Price range: Sold

For sale is this rare and beautiful Jessie King silver buckle or clasp set with purple enamels. Jessie King did around ten documented buckle designs for Liberty in c 1905/6.  They are all design masterpieces in miniature and capture her own individualistic Glasgow School style.  This clasp seems to be one of the rarest, I can find only one other example at auction in recent years- see link.

An identical clasp (with different enamel) appears in Victor Arwas, Art Nouveau From Mackintosh to Liberty, London, 2000, p.23; The Liberty Style, Touring Exhibition catalogue, Japan, 1999-2000, Tokyo, p.155

The piece is fully hallmarked for Liberty, Birmingham, 1906 on one clasp, with correct matching part marks to the other side of the clasp.  Each chain link is hallmarked with the sterling lion mark.

This buckle or clasp is in excellent original condition with original patina and no discernible rubbing to the silver.  There is minor age appropriate cracking and losses to the enamels only visible under magnification.  There is variation in colour to the enamels as seems typical when Liberty used this rarer purple/violet coloured enamel.

Jessie Marion King (1873-1949) is a famous Glasgow school artist, illustrator and designer.  She worked for Liberty & Co from c 1904-6 and was responsible for many of their later Cymric range jewellery designs.

Maker: Liberty & Co

Designer: Jessie King

Date: 1906

Marks: L&Co, Birmingham, g

Material: Silver, enamel

Condition: Very good

Size: Width 7.75 cm

Weight: 0.7 oz, 21 grams