This ballerina has been adapted from Edward Gorey's "The Guilded Bat," compiled in AMPHIGOREY - Fifteen Books by Edward Gorey: a compilation of books published between 1953 and 1965. Sterling silver piece measures approximately 1" tall x 1 1/2" wide.
Created using the lost wax casting process where a carved or cast wax original is encased in clay or other investment, the wax is melted under temperature and the resulting voids are filled with molten metal. Used since early Egyptian times for casting fine metals where the highest level of detail was required.