There are two kinds of inlay techniques which have been practiced in
Italy for centuries, created in two different cities with two
different matières:
Pietra dura,
in Italian, means "hard stones", so the inlays of portraits,
flowers, insects, or landscapes originally created in Florence, were
conceived with thin slices of semi-precious malachite, lapis,
aventurine, or lapis- so closely fit together that the edges are
flush and indiscernible. See European Designer Jewelry
(chapter on Italian jewelry) or Warman's Jewelry
for examples and more information.
Intarsia is
mosaic work inlaid with glass tesserae, minuscule glass
cubes, which imitate in miniature the glorious Byzantine mosaics of
the Basilicas of Ravenna and Venice, Italy. Roman artists were
known in the 19th century for working with the glass smalti
from Murano, producing jewelry which targeted the tourist
trade. The smaller the elements, and the more shadings represented,
the finer the portraits. As the technique coarsened in the 20th
century, the holes between the tesserae were filled with
wax to level out the surface. This wax application was omitted
altogether, saving time, (and lowering quality) for the
mass-production tourist trade.
This information is courtesy of Ginger Moro, author of the book European Designer Jewelry.
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Note: You are on a reference page of
Morning Glory Antiques & Jewelry. These items were photographed from private
collections, and are for reference only.
Jewelry that is available for sale can be
accessed from the links on this page.
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VICTORIAN
18k yellow gold mosaic doves
ring, 3/4" front, size 7.
View
#V27582 |
VICTORIAN
lady wearing a mosaic pendant on a black velvet ribbon. |
MOSAIC Noah's
dove brooch set in 14k gold.
View #V23962 |
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VICTORIAN
lady wearing a pietra dura pendant on a black velvet
ribbon. Carte de viste marked "Lewis, Prize Medals, Isle of Man". |
VICTORIAN pietra dura
lilies and forget-me-nots brooch set in 18k yellow gold frame, 1-1/3".
View
#V28338 |
VICTORIAN lady wearing a
pietra dura brooch. Carte de viste marked on the back "C. G. Carleton,
Photographer, Main Street, Waterville, Maine". |
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PIETRA DURA floral
brooch of roses, lily-of-the-valley and forget-me-nots, circa 1910.
#Vagns |
VICTORIAN pietra dura bar brooch with pink morning glory and blue
forget-me-nots, 1-1/3" by 1/2".
View #V29819 |
VICTORIAN pietra dura floral 1" pendant on gold chain.
View
#V25961 |
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VICTORIAN pietra dura
oval brooch in 10k setting, white roses, lily-of-the-valley, daisy and
blue forget-me-nots with green leaves make up the bouquet, circa 1890,
1-5/8" by 2". View
View
#V32434 |
VICTORIAN carte de visite of lady wearing a
lovely pietra dura brooch, marked in pencil on the back, "Jane Manely,
niece of ", photographer "W.W. Winter, Midland Road, Derby,
Patronized by Her Majesty The Queen".
View
View |
VICTORIAN pietra dura white
and pale pink morning glories bar pin with green leaves, simple but lovely
setting circa 1890, 2-1/2" by 7/8".
View #V32598 |
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ITALIAN
MOSAIC floral 1" round pin in soft pastel colors circa 1900.
View #Y18684
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VICTORIAN micro mosaic set in aventurine heart pendant with the winged
lion, symbol of St Mark, circa 1860, heart is 1-1/4".
View
View #V29902 |
MOSAIC
floral 1" round pin in soft pastel colors circa 1900.
View #V24459 |
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VICTORIAN Made in Italy
mosaic pin circa 1900, 1". View
#V29564 |
MOSAIC 1-1/4"
pendant on an 18" chain, circa 1900.
View #Y21595 |
MOSAIC brooch marked on the
back "Italy", 5/8".
View #Y27301 |
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MOSAIC
1" round brightly colored pin, circa 1950.
View #Y15030 |
MOSAIC Made in Italy mosaic bar pin with black border, 1-1/2".
View #V25907 |
MOSAIC 1-1/2" brooch.
View #Y23962 |
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VICTORIAN pietra dura of a white tulip pin
surrounded by black glass seed beads, 1-1/2".
View
#V30052 |
MOSAIC necklace with pendant, marked "Made in
Italy", 19-1/2" long with 2-1/2" front drop. This is a
very unusual necklace with lots of color and design decorated links,
circa 1920. View
View
#Q61691 |
VICTORIAN
mosaic brooch in gold filled setting with extra long older style pin stem
circa 1880,
1-1/4" by 1". The mosaic represents two roses, one pink and
one red.
View #V33610 |
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MOSAIC earrings with red, blue, gray and white tessera set in gold tone
circa 1950, 3/4".
View #Y61603 |
MOSAIC cross pendant
with orange, yellow, blue and white tessera set in gold tone, 1-7/8"
pendant on 16" gold filled chain.
View #Y61599 |
MOSAIC earrings with cloud background with red
roses, blue forget-me-nots set in gold tone, circa 1950, 7/8".
View #Y61604 |
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MOSAIC diamond shaped brooch, yellow,
green, white and red tessera set in
gold tone, 1-7/8". View #Y61600 |
MOSAIC early 1900s oval brooch
with blue, aqua, red, lavender, green and white tessera set in brass, marked "Italy"
on the back,
1-1/2". View #Y61601 |
MOSAIC brooch, black background with yellow and
white flowers and green leaves set in silver tone, marked "Italy" on
the back, 1-5/8".
View #Y61598 |
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SCHREINER green
and white mosaic center 2-1/4" pin and 1-1/8" earrings.
View
View #S23505 |
DENICOLA mosaic
and tiger stripe brooch.
View #X23991 |
MOSAIC oval pin, blue grey with red and yellow flowers,
circa 1955, 1-1/8".
View #Y61941
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I am always interested in buying pieces like this, so please
e-mail me if you'd like to sell!
Note: You are on a reference page of Morning
Glory Antiques & Jewelry. These items were photographed from private
collections, and are for reference only.
Jewelry that is available for sale can be accessed
at the links on this page.
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