Three Sheets with Designs for Earrings, anonymous, c. 1750 - c. 1780

Three Sheets with Designs for Earrings, anonymous, c. 1750 - c. 1780

pen and grey and brown ink, grey wash, h 265mm × w 198mm More details

These numbered sheets probably come from a presentation catalogue. This was a way for a jeweller or travelling salesman to show his clients many variations on the same type of earrings, always modifying a basic design. The pear-shaped stones that recur in many of the designs point to the use of teardrop-shaped pearls.