Antique paste jewellery is a type of finely crafted adornment made using high-lead-content glass, hand-cut and often foil-backed to imitate the brilliance of diamonds and other gemstones. Far from being mere imitations, these pieces were created with exceptional skill and were often set in silver or gold, using the same techniques as fine gemstone jewellery. Highly fashionable from the 18th to early 20th centuries, paste jewellery was favoured by royalty and aristocrats.
