Concurrent Influences and Developments.
At much the same time as the 'Obelisk Locket' was being made, Phill was also making jewellery which played with the sun as a motif. The Sun was yet another symbol in the armoury of 'power motifs'.
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'Necklet of the Eclipse' used hollow, partly open forms coated with goldleaf on the interiors. The outer shells were patinated, gold-inlaid sterling silver. The titanium rope chain was something Phill was making a lot in the mid 'eighties: flame-coloured dark blue, in this instance, it was an apt 'night sky' background for the eclipse motifs. Such titanium chain had not been seen before.
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Like most obelisks transported to Rome, the Quirinal Obelisk has been surmounted by Christian symbols.
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'Obelisk for an Overseer' was a lidded container Phill made at the same time as the other obelisk objects. Like the symbol of the pyramid with the eye on top, this obelisk also had a stylised eye atop. It was also hollow-fabricated, patinated gilding metal, with the decorative finial being hollow-fabricated sterling silver.
Also around this time, Phill was making brooches based on a stylised Saturn. The quizzical image below is Phill modelling such a brooch at the time. ["Forgive us the sins of our past vanities..."]
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The Saturn brooch was a beaten and flame-coloured titanium 'planet', surrounded by sterling silver 'rings', gold rivetted to the 'planet'. The brooch below it is from a parallel series - 'Comets'.