Extremely rare pair of bird hunting cufflinks in gold

An extremely rare and unusual reverse rock crystal intaglio cufflinks in 14 ct. gold picting a pheasant, a snipe, a partridge and a mallard duck. The reverse crystal intaglio started as a fashion in 1862 when the first example was shown at the international Exhibition in London. The underside of a smooth, domed piece of rock crystal was deeply carved and then painted in minute detail and backed with a slice of mother-of-pearl so that the subject slightly magnified by the dome of crystal, looked as if it was curiously suspended in its glassy cocoon.