. It has quite a history. Technically it is extremely challenging, with a very high failure rate, its execution requiring much time and labour.
There is some marcasite in the upper part of the tripartite form; the “gemstones”, two red set in the pendant proper and a small green in the cute little chain connection above the pendant, are all glass. The baroque Pearl at bottom is just that, a natural Pearl, not cultivated, filed flat at rear for its Silver backing.
The Silver chain is original, handmade, in keeping with the piece.
This example of French Plique-a-Jour would have been handcrafted in a Paris atelier; judging by the Arts and Crafts look of its Silver chain, it was probably crafted around the late 1880s, early 1890s.