Fox crystal Essex brooch

Fox crystal Essex brooch in 18 karat yellow gold. Antique English brooch with a large round Essex crystal, carved inside with a fox’s head, on a white silvered background. The rock crystal is polished and in a closed setting, the outline of the setting is decorated with a twisted strand of gold, itself surrounded by a series of fine pearls. Early 20th century brooch, Edwardian period, probably from England. 

Owl hallmark 

Diameter: 25 mm
Diameter of the crystal: 17 mm

Note: the fastening system works

Weight : 9,8 gr

More about the Essex crystal: it is a technique developed in England, fashionable between 1860 and 1900, which consists in sculpting a rock crystal from the inside. The subjects represented are always animals: horse, dog, cat, fish. The name comes from William Essex, an enameler who made the painting of most of these crystals. These pieces are made from a piece of rock crystal, hand polished to create a domed cabochon with a flat back. A design is drawn on the flat side and is delicately hand carved into the crystal, then painted on the reverse by a master craftsman. Painting directly into the carved interior of the dome gives the paintings an incredible trompe l’oeil effect. Finally, the work was sealed with a backing, with early examples being covered with gold leaf and later examples with mother of pearl and gold.