Earrings / Ear-rings

 

Earrings in the eighteenth-century were a critical accessory for embellishing one's appearance to improve status, financial value and social credit. Earrings came in many different forms and styles, but the two prominent styles shaping eighteenth-century fashion were the girandole and the pendeloque. As will be discussed, these earrings dominated the evening social scene due to their glamorous styles and femininity; the earring was a token of feminine beauty. It represented class and luxury making the earring a vital accessory for upper class women and a desired accessory for the lower classes. Due to this desire for feminine beauty and financial worth, earrings were commonly stolen and seized in the public and private spheres, as evidenced in the Old Bailey records and newspapers. These papers also advertised earrings for sale, earrings at auction and earrings lost and mislaid. These themes will drive the purpose of this wiki page in highlighting the many ways the earring was represented in eighteenth-century literature and sources. As the earring is an object to be admired and displayed, the following primary sources are predominantly visual in order to showcase the shape, size and function of earrings in eighteenth-century life. Therefore, primary sources range from engravings to portraits and images to adverts in newspapers. These sources demonstrate that earrings in the eighteenth-century were worn to increase one's feminine appearance and status. Yet, this sort after beauty and financial value catalysed a surge in earring thefts as the lower classes yearned to achieve this image. 

 

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1. Defining earrings

 

Tracking the word “earring” across the eighteenth-century becomes complicated due to its appearance in many forms and spellings, as highlighted by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). The spelling ‘earring’ dominates, however ‘ear-ring’ increases in the latter half of the century (visualised by the Google Ngram graphs below). Earring, ear-ring, ear-drop, drop earring and stud earring all embody a similar meaning. The slight differences relate to the shape and ornateness of the style of jewellery. Therefore, in order to see the use of the earring throughout the whole century, all of these different spellings must be taken into account. These different definitions all fall under the category of the earring. The different forms heighten the luxury, ornateness and differing status markers that each different type of earring symbolised.

 

Figure 1: The presence of 'earring' and 'ear-ring' throughout eighteenth-century literature (Google)

The appearance of the word earring in literature fluctuates dramatically across the eighteenth-century; yet, it is predominantly a present term. The spelling ear-ring, however, appears in the mid 1730s and steadily increases, enacting similar fluctuations to the spelling earring. Perhaps these fluctuations enact the rise and fall in popularity of these two different spellings. This graph show the presence of the term within literature, therefore, when there are peaks and troughs this does not mean that other mediums, such as newspapers, portraits and advertisements were not concerned with earrings, as the following primary sources will evidence.

 

Earring, n (OED Definition)

 

• “Originally: a ring, often of old, inserted through a hole in the earlobe and worn for ornament. Later also more generally: an piece of jewellery worn on the lobe or edge of the ear, often featuring precious stones or some other decorative pendant.”

This definition itself heightens the development of the earring. It has become more ornate and decadent over time with the edition of stones, pendants and its position on the ear. 

The OED confirms this due to the compound words that embellish the definition of the earring:

 

1. Ear-drop, n

 

• “An earring with a pendant jewel or ornament; a drop earring.”

This form of earring was also referred to as a drop earring throughout the eighteenth-century. This style was the most popular earring in the century due to its added ornateness, appearing as an embellishment to female appearance in eighteenth-century literature and portraits.

 

     2. Stud earring, n

 

• “An earring consisting of a precious stone, piece of metal, or other ornament attached directly to a pin which passes through the ear, as contrasted with a hoop or drop earring.”

This term did not come into culture until the end of the 19^th century. As the earring functioned as a display piece in the eighteenth-century, more subdued styles developed as fashion changed. 

 

     3. Earringed, adj.

 

• “Wearing earrings.”

As the earring became a popular accessory, if someone was adorned with one they became earringed. 

 

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2. Styles of earrings: The Girandole and The Pendeloque

 

Earrings were an essential form of adornment in the eighteenth-century. This purpose and effect will be evidenced throughout the forthcoming analysis of primary sources, fiction and non-fiction. The portraits in Section Three: Feminine Beauty evidence that females wore their hair up, styled away from the face, therefore large, statement earrings were on full display. At formal occasions, low cut dresses revealed areas around the neck and ears to be embellished with earrings. These occasions were twinned with improvements to domestic candles, meaning more social events took place in the evening. These events were perfect opportunities for women to showcase their statement earrings as they glistened in the candlelight. The extensive eighteenth-century earring collection at the Victoria and Albert museum (V&A) showcases the two most popular earring styles during this period: the girandole and the pendeloque. These styles highlighted the distinction of eighteenth-century earrings: a focus on multiple drops and faceted stones.

