A FINE AND IMPORTANT 19TH CENTURY FRENCH GOLD AND ENAMEL CROSS PENDANT NECKLACE

A FINE AND IMPORTANT 19TH CENTURY FRENCH GOLD AND ENAMEL CROSS PENDANT NECKLACE, by repute given by Napoleon Bonaparte to Marie Louise, Empress of France, Duchess of Parma. Finely worked with polychrome enamel geometric links interspersed with openwork spheres, suspending a cross with granulated terminals, inset panels of coloured enamel and a central flower motif enamelled in red to one side and white to the reverse - The necklace was purchased by Julian Shrine from the Duchess of Palmas Sale in the 19th Century and passed down the family to Lord Stradbroke, thence by descent until sold by Prudential, The Principal and Remaining Contents of The Old Henham Hall, Beccles, Suffolk, 10-12 October 1988. Comes with letters of provenance, auction receipt, and auction catalogue. A very similar brooch and pair of earrings are on display in the Stockholm Royal Armoury museum, and belong to the Norwegian Royal Family.

Pendant measures 8cm high, 6cm wide