Necklace 1

Archibald Knox (British, 1864-1933) for Liberty & Co

An important gold and enamel necklace, circa 1900-1904

with individually shaped Celtic sinuous entrelac panels connected by trace-link chain swags

in fitted case, the silk signed Liberty & Co Ltd., Regent St, London

total length of pendant drop 11.7cm.

Literature:

Liberty Jewellery sketch-book, p. 208, model number 8021.

An image of this necklace has also been requested for a new revised edition of Stephen A. Martin's book, Archibald Knox.

Provenance:

Girton College, Cambridge;

Viscountess Hilda Runciman (nee Stevenson) of Doxford (1869-1956), thence by direct descent.

Viscountess Hilda Runciman was educated at Girton College, Cambridge. She was elected as Liberal Member of Parliament for St Ives, Cornwall in 1928, becoming one of the first female MPs, and also served as President of the Women's National Liberal Federation and the Women's Free Church Council.

By repute, this necklace was given by Girton College to Viscountess Runciman in appreciation of her fundraising endeavours for the college.

Photograph and description courtesy of Mallams, Oxford.