 

The Girandole

 

Created in the mid-17th century, the popularity of the girandole expanded throughout the eighteenth-century. The three pairs of girandoles below, exhibited at the V&A, visualise the three pear-shaped drops suspended from a hook behind a centre piece and top decoration. The intricacy of this craftmanship is shown in Figure 5. The three drops widen the size of the earring, compared to the vertical nature of the pendeloque, and establish the centralised motif. The girandole was popular for nightwear due to its size, multiple jewels and appearance to flatter the female face. The dark background of these images heightens how the earring would project in darker lighting, enacting their glamorous appearance for nightwear.

During the day, however, the three lower drops could be detached to create a smaller earring and a more manageable size. As Figure 2 below highlights, the three drops can appear separate to the centre piece. Throughout the eighteenth-century, many different variations were created to unify the girandole and overcome its slightly fragmented appearance. Figure 2 showcases the traditional ribbon shaped centre motif. Whereas, Figure 3 establishes a focus on enamel-work with the foliage shaped central motif.

 

Figure 2: Bow Girandoles from 1760s (Chick)

 

Figure 3: Floral Girandoles from the 1760s (Chick)

 

Figure 4: Opaline Girandoles from 1760 (Victoria and Albert museum)

 

Figure 5: Opaline Girandoles from 1760 (Victoria and Albert museum)

 

The Pendeloque

 

The second popular eighteenth-century earring was the pendeloque. This earring consisted of one drop, below an optional central motif. Thus, creating a vertical drop, rather than the wider three pear-drops of the girandole. The pendeloque came into fashion, reaching its pinnacle in the 1770s, since its elongated outline balanced the extreme height of hairstyles at this time (see Coiffure for more information on eighteenth-century hairstyles). The single drop made the pendeloque much lighter than the girandole on the ear, consequently it was a more dainty and graceful style too. The pendeloque could be seen as a progression of the ear-drop/drop earring, as mentioned in the definitions above. Single, smaller drops, such as pearl-drops, were popular day time earrings. Therefore, pendeloques provided the perfect upgrade when transitioning into night wear.

 

Figure 6: Silver Pendeloques from 1740 (Victoria and Albert museum)

 

Figure 7: Carnelian Pendeloques from 1725-50 (Victoria and Albert museum) 

 

As earrings became more popular, manufacturing methods were established to achieve the appearance of expensive earrings, but with an accessible price. This is shown by the opaline girandole earrings above (Figure 4), created with white pastes to appear like diamonds. Doublets and paste were two manufacturing advancements practised by eighteenth-century jewellers. Cementing a thin layer of the stone to a glass or crystal back created doublets. Whereas, intricately cutting glass to enact the shimmer of genuine stones created paste – a significantly cheaper alternative increasing the accessibility of earrings. The authentic similarities that these cheaper alternatives created catalysed their popularity and were even mistaken for the genuine stones. Customers were fooled by the deception of paste that many discovered their earrings were not made with genuine stones until they were taken to the jewellers (Trossi and Mascetti).

 

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3. Feminine Beauty

 

Throughout the eighteenth-century, the earring became a symbol for class, elegance and beauty. Sir Thomas Grandison, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison, 1753, ordered his daughter to "stick some of your mother's jewels in your hair and bosom to draw the eyes of followers", when in search of her future husband (Redington and Collings 232). Furthermore, the protagonist in The History of an Heiress published in The Lady's Magazine, 1773, dressed her "head, neck, ears and stomacher with diamonds so I glittered like a star of the first magnitude" (Redington and Collings 232). These sources showcase the purpose of Section Three: Feminine Beauty; the earring as a feminine status symbol and critical accessory for the well dressed eighteenth-century woman.

 

William Hogarth: Four times of the day

 

The satirist William Hogarth's work, Four Times of the Day, heightens the role that earrings played as a female status symbol in eighteenth-century society. These plates display a series of four different scenes during one day, outside in London. The public spaces, therefore, show different classes woven together. However, the earring works as a focal point distinguishing these different classes from each other. Earrings play a part in telling the status story behind daily life in London, even more so in a source which is purely visual.

 

Plate One: Morning

 

Arguably, the focal point of the first plate is the female walking across Covent Garden with her page behind her. The lady's austere facial expression evidences her disgust at the beggars and lovers sprawled across the square as she makes her way through. Instantly, it is her dress code that divides this lady from the lower classes that surround her. Her fan is used as a shield to separate her upper class demeanour from the lower classes, and her fashionable clothing heightens this too (more information on fans as an accessory here). On a closer inspection, she is the only character wearing a pair of earrings. Understanding the analysis of earring styles above, she is wearing a simple drop earring; perhaps she has detached the lower drops of the girandole since it is morning. Her earrings play a significant part in distinguishing her upper class character from the lower classes surrounding her. Earrings are a part of the well dressed eighteenth-century female formula, and so when a character lacks this embellishment a comment can be made about their class or their actions. 

