A beautiful pair of antique French "poissardes" (transl. "fishwife") earrings. Their name is said to come from either a the female fish sellers who allegedly wore them while selling their goods in Paris markers or, more likely, from their fish hook shape. This example is decorated with enamelled pansies - a word play on "pensez à moi" (French for “think of me"), which was a popular motif in French regional jewels made in Normandy.
The earrings are 18k gold and hallmarked with both a maker's mark and horse head gold hallmark used between 1838-1847. They measure about 29mm from top of hook to bottom and 9.2mm at the widest part of the cartouche and have a combined weight of 2.4g. The enamelled pansies suggest they were either Norman-made or Paris-made in the Norman style. They are in wonderful antique condition, the enamel immaculate. You will receive the pictured earrings.
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