Queen Anne paste earrings

A pair of Queen Anne paste earrings, circa 1760.  ‘Queen Anne’ is a jewellery trade misnomer, as Queen Anne died in 1714. As M.D.S. Lewis points out in ‘Antique Paste Jewellery’ : this style of jewellery took Paris by storm around 1730 to 1740. It is virtually certain that no such pieces existed in France or England before that date’. The earrings are silver set with deep purple amethyst paste and pyrites. The gold ear wires are later. They are a neat and wearable size, measuring 3/4 of an inch by 1/2 an inch. Not heavy on the ear and immaculate.

sold
Item ref : ANZ5