Tortoiseshell Piqué cross

Beautiful Victorian tortoiseshell cross inlaid with gold and silver in the Piqué manner.

To create this cross, the artist would have first heated or soaked the tortoiseshell in water to make it malleable.  Then, the painstaking pique work would have begun.   First, the ornate design had to be carved out; then the gold and silver placed into the warm or wet tortoiseshell.    During the cooling or drying process,  the tortoiseshell would seal itself around the gold and silver.

One can certainly understand why Piqué is a lost form of art.

The style of this cross, with four equal lengths,  is called a cross potent.  It was used by early Christians to disguise the cross when Christianity was illegal.   Today,  the design is used by Orthodox Christians and the  Roman Catholic Church.

Dimensions:  1 and 5/8 inches square (4.2 cm)

Year:  1860-80

Condition:  excellent; no damage or restoration

Price:  $375

Domestic shipping and insurance:  $10

Reference number: 9475