Featured Silver Pendant

I was early for a meeting on a business trip so just ‘happened’ to find a car boot sale in which to waste an hour!
Anyway in a £4 shoebox full of all sorts is this necklace which I love!
What do you think?. It’s such a distinctive style!. Marked only 925.
Sorry the light is poor as I’m in a hotel room.
Thankyou

 

Yes, great piece!

Funny, my friend wonders why she never finds things, (and I do)?

I tell her it's simple, I'm looking

Obviously, you're looking, too!

 

I do look very hard in the bottom of random boxes and bags at boot sales etc however this one was luck as I was poking around in the box and the lady said, oh have the whole box for £4 . There were a couple of bits of Monet and Vendome so thought it was worth a punt.

 

I'd say you scored. It's probably by the proverbial bloke in a shed, but for four pounds you can't miss.

 

The bloke in the shed does nice work!!

 

nice. 1960s scandinavian ?

 

I thought it looked a bit too accomplished for a bloke in a shed but maybe some sheds are better than others!

 

So what key words would you use to describe it when doing a google search to find something similar?

 

You would probably be amazed at what "a bloke in a shed" can do. keyword maybe... modernist gorget pendant.

 

Nice score!
It’s funny, here in the US the term ‘punt’ generally means giving-up or “not going for it”....you have American football to thank for that.

 

Well, you can't go wrong with a full shoebox for £4, can you? And you didn't!
It is a Modernist necklace, inspired by the Constructivist style. I'd guess it was made in Germany in the 1960s, maybe earlier, and not by a bloke in a shed. Blokes in sheds in Continental Europe rarely make jewellery, they stick to woodwork etc., "blokey stuff".

Constructivism was originally a Russian Modernist art movement in the early 20th century. It inspired other Continental Modernist styles like Bauhaus and De Stijl.
The legacy of Constructivism is mainly found in the northern part of Continental Europe. The Dutch and Germans in particular love it, and you can see why.

To get an idea, here is a 1919 Constructivist painting by El Lissitzky:

 

In British English, take a punt means bet; it is an informal phrase, though. Its origin is early 18th century, from French ponte ("player against the bank"), from Spanish punto ("a point"). In Australian, take a punt is an informal phrase for "attempt to do something."

Also something to do with Irish currency I think.

 

Thankyou, that’s very interesting. It’s a simple piece but the quality of workmanship makes me think it’s by someone above average. I will keep researching now I’ve got some key words to see if I come up with anything. If I’d made something as wonderful as this I’d want my name stamped on it!