Victorian Micro Mosaic Grand Tour Cufflinks

A pair of historic cufflinks with micromosaic plaques depicting ancient monuments, likely dating from the 1880s. Each mosaic is formed of tiny glass tiles or tesserae set into a black surround and mounted into a setting of solid silver.

Micromosaic jewellery became popular in Victorian times, during the early to mid-19th century, when it became the thing to do for wealthy people to conduct The Grand Tour - a cultural trip around Europe, collecting souvenirs along the way. Italy was a popular destination for its rich cultural and artistic heritage and its high-quality glass production. Italian workshops became adept at producing micromosaic artworks and jewellery for aristocratic tourists.

The cufflinks themselves are in good condition but one of the micromosaics is missing a significant number of tiles and one is missing a single tile, while the black surrounds have various chips and cracks, see photos. The silver has a lovely patina on the back, but this could be shined up if that's your preference.

Size: Each plaque measures 1 x 1.4cm x 0.4cm deep.

Weight: 10.1g.

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