Featured Nice art nouveau pendant?

Hello everyone,
So I bought this pendant online for not much.
Usually I stay away from plique a jour enamel, because I have seen lots of fakes.
But this one had me wondering.
It has some damage to the plique a jour unfortunately, and its obviously missing its dangling pearl and its chain.
But to me it could be a silver, paste and marcassite art nouveau plique a jour necklace from around 1900-1920
The only mark I see is Deposé.
That sounds French, although the style of the pendant makes me think more Germany/Pforzheim.
So, what is your opinion about my latest addition to the hoard?
(Did you notice the small fossiled shell in my window tablet?)

 

Lovely, and beautiful pastel colours.

Ditto. The setting of the paste looks a bit wonky, the paste may have been loose at some stage. A silversmith can fix that.

I agree, it doesn't look French or Belgian. German makers occasionally used foreign terms for the export market, so that could be it.

I did, a little turritella.

 

Hello AJ,

thanks for your reply.
Great, an old one then!
I didn t know the name of the little shell, thanks!
So, should I do something about the damage? Like stabilize it with something or just leave it be (and not let it drop)

 

Maybe a thin coat of epoxy resin on the back? But I'll let @kyratango advise you on that.

Good idea.

 

Epoxy resin sounds like a good idea.
I just gave it a nice fitting silver chain. The rest will have to wait for a later time

 

it's lovely !!

 

I'd cheerfully wear that if it showed up. It's marked in French, but the front doesn't speak French. German is a good a guess as any. Belgian maybe? I'm no expert on European jewelry, but Belgian Arts & Crafts era pieces were different from the French ones.

 

Evelyb30, thanks for your comments.
I certainly plan on wearing the heck out of it. Starting today
Interesting that you say Belgian because I am. This pendant was bought online from Italy though.
To me it doesnt really say Belgian. We had a more French -looking, 'expressionist' art nouveau style from the South. This one looks more 'introvert' art nouveau from the North, like the Netherlands and (to me) more likely: Germany.
But I m not an expert.

 

you'll look like an expert...... wearing it !!..

 

In that case, and with the Deposé mark in mind, I wonder if it could be Swiss.
I associate Swiss Art Nouveau with the 'Style Sapin', the fir tree style, which I don't see on your pendant. No fir tree or cone in sight.
But the Style Sapin does have stronger 'bones' than French and Belgian Art Nouveau, reminiscent of German and Austrian Jugendstil.
No doubt the Swiss had more Art Nouveau schools, and jewellery is often a separate design category.

Maybe this helps to get a feel of what the Swiss were up to at the time, a wiki page on the Style Sapin:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Style_sapin

 

AJ, thank you, I will look into it.
I never really knew Swiss Art Nouveau

 

I will keep looking for a better suited pearl. For now, this will do.
And the chain makes is wearable again.

 

The style of pearl is good, but it needs to go on a diet.

Perfect. Given the card, I take it you will be wearing it on New Years Eve?

 

AJ, yes, that is one fat pearl
New Years Eve will be a surprise.
I almost always prefer to wear my newest find so we will see

 

I think the pearl needs to be bigger and Tahitian ... imo..

more of a tear drop ...

 

Komokwa, I know.
Or an irregular 'dogtooth' pearl.
I try to make do with what I have laying around.
So it was this giant one or a very tiny pearl.
I will find the perfect one eventually though, no hurry.

 

Dogtooth pearl seconded. You can't get them there, but I can see a Tennessee River freshwater pearl on this. Heck, I can't get them here either.

 

Nice find (again!)
Jugendstil! Deposé is often seen on German pieces as Levinger, Meyle Mayer and other Pforzheim makers.
See there:
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/heinrich-levinger-art-nouveau-pendant-781-c-8a0414688f

Please, no epoxy on that, you can't get rid of it without damages!
From experience, those cracks aren't threatening unless there is a lack in the cell.
UV curing resin or nail polish eventually on the back, which can be removed safely with aceton, if you fear more damage.
Lol for the fat pearl I agree a dog tooth is what was there originally. With your luck you'll end finding one

 

Of course! That was actually the one I was thinking of, but I had a problem accessing the term. I did have a mind's image of putting it under one of those faux nail setting UV lights, but I couldn't transfer my brain cells to my post.

 

Tahitian pearls are too perfect for the style, you need a more baroque-ish shape, like a dogtooth pearl.

Besides, Tahitian pearls were still very rare during the Art Nouveau period, and cultivation of Tahitian pearls only started much later.