Antique Victorian Day & Night Drop Earrings, French Belle Epoque Dangle Earrings

These lovely day to night earrings are from the Napoleon III period, circa 1860. Elegant and practical, they can be worn either as small and understated 'sleeper' earring or with a bolder dangle. The bottom portion of the earrings are removable and slide easily over the hinge. If you so desire, they could also be worn as a a lovely parure by adding a bail to one of the attachments and hanging it on a chain. This makes them versatile, as well as an excellent example of 1800s craftsmanship and fashion. In this example, the floral tops and bottoms are matching, meaning this was likely an original pairing. With time often the top sleeper portions broke and were smelted down and sometimes you see earrings like this with two different motifs on the top and bottom. Victorians also liked to mix and match so sometimes this could have been intentional.

Made of high quality 18k gold, the pendants are hallmarked with an eagle head, visible in photo ten. The front-latch system is a popular French style from the Victorian period up until the mid-20th century. While the top hinge on these can be delicate, these earrings have a secure latch so you will not risk losing this beautiful heirloom piece. There is some wear to the sleepers, visible in photos. As with all antique pieces, they will need to be treated with care. They remain a priceless and beautiful addition to any collection.

Sleeper
Material: 18k gold (eagle head)
Weight: 1.15 g
Period: Victorian (c. 1860/1870)
Size: .63" x .33" or 1.6 cm (length) x 0.85 cm (width)

Drop Pendant
Weight: 1.47 g (eagle head)
Size: 1" x 0.43" or 2.6 cm x 1.1 cm

Together
Weight: 2.62 g
Size: 1.57" or 4 cm length

All items in the shop are shipped with tracking and insurance within 48 hours of receiving an order. Items over 250 euros are shipped via Colissimo Express delivery so that your item is in your hands as quickly as possible.