Victorian Micro Mosaic Dove Locket
A striking Victorian star-shaped micro-mosaic peace dove locket crafted in silver and most likely of Italian origin. Flying against a royal-blue backround the dove is done in shades of grey and white, with the details of tiny beak, olive branch and slightly tucked feet clearly defined by the expertly cut and placed miniature glass tiles, known as tesserae.
The back contains the locket compartment, with a glass-paned lid; it's deep enough that it could hold a small memento like a piece of fabric or a lock of hair, if not a photo. A wonderful gift for an anniversary or perhaps the perfect "something blue" wedding accessory for someone seeking subtle antique flair.
Details: The locket itself measures approximately 1 1/2" in diameter with a total 2 3/8" length including the large bail. The compartment measures 11/16" in diameter and about 1/16" deep. Crafted in silver which tests around 800, this was originally gilded, the front plating has mostly worn away but the back still shows a golden color.
Condition: In excellent antique condition, with a light patina to the metal. The mosaic has no obvious missing pieces, though there is a difference in tile height around the tip of the wing.
History: Mosaics, fashioned of small pieces of glass or hardstone called tesserae, have been produced for literally thousands of years, with earliest examples attributed to the Ancient Greeks. Micro-mosaics were developed in the late 18th century by the Italian craftsman Giacomo Raffaelli to cater to the "Grand Tour" crowd; in the 18th and 19th century a tour of archeological and historial sites throughout Europe was considered an essential part of an upper-class person's education, and this rite of passage became known as the "Grand Tour".
As these tiny treasures grew in popularity craftsmen in Rome teamed with jewelers in Florence to produce beautifully designed and sometimes impossibly small-scale mosiac art to set in decorative objects and jewels for the elite to purchase as a remembrance of their trip.