A gorgeous late Georgian era carnelian fob, with a double sided intaglio. There is a griffin on one side of the stone, and a portrait of a roman warrior shadowed by a snake on the other. The fob is elegantly carved, with sharp lines and great detail. Shadows on the face of the man are rendered in various depths; the dimensionality of this piece is lovely to admire. The griffin also, symbol of strength and courage, is rendered with much precision as every feather on the creature's wing is individually carved. The carnelian is bezel set into 15K gold with an ornate element that leads to the 10K gold faceted split ring, the later being generous in size, and ready to add to a chain of your choice.
The carnelian is a luminous orange color measuring approximately 1 inch by 7/8 of an inch. The fob weighs a total of 13.7 grams and measures 3 inches by 1- 1/4 of an inch wide. It has a special mechanism to it, where the central gold pin, decorated with line work, pushes in and out to release the fob so that it ay spin. This mechanism makes the fob flat, and made to be worn as a pendant, or when it spins, it can be used as a stamp, or fob. The piece dates to the 1830s. It is not marked but has been acid tested.
Traditionally, during the Georgian era, fobs were worn by gentlemen as a sign of status and elegance. When pressed against a wax seal, the fob became the personal signature of its owner, and would be used to sign documents.
This fob pendant is a beautiful antique, in great condition for its age and a good addition to any antique jewelry collection. With the griffin as mythical creature, and guardian of the soul, this piece of jewelry is great for everyday wear and makes a very special gift!
