Floral Sunburst Antique Blue Enamel VICTORIAN Dainty SINGLE Earring French Dormeuse 18k Gold Minimalist Mix & Match

I have some more special antique pieces from my inventory trip to Europe coming soon but first I'm doing a little clear out of some odds and ends and thought I'd mix it up with this cute earring drop.

ABOUT:

Listing is for One SINGLE Earring as shown in the cover picture.

These little French antique earrings are single and ready to mingle : ) - perfect for mix and match pairs or a single accent. Again NOTE - They are all singles, one of one, as any pairs I have would be listed separately. But I never scrap antiques and I know some of my customers like to mix and match their earrings so I thought I'd offer them up in case anyone wants to build a one of a kind ear stack. : )

PLEASE NOTE THE MEASUREMENTS. Some of these are very very petite, others are larger. All function and are wearable but do have 125 year old plus dainty gold hinges so they are not for the faint of heart or heavy handed.

All are French 18k. All are hallmarked as such, some with the antique hallmark used primarily in the 1800s.

All are antique from the Victorian / Belle Époque period. With warm, rich patina, and some may have rosy highlights from age.

The ear wires are inserted from the back of the ear and hook into the little ball rivet or catch atop the earring. They can be a bit finicky to insert or awkward from a tactile perspective, trying to latch the tiny pieces at the front on the ear but my buyers love them.

These earrings are called "dormeuse" in French which translates to "sleeper", meant to be dainty and small, comfortable enough to sleep in, used in olden times to keep the ear holes open overnight : ) Of course these days we don't recommend all night 24/7 wear on these antique pieces with intricate 100 year old gold hinges.

So Again - please note the measurements! I always include them in each listing but people tend to miss them and report back that they are smaller than expected. I am required to show zoom photos for detail which can make it hard to determine scale. These are intentionally dainty and small, it is how they were made, for adults, intending to be dainty. Some of my buyers get out a paper and ruler and draw it out to get an accurate idea of scale. : )

Any additional items or props are not included.

SIZE & MEASUREMENTS:

From top of ear wire to bottom of ear pendant design: 14mm
East to west of ear pendant design: 7mm

Note for comparison - the last two photos show an image of the smallest one of these dormeuse that I have (the one with center pearl, blue enamel and four pointed star design) shown on the true to life ear form for scale. For reference and comparison to the above measurements, that one in the last photo measures 12mm from the top of the ear wire to the bottom of the earring by 5mm wide. So you can compare how that one looks on the ear against the measurements of this earring. I hope that makes sense, I didn't have the time to insert each one into the ear form so I just showed the one to give an idea of scale.

Very Lightweight and dainty. They are typically smaller in person than they appear in photos so please note the measurements.

IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
See photo for condition. These have patina, nicks, surface wear, and some have loss to the enamel. Sold As Is No Returns.

These old pieces always need a gentle hand as pretty much all French dormeuse have a dainty fabrication (not to mention 125 year old hinges) but they latch securely and the hinges all function. These are very popular, I’ve sold many and buyers often report back that it just takes a little practice and patience inserting the hooked end from behind and then latching them while on the ear but that they get the hang of it with time. : )
Still beautiful and appropriate for gentle handling considering age and fabrication.

Please note that all my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition. They will have patina, surface wear, some small nicks. These pieces may also have some build up around the stones and / or inclusions seen under magnification, typical for antique pieces. They are all still wearable and eager to be loved and accepted for many years to come, (the preservation of antique jewelry, even those with signs of their age and history, is important to me. : )
But - Please note due to age, this piece is not in mint condition. Pictures also serve as part of the description and condition report so please utilize the zoom feature which will magnify any wear significantly more than what is visible to the eye while wearing : )

And one more time for good measure - please note the measurements! : )

I enjoy making my customers happy and matching unique pieces with new homes. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions! It means a lot to me that you are visiting my shop! : )

Thanks so much for looking at my items!

SOCIAL:
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