French paste is a Vintage jewelry term used to describe the practice of placing foil underneath faceted cut glass, which is cut in the shape of a real gemstone.  This process, which was developed in the 1700's, created the look of a sparkling gemstone or diamond but cost much less than real gems.

A fantastic and very unusual pendant from the Georgian (ca1825) era! Set in a sterling silver setting, the huge pendant has the wonderful image of what appears to be either a church or a house which is surrounded by vibrant green trees and a blue sky. From afar, the picture looks to be painted but if you look closely, you see that almost the entire design is made with multi-colored bird feathers. Wonderfully detailed, the trees are irridescent peacock feathers, the roof is made of vibrant red feathers and the sky is a fading blue and white color. It is absolutely amazing that the picture is completely sculpted from feathers! The image has a round bezel set glass face that is bordered by large French paste stones. The framed picture swings from a royal looking sterling crown which is encrusted with paste stones. A sterling bail rests on the back of this extremely large pendant along with a glass covered hair locket. This stunning and unusual piece is simply marvelous and would make a lovely addition to any collection!

Measurements: The pendant hangs approximately 2 7/8" long, is 1 1/2" wide and is 1/4" at the thickest point.

Condition: The overall condition of the pendant is excellent. There is no apparent damage to the sterling setting and all of the paste stones are intact. The bail and glass locket face is secure and in good working condition. There is normal surface wear to the glass cover and a small chip in the bottom corner which is hardly noticeable. There is only surface wear to the paste stones and the feather image is in excellent condition.