Antique Gilt Silver Filigree earrings, from Northern Europe, very early 1900s, very finely handcrafted, possibly German but it was Sweden and the Baltic States where the majority, and the finest, of Silver filigree jewellery was created.
This quality of fine hand-worked filigree is now rare; naturally enough, given its fineness and delicacy, most of it has simply been irremediably damaged over the years.
This period filigree Silver jewellery was commonly gilded, usually through an application or two of gold paint. The matched pair above would originally have been considerably brighter when new; time and wear have mellowed the colour to a soft antique gold.
The earhooks are new, added in Sydney in handmade Silver.