Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

An Indian emerald, ruby and pearl pendant, circa 1870-80s, cased by Liberty, centred with a cabochon teardrop-shaped emerald, bordered by cabochon and mixed-cut rubies, and with edged with pearl highlights, beneath ruby set bale, suspended from later ring fitting and unassociated 9ct gold fancy figure-of-eight link chain, spaced with pearls, with ring and bolt clasp stamped ‘9c’, (all untested for natural origin), contained in fitted case, silk signed ‘Liberty & Co’, pendant length 5.2cm, chain length 42cm. £1000-1500

Liberty’s was founded in 1875 by Arthur Lasenby Liberty (1843-1917) who formerly worked for Farmers and Rogers’ Great Shawl and Cloak Emporium in Regent Street, running their Oriental Warehouse, until he left in 1875 to set up his own shop at East India House in Regent Street. From the start, Liberty imported Oriental silks and fabrics, ‘exotic’ objects and decorative arts from India, Japan and other parts of the East, including jewellery and metalwork, and these appear in Liberty catalogues from the late 1870s onwards. These met with great success, and the shop grew quickly from its small beginnings, with a move further along Regent Street in 1883 to larger premises. From the 1890s onwards, both home and abroad, Liberty’s Emporium grew into a department store that was ‘part of the very social fabric of the country. Persons of taste and refinement from Land’s End to John O’Groats could purchase through Liberty’s catalogue the latest London modes’.

See Stephen A Martin: Archibald Knox, published by Artmedia Press, 2001