RARE! Egyptian Made Grand Tour Pendant c.1910, featuring New Kingdom Steatite Scarab, c.1400 BCE

Measuring 2" x 2 1/4", this fascinating example of Egyptian-made Grand Tour jewelry is wrought from silver gilt, and is set with a large steatite scarab dating back to the New Kingdom!

Beginning in the 1790s, Egypt was a "must-see" destination for Europeans and Americans taking the Grand Tour of Europe and the Middle East. By the end of the 19th century, rail travel made the Grand Tour available to those in the upper-middle classes, who flocked to sites such as Cairo and Alexandria. This beautifully-made pendant/brooch is the sort of souvenir that every tourist wanted to bring home!

Wrought from .800 grade silver fire-gilded with high-karat gold, this jewel was made in Alexandria, as is shown by the pre-1916 hallmarks on the back! This ornate pendant displays a temple guarded by two Egyptian Pharaohs, with the royal symbol of the Uraeus, serpents, and lotus blossoms above, and a poppy and palm fronds below. The temple is further decorated with raised hieroglyphics, and front and center, a genuine, ancient New Kingdom stone scarab is mounted in an open-backed collet. 

The scarab is the real treasure here; as lovely as the brooch is, this scarab is a museum piece in it's own right! Firstly, it is carved from stone rather than faience. Faience was much more common, and far less precious. Moreover, this is a sizeable scarab, measuring 16 mm x 11 mm. Carved from beige steatite, this scarab displays all of the characteristics of New Kingdom examples; the head and wing casing of the beetle are carved with an eye to realism, and one can see it's legs neatly carved and incised beneath. This scarab is 100% intact, is mounted into the pendant/brooch with tabs inserted into the original perforations, and is securely braced in its silver-gilt collet.

But wait; it gets even better. The reverse of the scarab is deeply carved with hieroglyphics. The scarab is not glued in; another boon, as it could be removed from the setting if desired. However, I would leave this important, 3500-year-old scarab in this late-Victorian era brooch; it is oh-so-wearable, and what a history!

The back of this piece displays it's original "trombone" shaped clasp, and the top also has a pendant bail, so this Egyptian beauty can be worn any way you choose.

The back of the brooch bears two worn Egyptian silver hallmarks, and one which is crisp. The hallmark indicates that it was made in Alexandria, Egypt, and tests to .800 purity, an Egyptian standard at the time. This item can be solidly dated between 1895-1916, as after 1916, Egyptian hallmarks changed to include purity fineness, and letter dating.

This important artifact has made it into the 21st-century in 100% all original condition, and has not been cleaned. The gilded silver has built up a patina which looks almost bronze; this is the sort of evidence of age that collectors cherish.

The only sign of wear is a very slight bend to the silver pin stem, mentioned for complete accuracy. This highly-wearable Egyptian piece is absolutely stunning worn as pendant or a brooch, and the scarab makes it an investment-worthy artifact of the Grand Tour.