For many centuries, dogs, as well as horses, birds and other
images have been portrayed in art. And for the last hundred years, these
subjects have been immortalized on enamels as well as on crystals through a
process called “reverse intaglio”.
This technique is said to have begun in Europe, and the
crystal process has been attributed to a Belgian artist named
Emile Marius Pradier. Some of Pradier’s early
pieces were signed, which makes them particularly
appealing. Such was the beginning of a treasured art
form which evolved into incredible works of art in
miniature.
Around 1860, Thomas Cooke began making crystals for Lambeth and Company in
England. The crystals gained immediate favor, and as their popularity
increased, Cooke trained a student to assist him. This student - Thomas
Bean - later trained his own son and subsequently his grandson in the crystal
making process.
Crystal carving and painting has always been a family
enterprise and is one of the few art forms of modern times to
develop in secrecy, being passed on from one generation to
the next. Yet today, with very few artisans possessing
either the knowledge or the ability to produce crystals, the
process of reverse intaglio is considered to be one of the
highest art forms. The popularity of these “little
beauties” soared as the twentieth century began and they
remained quite fashionable until the early 1930’s.
Not all carved crystals are created equally though.
There are cheap imitations of the technique produced at times. The best
way to distinguish a fine crystal is to view it with a jewelers loupe or other
ten power magnifier - especially from the side. One the very good
crystals, you will notice the depth of the carving and the phenomenal detail -
and you may also see that the crystal has slight chips which have appeared
over time. If the crystal is in its original mounting, the age can be
assessed from the background - the earliest were done on gold foil. As
the art form developed, the backgrounds used differed. The foil was
replaced by etched mother of pearl, and this was succeeded by plain mother of
pearl.
At one time, crystals were wrongfully attributed to William
Essex, an artist well known for his miniature enamel
work. Although he had no connection to the reverse
intaglio process, many people commonly refer to Essex
crystals even today. As alluded to earlier, there are
only a handful of current artists who are considered to be
masters of the craft.
The precise physical process of the reverse carved intaglio crystal is a long
and tedious one. Rock crystal mined in Brazil and Madagascar is cut with
diamond saws and then ground to the perfect cabochon. This procedure
could take as many as twenty different grades of polish, and the entire
process is done by hand. Once the stone is shaped, the design is drawn
on the reverse side of the crystal with water color. The image is then
etched into the piece of stone with a scribe pencil.
The engraving begins with handmade soft steel tools. As
many as 250 of these tools may be used to execute this
process. The crystal is carved with a paste made from a
combination of oil and diamond dust. When the image has
been completed to the artist’s satisfaction, he begins
painting the crystal. Just as in the carving phase, the
painting is done in reverse. Sometimes the brushes that
are used have only a single hair.
The quality of a fine estate crystal far outweighs the setting. However,
the early Victorian mountings are generally as much a work of art as the
crystal itself. These mountings are usually of 18kt. or 22kt. gold, and
totally hand crafted. Estate pieces can range in price anywhere from
$300.00 to $30,000 for a spectacular example. Naturally, the rarity, the
size and the quality of the art, as well as the setting and the age of these
little beauties must be taken into account when determining the price. We hope
this small bit of information can introduce a whole new dimension to the
collector and make you want to add a “little beauty” to your
life.
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