A lovely Victorian Essex crystal cat pendant, Essex crystal set in 18ct gold. An Essex crystal is a reverse crystal intaglio where the flat back of a piece of rock crystal is carved in reverse and hand-painted so that the convex front produces an image in three dimensions. These miniature works of art became very popular in the mid-Victorian era up to the 1930s. Thomas Cook was believed to have introduced them to Britain from Belgium in the 1860s. Still, the name of William Essex was already well known for painting in enamel and miniature and he erroneously became associated with these pieces and the name stuck. The hand-painted reverse crystal image is a charming double-sided tabby cat in a classic rock crystal orb. This piece perfectly exemplifies the Victorian craze for novelties and animals. Circa 1860-70

Measurements: 14mm in diameter