Metropolitan Museum of Art Sterling Silver And Enamel Brooch/Pendant

Sometimes I find pieces that I absolutely adore and this is one of them.  It is a gorgeous brooch/pendant made by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (often referred to as "The Met") that measures almost 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  It is marked "MMA Sterling" and is an example of "champleve" enameling.  Champleve enameling involves cutting a design into metal then fusing enamel into the hollow areas. 

MMA jewelry is researched and created by its staff of historians, designers, and master craftspeople.  The Met began reproducing artwork in 1871 by commissioning etchings of master paintings, soon followed by three-dimensional reproductions.  In 1921, the museum began selling products through its catalogue, and in 1999 began selling online (not only to raise funds for the museum, but to make its collections known and appreciated by a diverse audience). 

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in purchasing this piece.  Questions, comments, and additional information are always appreciated.  My online shop on http://www.rubylane.com/ is coming soon.

Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 6/24/2011 from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ajew/hd_ajew.htm

http://store.metmuseum.org/about-the-met-store/page/aboutus/