ANTIQUE 18thC RUSSIAN ROYAL 18k GOLD, ENAMEL & GEM SET CROSS PENDANT c.1725
18th Century Imperial Russian Royal presentation cross pendant, mounted on 18k gold and set with cabochon emeralds, rubies and rose cut diamonds, a central square emerald and circular-cut diamond surround, against red guilloché and blue enamel ground. Hallmarked with French gold assay and maker's marks, fitted case inscribed 'Croix Ciselée vers 1725 avant fait partie du tresor des Romanoff offerte in 1850 par le Tsar Nicolas 1ER a Madame Arnould-Plessy Collection de Monsieur Foulon de Vaux'.
Presented by Tsar Nicholas I to the celebrated French actress Madame Arnould-Plessy in 1850; The collection of Monsieur Foulon de Vaux.
REFERENCE NUMBER: A5260
DESCRIPTION
Antique 18th Century Imperial Russian Royal presentation cross pendant, mounted on 18k gold and set with cabochon emeralds, rubies and rose cut diamonds, a central square emerald and circular-cut diamond surround, against red guilloché and blue enamel ground. Hallmarked with French gold assay and maker's marks (Undistinct mark), fitted case inscribed 'Croix Ciselée vers 1725 avant fait partie du tresor des Romanoff offerte in 1850 par le Tsar Nicolas 1ER a Madame Arnould-Plessy Collection de Monsieur Foulon de Vaux'.
Presented by Tsar Nicholas I to the celebrated French actress Madame Arnould-Plessy in 1850; The collection of Monsieur Foulon de Vaux.
Jeanne Sylvanie Arnould-Plessy was born in Metz, France, the daughter of a local actor named Plessy, and became a pupil of Samson at the Conservatoire in 1829. She made her stage debut as Emma at the Comédie-Française in 1834 in Alexandre Duval's La Fille d'honneur to great acclaim. Until 1845 she had prominent parts in all the plays, new and old, at the Théâtre Français, when suddenly at the height of her success, she left Paris and went to London to marry the dramatic author, J. F. Arnould, a man much older than herself. The Comédie-Française, after having tried in vain to bring her back, brought a suit against her and obtained damages.
Madame Arnould-Plessy later accepted an engagement at the French theatre at St. Petersburg (Mikhaylovsky Theatre), where she played for nine years and was greatly appreciated by Tsar Nicholas I and the Russian aristocracy. In 1855, she returned to Paris and was re-admitted to the Comédie-Française, as pensionnaire in an engagement for eight years. This second part of her career was even more brilliant than the first, where she was to revive some of her earlier roles. Her later triumphs were especially associated with new plays by Emile Augier, including Maître Guérin, while her last appearance was in Édouard Cadol's La Grand-maman;finally retiring in 1876.
CONDITION
In Excellent Condition - No Damage.
SIZE
Lenght: 10cm
Width: 6cm
Weight: 105g
