A rare and fabulous antique Arts & Crafts/Art Nouveau Murrle Bennett 15K gold moonstone, amethyst and demantoid garnet necklace and earring set in the Suffragette colors, dating to circa 1908, in H Samuel period box and in excellent condition. The Suffragette movement in Great Britain took place at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century where women, led by the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), fought to get the vote. The colors of white, purple and green were significant-Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, editor of the weekly newspaper, Votes for Women, wrote,’Purple as everyone knows is the royal colour, it stands for the royal blood that flows in the veins of every suffragette, the instinct of freedom and dignity… White stands for purity in private and public life… Green is the colour of hope and the emblem of spring. The colors were a huge marketing success with clothing and jewelry worn by many supporters of the women’s vote movement at the time. Bennet who created affordable, high quality gold and silver pieces in the Art Nouveau style often combining Celtic influence with unique floral intertwining forms. This stunning Murrle Bennett solid 15 karat gold Arts and Crafts/Art Nouveau necklace and earring set dates to around 1908 and is so unusual because it has been created in the Suffragette colors. The necklace consists of six gorgeous collet set round moonstones resembling flowers with five truly beautiful drops featuring oval moonstones with deep purple amethysts above and all topped with glowing deep green demantoid garnets surrounded by Celtic inspired intertwined goldwork-Wow! The long dangling earrings resemble the necklace except the round moonstone sits above the demantoid garnet at the front of the French wires. Although the design very much resembles works by Archibald Knox it was most likely designed by Theodor Fahrner whom Murrle Bennett worked with very closely. To research the attribution of this set, please view the identical necklace and earrings with moonstones, sapphires and diamonds in the Tadema Gallery archive (Reference 7993 and 8004) and a similar example with turquoise and pearls (Reference 9068). The necklace is clearly stamped’15CT’ on the reverse of the central drop and both earrings are also stamped’15CT’. The necklace and earrings come in a period blue box with black velvet and white silk interior marked H. Samuel (established 1862) who, until 1912, operated out of Market Street, Manchester (the city where the WSPU was founded by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903) and marketed themselves as’The Empire’s Largest Jeweller’. The necklace measures approximately 18 inches long and can be shortened by about an inch. The earrings measure approximately 1 3/4 inches long. The necklace and earrings are in excellent condition with only light general wear. The replaced spring clasp is marked’14K’. The box is in very good condition. Thanks for looking and please take a look at my other items! Antique Art Nouveau 15K Gold MURRLE BENNETT Suffragette Necklace Earring Set. We make great efforts to honestly and accurately describe each item we list. We back this up with many photographs, all with a close-up zoom option for detailed inspection. Items are not returnable if it was not of the age/value you were hoping it to be with no exceptions. If we place a date on an item we guarantee it to be of that period or earlier. We are very easy to work with and welcome any and many questions during our listings, so please let us know if you have one! Thanks again for looking! Antique, Vintage, Estate Jewelry & More! Most of our pieces are from the Georgian, Victorian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Mid Century periods and we adore the unusual and unique. We also have a passion for antiques and frequently come across interesting estate items while searching for jewelry which can be found in our store too. We are always adding to our inventory, so please check back frequently. Thank you for visiting our store! Get images that make Supersized seem small. Tailor your auctions with Auctiva’s. The item “Antique Art Nouveau 15K Gold MURRLE BENNETT Suffragette Necklace Earring Set” is in sale since Saturday, August 3, 2019. This item is in the category “Jewelry & Watches\Vintage & Antique Jewelry\Fine\Art Nouveau/Art Deco 1895-1935\Sets”. The seller is “liongoods” and is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Brand: Murrle Bennett
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
- Main Stone: Moonstone
- Material: Amethyst Garnet
- Metal Purity: 15k
- Metal: Yellow Gold
- Modified Item: No