basket Your basket >
>
Your wishlist >
reset search

We offer layaway, spread payments on the piece of your dreams. Ask us for details. Free insured shipping on all orders !!!

jewelry glossary

Antique jewelry glossary

Welcome to our extensive antique jewelry glossary with around 1,500 jewelry related entries.If you feel you are missing an explanation, feel free to let us know and we will add it.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z     all

Medal medallion

A medal, usually of cast gold, mounted in the form of a medallion, sometimes with enamelled and jewelled mounts, and sometimes hung with pearls. Such pieces were often worn suspended from a chain.

They were the subject of gifts in Germany, in the 16th/17th centuries, as a mark of special favour from persons of royalty or nobility whose portrait was on the medal. The medals were frequently made in more than one copy, e.g. three replicas, dated 1612, are known (in the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Morgan Collection) of one such medallion depicting Maximilian, Archduke of Austria (1558-1620); the medals are set in circular frame of pierced enamelled scrolls with four shields of arms and suspended by an escutcheon with the arms of Austria. Such medallions are typically German but were adopted in Scandinavia. The German term is Gnadenpfennig.

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson

Jewelry Glossary

Missing an explanation?
click here to request one

Jewelry Theme Search
Antique Jewelry Lecture
Adin Wallpapers    Help    Shipping Policy    Dealer Terms    Special Requests    Follow us on :   Twitter   Facebook   Google+   Instagram   Links
Home  |   Site Security  |   Track your Order   |   Return Policy   |   Contact Us  |   Antwerp  |   Terms And Conditions   |   Site Map  |   Blog  |   Testimonials  |   In Memoriam