Lot 129
A pair of late 18th / early 19th century Catalan emerald and diamond earrings
£6,930
Auction: 11 October 2022 at 15:00 BST
Description
Each tapered panel set with foil-backed rose-cut diamonds and foil-backed emeralds in raised mounts, mounted in silver and gold, Catalan hallmarks
Dimensions
Footnote
The herring earring (in Catalan, arracada d'arengada), is the name given to this traditional style typical of late 18th and early 19th century Catalonia, due to its elongated piscine form. These jewels are crafted with detachable elements, allowing them to be arranged in shorter or longer fashions, depending on the importance of the occasion. Catalan historian Maria Pilar Bertran explains that herring earrings were marriage tokens – a woman was given one as a promise token; wearing both at full length indicated that she was married. Josep Masriera, the founder of the famous Spanish jewellery house created a very similar pair of emerald and diamond herring earrings for his apprentice showpiece in 1838.