 

Figure 8: Plate One Morning (The British Museum)

 

Plate Two: Noon

 

The second plate can be seen to echo the pattern of earrings connoting class structures. Two different classes are portrayed in the engraving and immediately the dress of the contrasting characters distinguishes their difference. The congregation leaving the church are dressed in ornamental coats and elaborate wigs. This prominent couple's body language emphasises their class difference from the body language of the lady with her pie and companion outside the tavern. The upper class female can be analysed against the lower class female: earrings, wigs, necklaces and footwear combine to create a different appearance symbolising a different class. It is the presence and absence of earrings that clarifies this status divide between the two females. The upper class female wears a drop earring, like the female in the first plate, reinforcing the morning/noon attire that differs from the girandoles and pendeloques of evening wear. As seen in Section Two, earrings add elegance and style to an outfit, and it is this appearance that clarifies the status of the characters in this scene. The objects in Hogarth's work take the place of words from a novel; a presence or lack of an earring has the ability to tell part of that character's story and purpose. Thus, in Four Times of the Day, the earring plays a significant part in telling the story of the character's class and opinion on feminine beauty.

 

Figure 9: Plate Two Noon (The British Museum)

 

Female Portraits

 

As seen within Hogarth's prints, when earrings were worn hair was styled up or away from the face. This allowed earrings and other pieces of jewellery to take centre stage. The following three portraits highlight the varied hair styles that ensured the earring was not blocked from view.

 

A portrait's function is to be admired and analysed, therefore feminine beauty was an important quality. This is evidenced in Jane Austen's Emma, as Emma paints a portrait of Harriet in chapter six: "She had soon fixed on the size and sort of portrait. It was to be a whole-length in water-colours, like Mr John Knightley's, and was destined, if she could please herself, to hold a very honourable station over the mantlepiece" (Austen 37). The function of Harriet's portrait is to be looked at and commended, particularly in Mr Elton's position, thus underpinning the role that the portraits below carried out, in establishing feminine beauty. 

 

The earring played a part in formulating this motion of feminine beauty due to its attractiveness and status enhancer. The portraits below showcase the elegance of the pendeloque (Figure 10), the girandole (Figure 11) and a simple drop earring (Figure 12). As discussed, an earring begins to cement one's place in the upper classes of society. Alongside an ornate hairstyle and matching jewellery sets, these accessories work together to highlight eighteenth-century feminine beauty and fashion. Moreover, portraits were predominantly of a higher-class individual. Having analysed Hogarth's plates, therefore, one is able to commence seeing the difference between upper class feminine beauty and lower class - a contrast that the portrait is not able to visualise alone.

 

In the later decades of the eighteenth-century, the social season was winter and spring - a time when earrings were most popular to wear. Earrings became less common in portraits of day wear which is hinted in Emma since there is no mention of Harriet's accessories. The focus of the portrait is on the quality of Emma's artistry and Harriet's demeanour. This is not to say that Harriet was not wearing earrings, but it can be imagined that she did not wear grand girandoles or pendeloques, but perhaps a simple drop earring which was popular in adorning day wear.

 

The portraits below also demonstrate the role of the earring in complimenting and following the changes in female fashion. A more delicate outfit offered a simple earring (Figure 12). Whereas, a more flamboyant outfit needed a larger, statement earring in order for it to not be hidden (Figures 10 and 11). Therefore, these portraits unveil how the earring was a companion piece to fashion and would be married into the outfit that it suited best.

 

Figure 10: Portrait of Sarah Woodcock by Jane Thompson and published by John Williams, late eighteenth-century (National Portrait Gallery)

 

Figure 11: Portrait of Mrs Mark Sprot by William Ward, late eighteenth-century (National Portrait Gallery) 

 

Figure 12: Portrait of Elizabeth Bull by James Watson, late eighteenth-century (National Portrait Gallery) 

 

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4. Earring Thefts

 

The attractive financial and social value of earrings increased the prominence of thefts in the eighteenth-century; earrings were a high-status accessory sort after by those of lower classes. Reports of earring thefts spanned the entire century reiterating the obsession and growth of embellishing one's appearance, continuing into the nineteenth-century. Thefts usually followed with criminals attempting to sell on their plunder for financial gain, as evidenced in the Old Bailey records to be discussed. Higher status citizens were targeted by lower class citizens in order to pawn their plunders for financial value; very few proceeded to wear the items they stole, as reported.

