Rock Crystal Vanity Items

The most exquisite perfume bottle crafted with watermelon tourmaline and rock crystal in 18K gold is a harmonious blend of luxury and functionality. Crafted with precision and care,...

Fox Essex glass scent bottle designed by Tiffany & Co. An exceptional very rare piece, created during the Edwardian period at the Tiffany Studios, back in he 1905. This fabulous scent bottle has been carved from translucent rock quartz and mount with an oversized Essex glass reverse carved piece depicting the enameled three dimensional head of a fox. Both parts are mounted with hinged round frames crafted in solid yellow gold of 18 karats with high polished finish. Fitted with a push opening button, an invisible hinges and an interior gold screw lid. The head of the fox is magnificent, very well carved with realistic details and exceptionally painted. Weight: 137.50 Grams, (88.14 Dwt). Measurements: 34 mm by 40 mm by 80 mm (1.34 x 1.57 x 3.15 Inches). Hallmarks: Stamped with the maker's mark, the mark for the assay of the gold and signed, "TIFFANY & CO.". The gold parts has been independently tested using state of the art technology (Niton XL2 Analyzer) and verified as over 18k gold .770/.999 assay. Essex Glass Essex crystal pieces are formed from a rock crystal cabochon (polished domes of rock crystal with a flat base), an image or motif is then reverse carved into the flat base, and then painted, to give them impression of a three dimensional object or image encapsulated in the cabochon when viewed from above. Production of a reverse crystal intaglio begins with the mining and cutting of fine rock crystal from Brazil or Madagascar. A well-formed cabochon is the key to a beautifully made reverse intaglio and the tedious process of hand polishing it to perfection had to be completed before the design work could begin. A watercolor rendering of the image was painted on the underside of the cabochon and an oil and diamond dust mixture was used along with up to 250 scribing tools to carve the design into the interior of the crystal “…the deeper the carving the more pronounced trompe l’oeil effect.” Once the carving was established the painting process began with extremely fine brushes and paint working in reverse to create incredibly detailed images. This process of carving into the back of the cabochon is sometimes referred to as reverse intaglio, not be to mistaken with intaglio, which is designed to be viewed from the same side on which it is carved, unlike Essex crystal. Particularly when the image is of something which is itself small in reality, such as an insect, they can be very convincing when created by skilled craftsman. Thomas Cook was believed to be responsible for introducing them to Britain from the continent in the 1860s, and there were initially sold by Hancock’s in London. During the same period the artist William Essex, was a great favourite of Queen Victoria, and known for his enamel painting and miniatures. It would seem that the public put two and two together and came up with five, in that they believed these exquisite miniature painted jewels could only have been created by such a celebrated talent as Essex, and the name stuck despite him having nothing to do with their creation. Interestingly, William Bishop...

This sterling silver and rock crystal statue was made by our talented Roman artisans, and reproduces a famous monument in Rome. Adjacent to the Pantheon, in front of the Dominican church “Santa Maria Sopra La Minerva” (St.Mary Over Minerva), lies one of the most curious monuments of Rome, the so called “Pulcino della Minerva”, or in english – Minervas Chick. The brilliantly carved and very realistic elephant statue is a gem of famous Gian Lorenzo Bernini who designed it. THE OBELISK The elephant carries the smallest of the 11 Egyptian obelisks you can find in Rome on its back (18ft), an Obelisk said to have been brought from Sais, where it was built in the 6th century BC. In 1665 the small obelisk was found in the back yard of the Dominican monastery by St. Mary’s church. The church was actually not built on a Minerva temple as thought, but on part of the Iseum, an ancient temple dedicated to her Egyptian equivalent goddess Isis. Pope Alexander VII decided to have the obelisk raised in front of the church, and chose a design of an elephant, made by Bernini, because according to thought “…a strong mind is needed to support a solid knowledge”. In the way, the pope rejected a design made by a Dominican priest, father Paglia, who wanted the obelisk in front of his church to be surrounded by statues of dogs...

Rare Vintage Limited Edition Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. Numbered Rock Crystal " Bean " Shaped Perfume Bottle. Comes with the perfume that was designed by Ms. Peretti for this bottle. circa the 1980s Very rare and highly collectible Elsa Peretti for Tiffany and Co. rock crystal perfume bottle...

Adorable cute Victorian coin purse. Definitely a conversational piece, this lovely accessory is a great addition to your collection. Made of 14 karat (t...

Dating from the 1800's, this wonderful object consists of natural rock crystal - not glass - and gold. Notice that the shape of the piece is the same as the architecture of rooms in...