Antique Russian Demantoid and Hessonite Garnet
Cluster Earrings
56 zolotniks rose gold (14K - 583), each with 14 demantoid
garnets surrounding a central oval hessonite garnet
made in Moscow between 1899 and 1908
height 7/16 in. (1,2 cm)
sold
The
demantoid garnet was first discovered in Russia's Ural Mountains in
1853. The stone was frequently used in Victorian jewelry and was
especially popular in the Russian Empire.
This green-brown combination of garnets is typical for Russian earrings of the late 19th - early 20th century.
The brown garnets have beautiful orange red fire.
Both
marked with 56 zolotniks Imperial Russian gold standard with Cyrillic
initials 'ИЛ' for Moscow assay master Ivan Lebedkin (1899-1908) and
workmaster's initials 'АП', probably, for Alexander Pushkov, owner of a jewelry shop on Miasnoi in Moscow.