Sterling Silver Marcasite Maltese Cross Screw Back Earrings

These delicate earrings which are in fact from Malta were found in our grandmother’s jewelry collection but we have no idea when or if she ever went to Malta where it was purchased. Perhaps she inherited them from the Burr sisters who travelled widely in the 1920s and 1930s.
 
STERLING is stamped on one ‘wing’ of each earring although it is very hard to see without a jeweler’s magnifying glass. The earrings are in original condition, we believe. They come in their original box from The Sterling Jewellery at 6 Kingsway, Valletta, which was the founding location of the company since 1896, but since closed as the company has grown.
 
 
According to our research, the cross should be worn with humility and only after you have demonstrated your ‘service to others in a way that makes it clear that you've dedicated your life to serving and saving others’. It has a link with the Knights of Malta, a medieval Catholic military order. The Knights adopt this cross as their emblem, signifying their commitment to Christian faith, courage and chivalry. The eight points represent the Christian values of “loyalty, piety, honesty, courage, honor and glory, contempt for death, solidarity towards the poor and the sick, and respect for the Church” according to one source, and ‘to live in truth, have faith, repent one’s sins, give proof of humility, love justice, be merciful, be sincere and whole­hearted, and to endure persecution’ according to another.
 
They hang below the lobe, H 1” x L 5/8”
1 oz
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.