#french wires

[victorianjewellery]

Pair of"Juno-head" earrings. Made by Castellani. Gold. French wires suspend the head and neck of a woman wearing a diadem, floral earrings, and a knotted necklace. The diadem and bottom of the neck are edged with beaded wire.

"It is [...] possible that one of the 'Juno-head' earrings is an ancient, but adapted object. This is suggested by various technical and stylistic variations, such as the treatment of the eyes and greater use of spiral beaded wire, and by a slight variation in gold composition, with the left one having gold of slightly lower purity. In addition, the other earring bears the Castellani double-C filigree monogram."

In Jack Ogden, "Revivers of the Lost Art: Alessandro Castellani and the Quest for Classical Precision." Castellani and Italian Archaeological Jewelry, p. 182.