 

Jewellery thefts have been documented throughout eighteenth-century literature and within the Old Bailey records. These sources reinforce that earring thefts took place predominantly on the streets of urban areas where criminals targeted those with decadent appearances and accessories. Urban areas at night were hubs for these types of earring thefts. The volumes of people and intimate hideaways, such as side streets and brothels, provided distractions. Earrings were commonly stolen as part of larger thefts, where criminals stole multiple items such as petticoats, kerchiefs, pocket watches, rings and other silver/gold hardware. The eighteenth-century Old Bailey records showcase that men and women, old and young, committed jewellery thefts; no specific gender or age group dominated these crimes. Working class staff for example targeted their masters and guests. Whereas, on-street criminals were impulsive and chose their victims purely on outward appearance; luxurious clothing and jewellery were targeted.

 

The brutality of these impulsive crimes was reported in newspapers, such as the Bell’s Weekly Messenger established in 1796, towards the end of the eighteenth-century. The issue from 23^rd August 1802 reported a particularly gruesome earring theft: “A female had actually one of her ears cut off for the sake of a valuable earring, the villains not being able to pull it away, as they had done the other.” (Bell 279). The account of this attack is highlighted in the extract below. The descriptions of this attack heighten how intrusive and violent earring thefts could be; the earrings were ripped from the female body, and if this was not successful, attackers would mutilate the victim in order to obtain the piece of jewellery. The primary sources showcase that those who committed these thefts were driven by the financial and social value that earrings had in the eighteenth-century. The Bell's Weekly Messenger report emphasises the lengths criminals went to in order to obtain this value.

 

Figure 13: Earring attack report in the Bell's Weekly Messenger (Bell)

Earring thefts taking place outside the domestic/private sphere were commonly published in newspapers, such as the report discussed in the Bell’s Weekly Messenger. However, earring thefts taking place within the private sphere appear to be silenced by public newspapers and taken to court, reported in the Old Bailey records. As the culprits of these thefts were known by their victims and predominantly caught in the act with nowhere to escape, these thefts were taken to court and reported through this judicial system.

 

Old Bailey Records

 

The Old Bailey records document the conversations at the trial of different earring thefts. One particular trial that follows the pattern of stealing earrings for financial and social gain took place on 13^th January 1758.  Elizabeth Tomkinson orchestrated this theft at John Heering's warehouse rather than on the streets, like the attack reported by the Bell’s Weekly Messenger. The report of Tomkinson's trial is shown below from the Old Bailey records.

 

Figure 14: Elizabeth Tomkinson's court trial (Old Bailey Proceedings Online)

Elizabeth Tomkinson stole multiple items from John Heering’s warehouse, a pawnbroker from Grafton Street, London: a cloth coat, a camlet waistcoat, a camlet pair of breeches, a cotton gown, a quilted petticoat, a linen ditto and a pair of gold earrings. These items belonged to different men including Lewis Vincent, John Rash and the earrings belonged to Thomas Pointer. The conversation reveals how Elizabeth Tomkinson stole these belongings for financial gain. She did not steal them to improve her own appearance but proceeded to attempt to sell them on at a price. As discussed, earrings were impressionable social markers, and the busy movement of earrings through buying and selling meant they could be sold on easily. John Heering announced during the trial that he knew Elizabeth Tomkinson as she had often visited his shop to sell very small items of her own. However, his speech places emphasis on the cheapness of what she sold to him, compared to the luxuries she stole from his warehouse.

 

Heering’s occupation influenced Tomkinson to portray herself as a pawnbroker so she proceeded to sell the earrings to Deborah Humphrys. Tomkinson’s defence stated that a woman who worked for her had left the goods with her young son when she was absent, leaving a note for Tomkinson to pawn the goods for her. However, this style of defence was used often in cases such as this – an innocent child left helpless with valuable goods and the absent adult ordered to sell them on. Elizabeth Tomkinson was found guilty, not just for this theft but other similar crimes too, and was sentenced to death.

 

This case demonstrates that earring thefts did not just occur impulsively in public, urban spaces. Coordinated crimes occurred within the private, domestic space where greater amounts of goods were stolen. It also reinforces that these planned crimes allowed criminals to steal multiple items in one go, rather than one pair of earrings.

 

Thefts in fiction: William Hogarth

 

Eighteenth-century fiction also discussed the thefts of earrings. Hogarth visualised these crimes within a particular series that focalises on the aftermath of an earring theft: Industry and Idleness. Not only does Hogarth’s work display a freeze-frame of these crimes, but his depiction of different classes can be noted by those adorned with earrings: A Harlot’s Progress and Four Times of the Day, discussed in Section Two: Feminine Beauty.

