A spectacular opal, garnet, enamel and silver Arts & Crafts necklace made for Annie Horniman,

A spectacular opal, garnet, enamel and silver Arts & Crafts necklace made for Annie Horniman, circa 1920, the large dragon drop pave set with in excess of 300 graduated oval and heart shaped opal cabochons, with cabochon garnet eyes in green enamel surrounds, 15cm long, suspended by four chains from a cartouche section applied with three oval and one heart shaped opal cabochons, the whole drop 15cm long, on a silver back chain of interwoven figure of eight links with simple link connections between, the chain 45cm long. Provenance: Made for Annie Horniman, given to her cousin Mrs Marjorie Garrod, thence by descent. Annie Elizabeth Fredericka Horniman (1860 - 1937) was the eldest child of the famous tea merchant Frederick Horniman, who founded the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill, South London. Having gone to the Slade School of Fine Art in 1882, Annie Horniman developed her interests in the theatre. In 1894, with the proceeds of a legacy from her grandfather, she financed a season of plays at the Avenue Theatre in London, bringing the plays of W. B. Yates and George Bernard Shaw to the stage for the first time. Through her friendship with Yates, Annie agreed to fund the opening in 1904 of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, as a base for the Irish National Theatre. In 1907 she purchased the Gaiety Theatre in Manchester, and it was her involvement with the Gaiety Theatre that saw the establishment of repertory theatre outside London, whereby the theatre employed a resident company of actors. Annie Horniman was famous for her eccentric life style, causing a mild sensation by openly smoking cigarettes and wearing flamboyant clothes. She was renowned for wearing the opal dragon pendant, offered for sale here, and was frequently photographed with it. Annie Horniman`s letters, papers and photographs were purchased by The John Rylands University Library of the University of Manchester in 1984. The pendant is mentioned in those papers as follows: `A bundle of items grouped together by Marjorie Garrod which relate to AEFH`s famous dragon pendant, frequently worn and commented upon, and typical of AEFH`s passion for unusual and individualistic clothes and jewellery. The pendant itself was made of oxidised silver, studded with over 300 opals and with 2 ruby eyes. .... a jeweller`s card from E. Wolfe & Co. of London, with a replacement value of £750 noted on the reverse [presumably Marjorie Garrod or Elizabeth Cade had the pendant valued at some point].`. John Rylands University Library Reference AEH/4/1/11/1. (The E. Wolfe & Co. card is not offered with this lot)