Wednesday, November 25, 2015

LADY JANE GREY-HUES IN GRAY

The focal of this assemblage necklace is a beautiful Victorian Art Nouveau sterling silver and velvet heart pincushion. Stamped with hallmarks to both front and back.

It is suspended from sterling silver wire wrapped gemstones and pearls which include iridescent Labradorites, faceted rock crystals, faceted jet rondelles and silver filigree rhinestone beads.

The closure is a sterling silver Victorian reproduction Shepard's hook from Danette Darbonne.

Dangling from the nape is a sterling silver Art Deco watch case depicting a winged cherub and heart. The case opens allowing you to place tiny treasures of your own inside.

The gray hues of this necklace made me think of Lady Jane Grey and her tragic life. Great granddaughter of Henry VII, she was schemingly used as a pawn by her aristocratic family who coerced King Edward VI to thwart his Catholic half sister Lady Mary, heiress presumptive and successor to the throne. On his deathbed at age 15, King Edward VI named his Protestant cousin Lady Jane Grey as his successor to the throne. Also known as the "Nine Day Queen," Lady Jane Grey was executed by beheading for high treason on 12 February 1554.