 

Industry and Idleness

 

Industry and Idleness explores the movements of two apprentices in a series of plates as they journey throughout different stages of their lives and the choices they make. Plate seven, entitled The Idle ‘Prentice Returned from Sea, and in a Garret with a Common Prostitute, illustrates a scene after an earring theft has occurred. This plate recalls the notion of private and public plunders. One of the apprentices has just returned from sea and degrades himself to debauchery; he has moved from a public doing into a corruption that lies beneath the surface. The Old Bailey records recall the aftermath of earring thefts through the language of the legal system; the crime has already taken place and is being reviewed. However, Hogarth’s work allows for an intimate analysis of the perpetrator’s whereabouts after the crime has taken place. He provides his ‘readers’ with a screenshot of the reality unfolding for the two characters. The picture vividly displays the expressions of faces, the location and the surrounding objects which all combine to produce a detailed account of the situation at hand. Language is not needed and these components in the plate speak for themselves. Even though this is fiction, the scene Hogarth has illustrated is not dissimilar to the reality of the Old Bailey records, it gives insight into the private sphere making the aftermath of earring thefts public knowledge.

 

Figure 15: Plate Seven The Idle ‘Prentice Returned from Sea, and in the a Garret with a Prostitute (Trusler)

The focus on the earring is spotlighted within this plate. The male protagonist, Tom Idle, is horrified at the situation he is experiencing. Yet, the female prostitute cannot take her eyes off the gold earring she has stolen. Hogarth’s accompanying narrative emphasises this focal point of the plate: “How different is the countenance of his wretched bed-fellow! in whom unconcern and indifference to every thing but the plunder are plainly apparent. She is looking at an ear-ring, which, with two watches, an etwee, and a couple of rings, are spread upon the bed, as part of last night's plunder” (Trusler 98). As discussed in the primary sources above, jewellery thefts were omnipresent throughout the eighteenth-century and their diffusion into literature reinforces this prominence. Hogarth is visualising the private aftermaths of public thefts highlighting the economic gain lower class citizens, such as the prostitute displayed in plate seven, yearned to gain.

 

Hogarth created this image in his earlier work from 1732 too: A Harlot's Progress. In plate one, Moll Hackabout, the young female protagonist, is approached by a bawd, seemingly a figure of Mother Needham. This lady wears a pair of drop earrings and a vivid connection between the scene in Industry and Idleness and this plate is displayed. One questions how Mother Needham may have obtained these earrings. Drop earrings were popular day time accessories, and after seeing the earring thefts in Industry and Idleness, one questions whether Mother Needham obtained hers in the same way. Plate three of A Harlot's Progress intensifies this possibility as Moll has now adopted the role of the prostitute displaying her recent plunders - in this text she is holding a watch rather than a pair of earrings. These illustrations work together to create an image of earring thefts circulating the prostitution industry. Small, valuable items that could easily be pinched from pockets and bags dominated their plunders, like the earrings in Industry and Idleness.

 

Figure 16: Plate One A Harlot's Progress (British Library)

 

Figure 17: Plate Three A Harlot's Progress (British Library)

Images like these, that Hogarth created, reinforce the social and financial value of earrings that diffused across the whole of eighteenth-century society. Hogarth provides an intimate snapshot into the dynamics of the aftermath of thefts, allowing one to analyse the situation as if they were a witness. This is an image that newspaper articles, like the one below from the Dublin Gazette, and Old Bailey records cannot provide – they focus on the crime scene and the logistics of returning justice.

 

Figure 18: Earring theft report (Dublin Gazette)

Newspaper reports, much like the advertisements in Section Five, were terse and concise. The reader only learns about the eye-witness's account which lacks the detail that Hogarth provides, as it must adhere to reality. The report of the attack in the Dublin Gazette, highlighted in yellow, merely states that there was an attack, who the victims were and what was stolen, then it moves on to discuss another similar situation. The style of these reports reinforces the lack of information that could ultimately be collected from impulse earring thefts due to their rapidity and shock; they inform what has happened but as this is all they can do they progress on to the next report instantly. The length also emphasises that although little was known about these earring thefts, the newspapers had a duty to inform the public that they existed. Therefore Hogarth's work plays a significant part in unlocking the intimacies of earring thefts that are silenced elsewhere.

 

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5. Advertisements for earrings

 

The following primary sources evidence that people financially benefited from buying and selling ornate pieces through newspaper advertisements and auction houses. The style of adverts used were succinct and direct, no more than a few sentences, outlining the earring lost or for sale and the reward/price attached to it. The frequent presence of earring advertisements in newspapers and journals, such as the samples below, heightens the movement of earrings throughout the eighteenth-century. Their enticing value attracted more purchases, and this increased the number of thefts and losses as earrings became an evident element of external appearances.

