 |
| Ring François-Désiré Froment-Meurice 1854 steel and gold, cast and chiseled Muse with Cherubs Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Brooch Maison Fonsèque and Olive ca. 1889 gold, diamonds, glass Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
the present is the wall between two rooms
through which you push the ghosts you reassume
half-seconds later; the present is the wall,
this side of which you rigorously patrol,
between something and nothing; it leaks.
The present is the wall that brick by brick
builds itself before you, while you haul
yourself upward, then lose your grip and fall.
The present is the wall of sea thrown up
by some one-in-a-billion ontic burp,
a standing wave that has no beach to hit;
or the present is the wall on which you sit
watching your hands get old. (Look down there now:
O fellow matter, do you remember how
they were once so small and round and free from blame?
How ever did you stop grieving for them?)
– from A Talking Book, published in Landing Light by Don Paterson (Graywolf Press, 2005)
 |
| The Manchester Tiara Cartier, Paris 1903 silver, gold, diamonds rococo-revival design for Consuelo, Duchess of Manchester Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Pendant Henry Wilson ca. 1900 gold, pearls, sapphires, emeralds, rubies, moonstone, turquoise Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Brooch August Hollming 1895-99 gold, diamonds, sapphires Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Necklace Georgie Gaskin ca. 1910 enameled-silver, pearls Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Pendant Carlo Giuliano ca. 1867 enameled-gold, rubies, diamonds, river-pearls Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Pendant Carlo Giuliano 1877 enameled gold, rubies, diamonds, pearls relief-profile of Queen Victoria in gold Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Locket Alexis Falize ca. 1867-70 gold, cloisonné-enamel Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Locket Alexis Falize 1867 gold, cloisonné-enamel, diamonds Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Locket (interior) Alexis Falize 1867 gold, cloisonné-enamel Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Ring Giovanni Pichler ca. 1760 gold, agate-cameo Theseus & the Minotaur Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Ring Josiah Wedgwood ca. 1780 gold, jasper-cameo plaque Youth & Maiden Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| Pendant Josiah Wedgwood ca. 1780-1800 enameled-gold, half-pearls, jasper-cameo plaque Hercules & Erymanthean Boar Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
I am grateful to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London for the excellent images.