Around 1910, Japan’s nascent pearl industry—spearheaded by Kokichi Mikimoto—was just beginning to perfect the cultivation of pearls, but natural freshwater examples from American rivers still held sway in fine jewelry. The Mississippi and Tennessee river systems were rich with mussels whose iridescent interiors produced luminous, irregular pearls prized for their soft luster and organic shapes. These earrings reflect the transitional moment between the natural-pearl era and the dawn of cultured pearls. Their big, juicy orbs are still celebratory in their irregularity. Blobby, not perfect. Natural. Fresh.
MATERIALS: 14k gold (tests), fresh water pearls
AGE: c. 1910
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 1" length measured from the top of the ear wire, 3/8" at the widest point