Vintage outlet Shashi 1970s Cloisonné Enamel Art Nouveau Floral Japanese Family Crest Sterling Silver Pierced Earrings
These vintage Shashi 1970s cloisonné enamel pierced earrings feature an Art Nouveau floral array, or likely a Japanese Family Crest, in sterling silver setting. They likely had a 24k gold wash finish that may have been inadvertently removed with a harsh polishing agent. The enamel colors are Rose, Light Rose, Turquoise, Olivine and Chalk White.
Enamels bake at various temperatures, many colors require multiple layers, and fired multiple times. For unknown reasons, light rose/pink and red colored enamels are extremely fragile. Artisans also applied enamel to the backsides to strengthen the bond. Vintage pieces without damage to the rose/pink and/or red colored enamel are rare and hard to find.
The earrings measure approximately 1" in length by 1-1/4" in width and across, and are marked SILVER. They were handcrafted by Chinese artisans and sold under the Shashi, Inc. line as inventory number 0058.
There are tiny chips in the outlet green enamel along the edges of the earring on the left. The earring on the right has a chip, crack and/or crazing in the pink enamel. There is tarnish of the metal.
Thank you for viewing my offerings!
Below is helpful information from Laurel Burch's catalog on caring for similar treasures.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR EARRINGS
We offer the following suggestions for the care of vintage enamel earrings, which has been specifically taken from Laurel Burch's vintage catalog.
The enamel itself is a thin layer of glass on the surface of the earring. It should be treated very gently and never bent as that could lead to its cracking or shattering.
Fixed earwires and posts are soldered to the earring. The juncture itself must never be bent as this could cause the earwire to separate from the earring. If adjustment must be made, always be sure to support the top of the wire while bending the end portion.
Those earwires which are an actual part of the earring design should be adjusted, if necessary, by moving the wire from side to side. They should never be moved up and down as this could loosen the solder.
Earwires that are hinged are designed to allow enough movement for easy insertion into the ear. The hinge should never be forced.
As silver is a relatively soft metal excessive manipulation and adjustment should be avoided.
To clean the earrings (both silver and vermeil) we recommend using a silver cleaning solution, such as Tarn-x. The earring should be first quickly dipped in the solution. It should then be carefully washed in warm water and mild detergent to remove any residue of the dip. If a piece is badly tarnished this procedure should be repeated. Dry gently and your earring will be good as new. We do not recommend the use of rough cloths for cleaning vermeil.