 

Earrings for sale

 

Earrings for sale were advertised in newspapers and magazines alongside other items, predominantly as part of an accessory set. Earrings sold alongside other items enacted how coordinated thefts aimed to steal these sets, rather than just one piece - like the Elizabeth Tomkinson case. The style and financial value of the earring determined which newspaper would advertise it. Analysing different primary sources evidences that those of greater ornateness were advertised in papers targeted at higher classes. This reinforces the social value and financial worth that earrings gave their owners – those of a greater price were targeted at a particular social segment, emphasising increasing exclusivity as price augmented.

 

The advertisement below is from a women's magazine including fiction, non-fiction, theatre reviews and poetry. Le Belle Assemblee encouraged its readers to write contributions, therefore, this is a major clue in determining the class of the readership. A more educated readership correlates to more wealth, thus the earrings for sale below must be of high quality and style to be approved by this audience. The advertisement is succinct in telling its reader what is for sale and how to apply for the pearl service advertised. Many earring advertisements were formatted in a square box, similar to the one below, so that they neatly fitted into corners and columns surrounding the main articles and features.

 

Figure 19: Earrings for sale and services (Le Belle Assemblée)

 

 

Lost earrings

 

Advertisements did not just publicise earrings to be bought, but also those that had been lost. Some of these adverts may have been action taken in the aftermath of urban thefts. The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer was the first periodical to be named a magazine and it was at this establishment that Samuel Johnson was first employed as a recurring writer. It was aimed at the educated public - literature, poetry, critiques and advertisements. The educated public are heightened due to the earrings advertised in the lost and found section. Moreover, the fact that the earrings are diamond earrings increases the status of the target readership as there is the potential that one of these readers owns the lost earrings.

 

This advertisement also confirms the etiquette of earring culture as discussed within other primary sources. The image of multiple drops and three diamonds illustrates an expensive girandole. Moreover, the phrase "Night Ear-Ring" echoes the different culture for day and night jewellery. This specific earring was part of a lady's night wear, and arguably then lost during an evening social event. The accumulation of these different factors of earring etiquette reinforce the higher class readership of this magazine.

 

Figure 20: Lost earrings report (The Gentleman's Magazine: or, Monthly Intellegencer)

 

Earrings at auction

 

Another mode of buying and selling earrings in the eighteenth-century was by auction. The Public Advertiser, formally the London Daily Post and General Advertiser, was a newspaper functioning as a series of different advertisements and news columns. This paper regularly publicised future auctions, and the source below from 1768 displays an example of this. Highlighted in yellow is a forthcoming auction of the stock belonging to the deceased Mr Joseph Bateman. Included in this selection of items are earrings and other pieces of jewellery. As seen throughout the primary sources analysed above, earrings usually came as part of a set or group of items, either being sold or stolen. Earrings sold at auction provides clues about the treatment of price and popularity. The highest bidder would buy the earrings, therefore if they were a popular pair then the purchase price would keep increasing.

 

Figure 21: Earrings for auction (Public Advertiser)

 

These three different modes of advertising earrings highlight the prominence of earrings in eighteenth-century society - the focus of this wiki page. The advertisements and other primary sources analysed above showcase the value of earrings - both financially and socially, but also how they acted as status definers and focal points for feminine beauty.  

 

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Bibliography

 

Primary Sources 

 

"Advertisements and Notices." Public Advertiser, 24 May 1768. 17th and 18th Century Burney Collection, http://0tinyurl.galegroup.com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/tinyurl/6CRoV5. 20 March 2018.

• This advertisement, from the publication of the Public Advertiser on 24^th May 1768, publicised a forthcoming auction where a pair of earrings was in the collection of items to be auctioned. This source was useful as it demonstrated one of the many ways that earrings were bought and sold, but also how they were advertised to different demographics in the eighteenth-century.

 

Austen, Jane. Emma. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. Print.

• Jane Austen’s novel Emma was an important primary source in understanding the culture behind female portraits. Chapter six allowed for an analysis of the function of portraits in order to understand more about the position of earrings in establishing feminine beauty in the eighteenth-century.

 

Bell, John. “Bell’s Weekly Messenger”. August 1802, London. Eighteenth Century Journals. p.279. Web. Accessed 28 February 2018. <http://0-www.18thcjournals.amdigital.co.uk.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/Documents/Images/CHE_Bells_Weekly_messenger_1802/281?searchId=8473cc7d-6349-468c-bdc1-f9ee6f495e64>.

• Established in 1796, at the end of the eighteenth-century, this newspaper entry displayed the brutality of earring thefts that was still prominent as the nineteenth-century came into play. This source was critical in researching how earring thefts were reported to the public.

