Antique Bracelet Made of Mediterranean Sciacca Coral, c. 1900

This bracelet is made of hand-polished Mediterranean coral arranged in four parallel rows. Each of the slightly flattened beads displays a uniform, warm salmon hue, typical of so-called Sciacca coral, which was recovered off the southern coast of Sicily beginning in the 1870s. Unlike freshly harvested Mediterranean coral, Sciacca coral does not come from living colonies but from subfossil, very old coral reefs that have accumulated on the seabed over many centuries. A characteristic feature is its play of colours, ranging from delicate salmon and peach tones to vibrant orange—a distinct contrast to the deep red of freshly harvested coral. The discovery of these deposits sparked a veritable coral craze in the late 19th century and gave rise to a distinct coral fashion trend, with production centered in the workshops of the port city of Torre del Greco in the Bay of Naples. By the early 20th century, however, the deposits had been exhausted, so that Sciacca coral can now only be found in antique pieces of jewellery. The four strands are held together by the original clasp, which is adorned with three coral buttons. This piece of jewellery, created around 1890, came into our possession from the collection of Baltic nobility.

Estimate:£586.1

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