History's Runway: The Saint-Esprit Paste Pendant, 1798-1809

Saint-Esprit Pendant of Silver, Rock Crystals and Pastes
Normandy, France, 1798-1809
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The jewelers of Normandy, France, have always been known for their elaborate, jeweled crosses, but this Saint-Esprit (Holy Spirit) pendant is another example of the beautiful work of the goldsmiths of this region.

The pendant represents a dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit (or Saint-Esprit), flying down to earth with a branch in its beak—a reference to the dove which is said to have brought an olive leaf to Noah, signifying man's reconciliation with God after the Flood.  This is the only found example of an Eighteenth Century Normandy pendant showing a dove with an olive branch.

Like many of the Normandy crosses, this Saint-Esprit is set with transparent rock crystals, but it also features colorful stones and pastes. The pendant was meant to be worn on a black velvet ribbon, fastened tightly round the neck like a choker, with the slide at the front. 

Object of the Day: Victorian and Edwardian Combs

In our world of tousled hair, bed-head and ponytails, we don’t see much occasion for a woman to use a hair ornament such as the lovely combs that were prevalent during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. These objects weren’t for the combing of hair in the way one of those black plastic pocket combs would be, but rather they were used as a decorative way of holding the hair in place. Usually worn at the back or side of the head to tame up-swept hair or a chignon, these combs were often highly ornamental. Many sparkled with crystals or rhinestones. Some, even, were crafted of precious metals and gems. Others were relatively simple designs of bone, shell, or Bakelite (an early plastic created around 1907).

I’ve always been fascinated by these antique combs and have collected several which I display in shadow boxes that my father and mother built. I think, in some ways, these very personal items are the most precious. They were used in something as intimate as the styling of hair, worn on a person, and went with them throughout their day. If only we could see what these combs silently witnessed… I find such an idea to be quite fantastic and am always excited to find that personal items like this survive.

Styles change, of course, but, if there were some sort of process to do so, I’d vote to have combs like these comb back in vogue. I imagine that the woman wearing one of these combs felt particularly regal. We all need that now and again.