19th Century Heidao Monkey Pendant star sapphire The mother of pearl has

The mother of pearl has a gorgeous iridescent sheen as it moves through the light (which is proving quite tricky to capture with the camera)

Bath - now known as Mallett Antiques

the head and band are a later marriage (circa 1880)

meaning thought)

A stunning Early Victorian tiara set with an assortment of gleaming cut glass gemstones

19th Century Heidao Monkey Pendant star sapphire The mother of pearl hasDATE: Victorian, c. 1850 Known as heidao, the art of carving nuts and fruit pits into intricate three dimensional beads flourished during the Qing period (1644 1911), with artists continually trying to better themselves and their contemporaries both. Subjects would include the Chinese zodiac, Buddha, sages, animals, scenes from nature or legend, and they would typically use apricot kernels, peach, coquilla, or olive pits, walnuts, or myrica rubra