 

British Library. Engraving: A Harlot’s Progress. Web. 28 February 2018. < https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/a-harlots-progress>.

• William Hogarth’s work was paramount to formulating an understanding of earrings in eighteenth-century culture, particularly within literature and fiction. A Harlot’s Progress emphasised the function of the prostitute in earring thefts and establishing class. Analysing this particular engraving allowed for comparisons to be drawn between Hogarth’s other work and the running motif of earrings.

 

Chick, Marianne. “V&A Bow Girandole – Earrings Exhibition.” March 2018. JPG File.

• During a visit to the Victoria and Albert museum, I captured images of the eighteenth-century girandoles on display to showcase them on this wiki page. These images show off the glamour and dazzling jewels reinforcing their popularity in eighteenth-century evening social events.

 

Chick, Marianne. “V&A Floral Girandole – Earrings Exhibition.” March 2018. JPG File.

• During a visit to the Victoria and Albert museum, I captured images of the eighteenth-century girandoles on display to showcase them on this wiki page. These images show off the glamour and dazzling jewels reinforcing their popularity in eighteenth-century evening social events.

 

"News." Dublin Gazette, January 19, 11725 - January 23, 1725. 17th and 18th Century Burney Collection, http://0tinyurl.galegroup.com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/tinyurl/5jeCB2. 20 March 2018.

• This article was a very brief report of an earring theft on the street. This source was used to highlight how succinct and brief these reports on impulse thefts were since little information could be gathered.

 

"PEARLS SOLD, CLEANED, AND STRUNG." Le Belle Assemblée, or, Bell's Court and Fashionable Magazine Addressed Particularly to the Ladies, 1 Dec. 1812, p. 37. 19th Century UK Periodicals, http://0-tinyurl.galegroup.com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/tinyurl/68a482. 20 March 2018.

• This fashion magazine was consulted as it demonstrated how the quality and content of advertisements determine the demographics they are publicised to. Le Belle Assemblée was a women’s magazine evidencing the vast advertisements showcasing different products and services related to earrings.#

 

National Portrait Gallery. Elizabeth Bull. 2018. Web. 27 February 2018. < https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw133671/Elizabeth-Bull?search=sp&sText=18th+century&firstRun=true&displayNo=60&wPage=32&rNo=1930>.

• A portrait of Elizabeth Bull wearing earrings was used because it highlights how different styles of earrings were worn to tell a different story about feminine beauty.

 

National Portrait Gallery. Mrs Mark Sprot. 2018. Web. 27 February 2018. < https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw207375/Mrs-Mark-Sprot?search=sp&sText=18th+century&firstRun=true&displayNo=60&wPage=38&rNo=2312>.

• A portrait of Mrs Mark Sprot wearing earrings was used because it highlights how different styles of earrings were worn to tell a different story about feminine beauty.

 

National Portrait Gallery. Sarah Woodcock. 2018. Web. 27 February 2018. < https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw39228/Sarah-Woodcock?search=sp&sText=18th+century&firstRun=true&displayNo=60&wPage=39&rNo=2386>.

• A portrait of Sarah Woodcock wearing earrings was used because it highlights how different styles of earrings were worn to tell a different story about feminine beauty.

 

Old Bailey Proceedings Online. Elizabeth Tomkinson Theft: theft from a specified place. 2008. Web. 28 February 2018. < https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?foo=bar&path=sessionsPapers/17580113.xml&div=t17580113-2>.

• This primary source was an Old Bailey record detailing the trial of Elizabeth Tomkinson in 1758. This source was useful because it not only demonstrated the language of the legal system, but it also revealed the mechanics behind coordinated earring thefts within the private sphere. This then allowed for a comparative analysis against Hogarth’s fictional works and the Bell’s Weekly Messenger’s reporting.

 

The British Museum. Collection online: Morning/The Four Times of Day. 2017. Web. 1 March 2018. < http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1401103&partId=1&people=120911&peoA=120911-2-60&page=1>.

• William Hogarth’s work was paramount to formulating an understanding of earrings in eighteenth-century culture, particularly within literature and fiction. The Four times of the Day emphasised the role that earrings played in establishing class and feminine beauty. Analysing this particular engraving on Hogarth’s allowed for comparisons to be drawn between his other work and the running motif of earrings. 

 

The British Museum. Collection online: Noon/ The Four Times of Day. 2017. Web. 1 March 2018. <http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1400925&partId=1&searchText=hogarth+four+times+of+the+day&page=1>.

