Antique Négligée Pendant – Greenstone & Sterling Silver, c.1920
A delicate and ethereal Art Deco négligée pendant in sterling silver, set with polished drops of greenstone. Suspended from its original fine-link chain, the design captures all the soft femininity and lightness of early 20th-century jewellery.
The négligée pendant, a favourite of Edwardian and Art Deco society, emerged as women embraced new freedoms and fashions, bidding farewell to formality and restraint. With its two pendant drops, asymmetrical yet perfectly balanced, it demonstrates a languid, effortless style. The lavalier style, with its integral dainty chain and suspended element, was prized for its ability to accentuate open necklines during garden parties or evening soirees, cascading gracefully with every movement.
This example remains in beautiful condition for its era, clearly cherished and carefully repaired over the decades – small, historic touches that add both authenticity and soul. The sterling silver has developed a soft patina, enhancing its quiet beauty and echoing the delicate charm preferred by jewellers in times gone by, who valued lightness and detail above all.
Sterling silver, set with polished greenstone cabochons
Art Deco, circa 1920
Wearable length: approximately 45cm
Pendant drop: 4.5cm from the top of the oval to base of the longest teardrop
A romantic and genuinely wearable antique, elegant alone or layered, and imbued with the refined artistry of one of the golden ages of jewellery design. By choosing antique jewellery such as this, one not only wears history but also supports a sustainable alternative to newly mined materials—extending the life of finely crafted treasures within the circular economy, and honouring both heritage and the environment.
