Filigree and Ajoure
Vintage Filigree and Ajoure Jewelry - Romantic and Delicated Twisted Wire designs
Photo courtesy of collectiblejewels.com
Wikipedia describes filigree jewelry as a delicate kind made with twisted threads of gold and silver or stitching of the same curvy motif. The overall effect of filigree jewelry suggests lace. It has been popular in French fashion from 1660 to the present day.
Origin of the word
The word comes from the Latin words "filum" which
means thread and "granum" which means grain. The process was difficult
to create and was painstakingly finished by hand. Words which were formerly
used to describe the process are "filigrann" and "filigrane." The
motif often brings to mind lace.
History of filigree Jewelry
Filigree jewelry has become a special branch
of jewelry work in modern times, but in ancient times, it was actually the
work of an ordinary jeweler. This is hard to believe when one examines the
intricacy of the design. The wires or threads in filigree jewelry are often
intricately intertwined or bent into swirls or rosettes. The art of filigree
jewelry was very popular during the Art Deco period of the 1920s and 1930s.
It was during this period that romanticism was very much appreciated and
lent itself to filigree designs. The detail work of filigree jewelry has
continued its popularity to the present day.
Irish Filigree Work
Irish Filigree
©2007 Vintage Jewelry Lane
No more varied or thoughtful in design can be
found than the filigree work from Ireland. Instead of the fine curls normally
used in other types of filigree jewelry, Irish filigree varies by the way
that one thread can be traced through various knots and complicated designs.
Although they flow over large surfaces on the pieces of jewelry, they still
tend to balance one another and add special varieties and arrangements which
are difficult to follow with the naked eye.
Modern Day Filigree Jewelry
Ajoure
Photo courtesy of Christie's
There is a wide variety of modern day Asian
jewelry in the filigree style. This jewelry is often floral in design and
made from sterling silver. However, although somewhat delicate to look at,
the overall workmanship is more crude when compared with vintage filigree
workmanship. Compare the filigree work in the flowered brooch to the earlier
picture which is a vintage piece with much more detail and workmanship. The
arrangements of the wires are still bent, the way that vintage filigree jewelry
is, but the overall piece gives a more "solid" and cruder feel
to it, rather that the delicate nature of earlier work.
Filigree or Ajoure?
It is common to see the word filigree attributed
to jewelry that is actually ajoure. When the pieces are compared, it is easy to
see why. While both types have many open areas, and a delicate look to the
overall design, filigree jewelry involves threads being soldered together
to form the design and ajoure means that holes have been punched, cut or
drilled into a piece of metal.
Wonderful example of Ajoure
This stunning cameo of a man an woman shows the
ajoure setting. It certainly gives the impression of a filigree design, but
one can easily see that the metal is formed to give this impression. This
stunning cameo was recently featured in a Christie's auction
in Paris, France and fetched the staggering price of $11,280.
Further information
If you are looking for further information on
this subject, one excellent reference book on filigree jewelry is "A
Modern Method of Creating Enameled Filigree Jewelry" by Leon Hornstein.
This book covers the history of the ancient technique of filigree jewelry
making and gives very clear instructions on how filigree is made, and how
it can be combined with enamel. Some of the topics include: tools and materials,
making filigree wire and jigs, soldering preparation and technique, pickling,
making filigree jewelry, gold plating and other discussions.
I try to offer accurate vintage jewelry information, but may make errors from time to time due to mistakes in research information.