• William Hogarth’s work was paramount to formulating an understanding of earrings in eighteenth-century culture, particularly within literature and fiction. The Four times of the Day emphasised the role that earrings played in establishing class and feminine beauty. Analysing this particular engraving on Hogarth’s allowed for comparisons to be drawn between his other work and the running motif of earrings.

 

Advertisement. 1731. The Gentleman's Magazine: or, Monthly intellegencer, Jan.1731-Dec.1735, 1(4), pp. 167. < https://search.proquest.com/britishperiodicals/docview/8616122/7C01691D22E84CFCPQ/1?accountid=14888> 20 March 2018.

• The Gentleman’s Magazine, established in 1731, allowed for a deeper understanding of advertisements for lost earrings. It highlighted their succinctness and how common they appear throughout eighteenth-century newspapers and magazines.

 

Victoria and Albert Museum. Search the collections: Earrings. March 2018. Web. 2 March 2018. <http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O112181/earrings-unknown/>.

• The V&A only had girandoles on display at their exhibition. A consultation of their online archives unveiled pendeloques, drop earrings and more girandoles to visualise what eighteenth-century earrings and styles looked like. These primary sources allowed for the styles to be contrasted and compared against each other, and consequently spotted throughout Hogarth’s work, portraits and descriptions in newspapers.

 

Victoria and Albert Museum. Search the collections: Earrings. March 2018. Web. 2 March 2018. < http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73252/earrings-unknown/>.

• The V&A only had girandoles on display at their exhibition. A consultation of their online archives unveiled pendeloques, drop earrings and more girandoles to visualise what eighteenth-century earrings and styles looked like. These primary sources allowed for the styles to be contrasted and compared against each other, and consequently spotted throughout Hogarth’s work, portraits and descriptions in newspapers.

 

Victoria and Albert Museum. Search the collections: Earrings. March 2018. Web. 2 March 2018. < http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O112122/pair-of-earrings-unknown/>.

• The V&A only had girandoles on display at their exhibition. A consultation of their online archives unveiled pendeloques, drop earrings and more girandoles to visualise what eighteenth-century earrings and styles looked like. These primary sources allowed for the styles to be contrasted and compared against each other, and consequently spotted throughout Hogarth’s work, portraits and descriptions in newspapers.

 

 

Secondary Sources

 

Dawes, Ginny Redington and Olivia Collings. Georgian Jewellery: 1714-1830. Suffolk: Antique Collectors' Club Ltd., 2007. Print.

• A session in the National Art Library at the V&A allowed me to access this book to formulate a thorough background understanding of the styles, sizes and culture of eighteenth-century earrings.

 

Google. Google Books Ngram Viewer. 2013. Web. 23 February 2018. <https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=earring%2Cear-ring&year_start=1699&year_end=1800&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Cearring%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cear%20-%20ring%3B%2Cc0>.

• This resource creates a graph detailing the prominence of the terms “earring” and “ear-ring” throughout eighteenth-century literature.

 

“earring, n.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, January 2018. Web. 27 February 2018.

• A definition of “earring” to understand its meaning and function within texts. The OED chronologically selects certain occurrences of “earring” within literary texts from different centuries.

 

"earringed, adj." OED Online. Oxford University Press, January 2018. Web. 27 February 2018.

• A definition of “earringed” to understand its meaning and function.

 

“ear-drop, n.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, January 2018. Web. 27 February 2018.

• A definition of “ear-drop” to understand its meaning and function within texts. The OED chronologically selects certain occurrences of “ear-drop” within literary texts from different centuries.

 

 “stud earring, n.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, January 2018. Web. 27 February 2018.

• A definition of “stud earring” to understand its meaning and function.

 

Scarisbrick, Diana. Jewellery in Britain, 1066-1837: A Documentary, Social, Literary and Artistic Survey. Norwich: Michael Russell (Publishing) Ltd., 1994. Print.

• A session in the National Art Library at the V&A allowed me to access this book to formulate a thorough background understanding of the styles, sizes and culture of eighteenth-century earrings.

 

Triossi, Amanda and Daniela Mascetti. Earrings: From Antiquity to the Present. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1990. Print.

• A session in the National Art Library at the V&A allowed me to access this book to formulate a thorough background understanding of the styles, sizes and culture of eighteenth-century earrings.

 

Trusler, John. The Works of William Hogarth: In a Series of Engravings With Descriptions, and a Comment on Their Moral Tendency. Project Gutenberg Ebook, 2007. Web. < http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22500/pg22500.txt>.

• William Hogarth’s work was paramount to formulating an understanding of earrings in eighteenth-century culture, particularly within literature and fiction. Industry and Idleness emphasised the function of the prostitute in earring thefts and establishing class. Analysing this particular engraving allowed for comparisons to be drawn between Hogarth’s other work and the running motif of earrings.