A HISTORIC PAIR OF 18TH CENTURY AMETHYST AND DIAMOND EAR PENDANTS
Lot 269 RARE RUSSIAN JEWELS FROM A PERSONAL COLLECTION (CONTINUED)

A HISTORIC PAIR OF 18TH CENTURY AMETHYST AND DIAMOND EAR PENDANTS

Closed15 November 2007

Price Realised

CHF 433,000

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A HISTORIC PAIR OF 18TH CENTURY AMETHYST AND DIAMOND EAR PENDANTS
Of girandole design, each set with three pear-shaped amethyst drops to the diamond foliate motif and octagonal amethyst and diamond cluster surmount, mounted in silver and gold, circa 1760, 5.4 cm long, in a fitted red leather case

The Imperial Russian Jewels 1760-1917
The Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics 1917-1925
A Consortium of Dealers 1925-1927
Purchased by S.J. Phillips in 1927 for GBP 295

Specialist note

The State inventory of 1925 described these eight amethysts as 'evidently the first procured in the Ural, about 1750-1760'.
It had been Peter the Great who had patriotically instigated the search for precious stones in Russia, with the deep, rich purple of Siberian amethysts becoming amongst the most highly prized.