These 14k gold Etruscan Revival earrings are of museum quality, showcasing the highest level of Victorian-era craftsmanship. The ram’s head was a motif used in Etruscan Revival jewelry--the rams seen in these earrings are well crafted with impeccable sculptural likeness to the face and the spiraling horns of a lifelike ram. An amphora piece is suspended from the ram’s head, with twisted wirework and granulated beads. The sides have bent arms that sweep outward like curtains. At the bottom, when looked at straight on, the cannetille looks like the petals of a flower, with a tiny finial ball at the base of the piece. Every detail has been meticulously done by hand. The earrings have nice movement and a euro-wire that clips into place.
The earrings acid test as 14k gold, but have a gold blooming of a higher karat layered on top of the gold, giving them their warm glow. They are unmarked.
Combined, the earrings weigh 11 grams. Each earring measures 1 9/16” from the top of the ram’s head to the bottom of the earring (1 7/8” from the top of the wire) and is 11/16” wide.
Circa 1860-1870. Most likely European.
For pierced ears.
