Zion, hand lettered in Hebrew, sits at the center of this vintage mother of pearl pendant. A cobalt blue Star of David frames the word, with a Hebrew letter painted in each point, and red roses with curling green leaves fill the spaces around the star. Underneath it all, the mother of pearl flashes pink, green and gold as it moves.
The floral style follows the Persian tradition of painting roses onto shell and enamel, and Judaica in this style turns up far less often than secular pieces. The disc measures about 1 3/8 inches across, a size that reads clearly at a distance. The back shows the natural mother of pearl, smooth and unpainted.
Vintage condition, with wear to the painted rose on the left edge and light paint loss at a few points of the star, consistent with age and handling. Hangs from a brass-tone jump ring.
