Antique Victorian 14K Gold Reverse Carved Essex Crystal Equestrian Stick Pin

The lovely pin depicts a proud jockey on his horse in this fabulous equestrian-themed piece. It is handcrafted in 14 karat rose gold with a hand-carved circular Essex crystal top. The domed, natural rock crystal is hand-carved in reverse then painstakingly hand-painted in minute detail with fine paintbrushes. This technique creates a 3-dimensional look when the piece is turned in all directions. The crystal portion of the pin measures just under 1/2 of an inch in diameter and the complete pin measures just over 2 1/4 inches in length. The pin is unmarked but tests 14k with a total weight of 2.4 grams.

The pin truly is a work of art! For this technique, the crystal is first cut into a cabochon (flat back + rounded dome-shaped top), and then working from the flat back the artist oh-so-carefully carves a detailed design into it. Then the carved-out design is painted so that it seems to float, in three dimensions, inside the crystal when viewed from the front. This technique is what’s called a “reverse carving.” Supposedly this art form began in Europe, possibly in Belgium in the 1860s and the finished crystals were initially sold by Hancock’s in London. A very popular artist named William Essex, who specialized in enamel miniatures, was assumed to have produced them because of the fineness of the workmanship. Essex was one of Queen Victoria’s favorite portrait artists. Don't miss your chance to own such a beautiful one of a kind piece. Thanks for viewing, please check out our other auctions.