Mastery of Design: The Hull-Grundy Coral and Ruby Dove Earrings

The British Museum

Made in England in the 1830s, this pair of earrings is hung with coral drops.  A setting of bloomed-gold leaves is surmounted by doves with ruby-set eyes.  The 1830s saw a rising taste for Naturalistic jewelry, not only designs of flowers, fungus and foliage, but also birds, insects and animals.  While real preserved animals were also employed, most wearers preferred golden representations to taxidermy.

These earrings are part of the Hull-Grundy Gift to the British Museum.