Love Pair Pendant

This pendant consists of an ivory carving of a nymph and satyr in an amorous embrace, supported by an ornate crescent-shaped gold mount, decorated with enamelled scrolls, three emeralds, one ruby, three large drop pearls and two smaller round ones. The ivory shows traces of paint: yellow on the hair of the nymph, blue on the cloak and green on the ground surface. The pendant hangs from two separate chains, each of 20 round links, joined at the top by an enamelled scroll motif with tiny blue stones, a central cabochon ruby and pendant pearl. The back has engraved motifs coloured in green, blue and amber. The ivory may be a later addition to an otherwise sixteenth-century base. It would have been worn either as a neck pendant or sewn high on a sleeve.